“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
On some level I have always known what mercy and grace meant but this morning I read the words that brought its powerful message home. “Mercy is being spared from the ill that is deserved and grace is being gifted with good that is undeserved.” What powerful definitions with unattainable responsibility on our part. It is one thing to show mercy through forgiveness to someone who has wounded us but to go one step further and do something for their good is another.
One amazing example of mercy and grace exemplifying Christ is the case of the gunman at the Amish school up in Penn. I found this article written by a woman regarding the manner in which they responded to the gunman and his family. These ambassadors of mercy and grace not only had children at this school but reached out to society to appeal to our sense of forgiveness.
“My thoughts and prayers remain with the innocent Amish victims in Nickel Mines, PA. I was traveling on the day of the shooting and heard the news with a sense of surreal disbelief. I simply couldn't realize it at first. Upon fully grasping the enormity of the horrific crime, I desperately longed for the solitude of our farm that I might privately grieve and pray for those gentle people, the dear children deeply terrified and shocked - the poor victims who died; the sad, shocked, grieving victims who survived.
Never has my heart been so humbled as by the forgiving attitude of the Amish community and families who personally lost so much and yet extended such tender concern even to the family of the gunman. What an extraordinary example they gave us all. To have such deep abiding faith, to really live the true meaning of Christ's message of forgiveness, without a grudge, was such a remarkable act of Christian love that it will inspire me for a lifetime.”
This attitude is only possessed by those who confidently approach God to receive their own mercy through a spirit of humility and look for grace where grace should not be. Most likely none of us will be faced with forgiving someone of such a horrific crime but we will be faced with forgiving family for something much smaller, or forgiving an ex-spouse for his role in the failure of the marriage, or forgiving a child for the bad decisions they make in their life. Forgiveness is only half of the equation if we are really trying to walk in a manner worthy of Christ.
It is extending that extra good after the forgiveness that puts us in a league of our own – God’s league.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Drawn by Grace
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.” Jeremiah 31:3.
Israel had become rebellious and turned away from God for some time. Their continued idol worshipping and sinful waywardness had separated them from their Father. One of the Hebrew translations for love in the Bible is “chesed”. This Hebrew translation speaks of a love that is “firmly rooted in God’s character. It involves loyalty, steadfastness, and covenant commitment as well as kindness, tenderness, and mercy. It is the type of love that accepts moral obligation for the welfare of the person loved. It’s a love that doesn’t depend on the response or behavior of the receiver but rather on the steadfast character and commitment of the giver. Chesed implies a mind-set and mode of interaction rooted in deep values.” Mary Kassian, Knowing God By Name, p. 39.
This definition reminds me of the love of parents as they interact with their children. Obviously, our love cannot be perfect like the Father’s but our parental love is the closest we will experience as a pattern for the father-child relationship we have with Him. When my daughter was deep in drugs I never stopped being her parent. My interaction with her was certainly affected and altered but her position in the family never changed – I would always be her mother and she would always be my child.
I love one of the definitions of “drawn” which is to take something out. It describes an action of pulling an object out of something in which it has been enclosed or embedded. We all get ourselves embedded in situations from which only God can remove us. He reaches down, scooping us up, drawing us to Himself like water from a well. The piece that follows is the best news – cleansing from our sins.
Notice at the end of the Jeremiah 31:3 He calls out to Israel as a virgin. This insinuates that as they turn back to Him they will be seen and deemed pure and forgiven. Much like the children of Israel I see my daughter as redeemed, cleansed and pure because all sin has been forgiven just as God forgives us. Our Father’s love is non-discriminatory and is not determined by our actions or responses but based on the love He has for us.
Our sins will never be greater than His love!
Israel had become rebellious and turned away from God for some time. Their continued idol worshipping and sinful waywardness had separated them from their Father. One of the Hebrew translations for love in the Bible is “chesed”. This Hebrew translation speaks of a love that is “firmly rooted in God’s character. It involves loyalty, steadfastness, and covenant commitment as well as kindness, tenderness, and mercy. It is the type of love that accepts moral obligation for the welfare of the person loved. It’s a love that doesn’t depend on the response or behavior of the receiver but rather on the steadfast character and commitment of the giver. Chesed implies a mind-set and mode of interaction rooted in deep values.” Mary Kassian, Knowing God By Name, p. 39.
This definition reminds me of the love of parents as they interact with their children. Obviously, our love cannot be perfect like the Father’s but our parental love is the closest we will experience as a pattern for the father-child relationship we have with Him. When my daughter was deep in drugs I never stopped being her parent. My interaction with her was certainly affected and altered but her position in the family never changed – I would always be her mother and she would always be my child.
I love one of the definitions of “drawn” which is to take something out. It describes an action of pulling an object out of something in which it has been enclosed or embedded. We all get ourselves embedded in situations from which only God can remove us. He reaches down, scooping us up, drawing us to Himself like water from a well. The piece that follows is the best news – cleansing from our sins.
Notice at the end of the Jeremiah 31:3 He calls out to Israel as a virgin. This insinuates that as they turn back to Him they will be seen and deemed pure and forgiven. Much like the children of Israel I see my daughter as redeemed, cleansed and pure because all sin has been forgiven just as God forgives us. Our Father’s love is non-discriminatory and is not determined by our actions or responses but based on the love He has for us.
Our sins will never be greater than His love!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Walking On Rooftops
“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever...And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Daniel 4:34 & 37b
The Book of Daniel hosts two very familiar childhood stories for me, Daniel and the Lions Den and Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace. Another story not as widely known is a very strange story of how God reduced pride to humility. It is a story of King Nebuchadnezzar as he surveyed his kingdom with the ultimate pride, giving himself credit for the royal empire that he built and ruled. He stated that his kingdom was built by his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty. As the words flowed from his lips God removed him from service, banished him to the wild to live as animals did for 7 years, the number that represents completion in the Bible. This verse states that finally our stubborn king “raised his eyes toward heaven” meaning he finally acknowledged that God was sovereign over everything. Raising his eyes toward heaven was the moment when humility overtook pride and grace was restored through surrender.
Living in a world where accomplishments are made through dishonesty, disloyalty and disobedience we too might find ourselves banished to the wild in an effort to humble us. Today’s translation may be losing our financial standing as we flash our money and worth around to others or losing our status in a job as we brag about the authority we possess over others. Everything we have comes from God and we should never “walk around on our rooftops, stating that what we built was by our own power and for the glory of our majesty”…and yet we do. We remind people daily of what we have done for them and we brag to others of our accomplishments through our daily conversations.
When the king finally submitted himself to God it was only after he had suffered many years of defeat, disillusionment and disgrace. Knowing our wonderful God, He had given our King Neb many chances to come around to the acknowledgment and reverence of God’s sovereignty. The Bible states that “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.” (Prov. 3:34)
We all possess pride about something in our lives that will be exposed and removed at a time God determines. Let’s just pray we are not “thrown in the wild” due to our stubbornness but realize what God desires to remove from our lives. He is a loving God and will always work towards growing us into His image.
I would much rather live like royalty in God’s Kingdom than rule over my own lonely kingdom.
The Book of Daniel hosts two very familiar childhood stories for me, Daniel and the Lions Den and Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace. Another story not as widely known is a very strange story of how God reduced pride to humility. It is a story of King Nebuchadnezzar as he surveyed his kingdom with the ultimate pride, giving himself credit for the royal empire that he built and ruled. He stated that his kingdom was built by his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty. As the words flowed from his lips God removed him from service, banished him to the wild to live as animals did for 7 years, the number that represents completion in the Bible. This verse states that finally our stubborn king “raised his eyes toward heaven” meaning he finally acknowledged that God was sovereign over everything. Raising his eyes toward heaven was the moment when humility overtook pride and grace was restored through surrender.
Living in a world where accomplishments are made through dishonesty, disloyalty and disobedience we too might find ourselves banished to the wild in an effort to humble us. Today’s translation may be losing our financial standing as we flash our money and worth around to others or losing our status in a job as we brag about the authority we possess over others. Everything we have comes from God and we should never “walk around on our rooftops, stating that what we built was by our own power and for the glory of our majesty”…and yet we do. We remind people daily of what we have done for them and we brag to others of our accomplishments through our daily conversations.
When the king finally submitted himself to God it was only after he had suffered many years of defeat, disillusionment and disgrace. Knowing our wonderful God, He had given our King Neb many chances to come around to the acknowledgment and reverence of God’s sovereignty. The Bible states that “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.” (Prov. 3:34)
We all possess pride about something in our lives that will be exposed and removed at a time God determines. Let’s just pray we are not “thrown in the wild” due to our stubbornness but realize what God desires to remove from our lives. He is a loving God and will always work towards growing us into His image.
I would much rather live like royalty in God’s Kingdom than rule over my own lonely kingdom.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Always Was.. Always Will Be
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev. 1:8
One of the most difficult concepts around which to wrap our minds is the concept of infinity. When we contemplate infinity we think of a linear line into the future as it extends based upon our own understanding of time. Just as mind boggling is the concept of infinity reaching behind us with no beginning as well as no end. Infinity is the full measure of God in all areas. Infinite means “without limits; not limited by space or time; exceedingly great in excellence, degree, and capacity; boundless; limitless; immeasurable.”
I only have to look at September 11th to see this concept realized on earth. With the number of people effected by the terrorist attacks, there was only One who was infinitely available for every person individually. For the woman who was late getting to work that morning, avoiding being present in the building, God arranged circumstances in that way. For the man in the stairwell who never made it down, God was holding and comforting him. For President Bush who was unprepared as our leader for this catastrophic occurrence, God provided guidance. For all of us, who watched this through television with horror, God provided comfort.
This really came into clear view last February for me as I had to be everything for many people. For Beth, she wanted me there consistently for comfort. For Paul and Sydney, help was required for the physical day to day workings. For Bruce, he needed continued assistance after his knee replacement. For my in-laws, they required a lot of assistance with his Alzheimer’s. My daughter, Kristen, required my help as she found herself victim to her husband’s relapse. My other daughter, Caroline, lost her boyfriend in a motorcycle accident and needed the love and comfort to pull her through. These were the infinite needs for a finite mother, sister, daughter-in-law, and wife. I remember thinking at the end of that 30 day period just how infinite God is as He has always shown, shows daily and will also show. He is not only infinite in time and space but His infinity extends in wisdom, guidance, 2nd chances and possibilities.
Wherever you are and whatever you face, He is present in all things, through all things and in all things. He was before all things and will be after all things. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter. This statement encapsulates the completeness of God, nothing added nor removed.
We serve the Infinite God who is all over and over all!
One of the most difficult concepts around which to wrap our minds is the concept of infinity. When we contemplate infinity we think of a linear line into the future as it extends based upon our own understanding of time. Just as mind boggling is the concept of infinity reaching behind us with no beginning as well as no end. Infinity is the full measure of God in all areas. Infinite means “without limits; not limited by space or time; exceedingly great in excellence, degree, and capacity; boundless; limitless; immeasurable.”
I only have to look at September 11th to see this concept realized on earth. With the number of people effected by the terrorist attacks, there was only One who was infinitely available for every person individually. For the woman who was late getting to work that morning, avoiding being present in the building, God arranged circumstances in that way. For the man in the stairwell who never made it down, God was holding and comforting him. For President Bush who was unprepared as our leader for this catastrophic occurrence, God provided guidance. For all of us, who watched this through television with horror, God provided comfort.
This really came into clear view last February for me as I had to be everything for many people. For Beth, she wanted me there consistently for comfort. For Paul and Sydney, help was required for the physical day to day workings. For Bruce, he needed continued assistance after his knee replacement. For my in-laws, they required a lot of assistance with his Alzheimer’s. My daughter, Kristen, required my help as she found herself victim to her husband’s relapse. My other daughter, Caroline, lost her boyfriend in a motorcycle accident and needed the love and comfort to pull her through. These were the infinite needs for a finite mother, sister, daughter-in-law, and wife. I remember thinking at the end of that 30 day period just how infinite God is as He has always shown, shows daily and will also show. He is not only infinite in time and space but His infinity extends in wisdom, guidance, 2nd chances and possibilities.
Wherever you are and whatever you face, He is present in all things, through all things and in all things. He was before all things and will be after all things. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter. This statement encapsulates the completeness of God, nothing added nor removed.
We serve the Infinite God who is all over and over all!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Who Masters You?
"I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.” Psalm 123:1-2
In studying the different names of God, I came upon one which highlights an important relationship with God, the master-servant relationship. The root word for Adonai – Adon – means to rule, master or lord. It was a term used by someone of a lesser status when addressing a person of a higher one. This could even be used in the family unit from a younger sibling to an older one. The meaning of Adonai is understood as “My Great Master”. This name conveys the idea that He has the absolute authority along with the right to rule in our lives. It makes the assumption that He is our individual master with an individual relationship.
This world offers many competing masters but only One can offer the full measure of completeness as Adonai offers. I use to allow the love and approval of others to master over my life instead of trusting God to work out all things in my life. When going through the time of my daughter’s drug use I allowed fear to master over my life not trusting God in His ultimate ability as her Master. Our Master looks upon our lives and sees the dangers and trials up ahead and prepares appropriately. He will never be caught off guard as adversity slips into our lives through the back door or head on.
Whatever enslaves will master your thoughts, decisions and actions making it the direction of your path. (“…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him” 2 Peter 2:19b) The good news is that Christ came to free us and through our decision to serve Him as our Great Master we obtain freedom through our enslavement to Him.
One of the greatest paradox that exists is through our enslavement to our Great Master comes our greatest freedom!
In studying the different names of God, I came upon one which highlights an important relationship with God, the master-servant relationship. The root word for Adonai – Adon – means to rule, master or lord. It was a term used by someone of a lesser status when addressing a person of a higher one. This could even be used in the family unit from a younger sibling to an older one. The meaning of Adonai is understood as “My Great Master”. This name conveys the idea that He has the absolute authority along with the right to rule in our lives. It makes the assumption that He is our individual master with an individual relationship.
This world offers many competing masters but only One can offer the full measure of completeness as Adonai offers. I use to allow the love and approval of others to master over my life instead of trusting God to work out all things in my life. When going through the time of my daughter’s drug use I allowed fear to master over my life not trusting God in His ultimate ability as her Master. Our Master looks upon our lives and sees the dangers and trials up ahead and prepares appropriately. He will never be caught off guard as adversity slips into our lives through the back door or head on.
Whatever enslaves will master your thoughts, decisions and actions making it the direction of your path. (“…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him” 2 Peter 2:19b) The good news is that Christ came to free us and through our decision to serve Him as our Great Master we obtain freedom through our enslavement to Him.
One of the greatest paradox that exists is through our enslavement to our Great Master comes our greatest freedom!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Building Our Altars
“At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.” 1 Kings 18:27-29.
This is one of my favorite stories from the Bible. Try to take a few minutes and read the entire story for it is the template for our life played out in our day. Elijah, a prophet of God, was basically challenging the prophets of Baal, their god of worship, to enter into a competition of the greater god between the two. They both built altars and the god who sent down fire to light the altar was considered the supreme deity. Elijah’s sarcasm has always been a source of humor for me when reading this story. He provides the possibilities of their god having a “sleepy day” or “maybe traveling on vacation”. He has complete confidence in His God, Elohim, which means God of all gods and LORD of all lords.
When life challenges us to a dual of the greater god, do we accept the challenge and build our altars with confidence, knowledge and faith that our God will light the mighty fire to show Himself to us as Elohim? We are building opposing altars everyday of our lives when fret, worry and fear take hold of our hearts. Building our altars with fear make us no different than the prophets of Baal running around with frantic attitudes trying everything in our own strength and power to light our own fires and bring resolution to our problems.
Building our altars with sticks of faith and stones of belief will always bring the Fire down from Heaven.
This is one of my favorite stories from the Bible. Try to take a few minutes and read the entire story for it is the template for our life played out in our day. Elijah, a prophet of God, was basically challenging the prophets of Baal, their god of worship, to enter into a competition of the greater god between the two. They both built altars and the god who sent down fire to light the altar was considered the supreme deity. Elijah’s sarcasm has always been a source of humor for me when reading this story. He provides the possibilities of their god having a “sleepy day” or “maybe traveling on vacation”. He has complete confidence in His God, Elohim, which means God of all gods and LORD of all lords.
When life challenges us to a dual of the greater god, do we accept the challenge and build our altars with confidence, knowledge and faith that our God will light the mighty fire to show Himself to us as Elohim? We are building opposing altars everyday of our lives when fret, worry and fear take hold of our hearts. Building our altars with fear make us no different than the prophets of Baal running around with frantic attitudes trying everything in our own strength and power to light our own fires and bring resolution to our problems.
Building our altars with sticks of faith and stones of belief will always bring the Fire down from Heaven.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
I AM
“Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel…and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM….I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:13-14
I love cracking open a new Bible Study with all of its information, history and application of God’s word through the eyes of one of His vessels. This new Bible Study has more to do with the different names of our powerful God. In studying one of God’s primary names, Yahweh, I discovered that we have a great deal to learn from our Jewish friends in the honoring department.
Yahweh means to exist, to be, was, is, will be. It was the most sacred name upon which they would call, a name so sacred on their lips it would only be uttered by the priest when blessing the people in the temple and when he entered the most holy place along with a few religious observances. One of the most interesting facts I learned follows: “When a Jewish scribe copied the Scriptures and came to God’s sacred name Yahweh, he would set aside his quill and get a brand new one with which to write. After writing the Name, he would break and discard the quill so that no other word would ever flow from it.”
When I look around and witness the honoring of one’s self over God and the use of God’s name in vain, I wonder where our honor for the great I AM lies, and where is our sacred worship for the One who was, is and will be.
Do we lessen our perception of God because we do not truly know Him or because we want more of ourselves? We know each other through our relationships and the characteristics we possess. I am known as mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, wife, etc…I am known as silly, clutsy, fearful of the dark, spiritual…etc. The I AM of the universe has been known across the generations according to the relationship forged with God and the characteristics that God has possessed for them. Our sovereign God has been, is presently and will be the great I AM according to how we experience Him.
For me, the great I AM this year has been the God of Comfort, the God of Deliverance and God of Faithfulness. Do we truthfully approach God with the honor, the respect, the humility deserving only to the “I AM” of creation?
I love cracking open a new Bible Study with all of its information, history and application of God’s word through the eyes of one of His vessels. This new Bible Study has more to do with the different names of our powerful God. In studying one of God’s primary names, Yahweh, I discovered that we have a great deal to learn from our Jewish friends in the honoring department.
Yahweh means to exist, to be, was, is, will be. It was the most sacred name upon which they would call, a name so sacred on their lips it would only be uttered by the priest when blessing the people in the temple and when he entered the most holy place along with a few religious observances. One of the most interesting facts I learned follows: “When a Jewish scribe copied the Scriptures and came to God’s sacred name Yahweh, he would set aside his quill and get a brand new one with which to write. After writing the Name, he would break and discard the quill so that no other word would ever flow from it.”
When I look around and witness the honoring of one’s self over God and the use of God’s name in vain, I wonder where our honor for the great I AM lies, and where is our sacred worship for the One who was, is and will be.
Do we lessen our perception of God because we do not truly know Him or because we want more of ourselves? We know each other through our relationships and the characteristics we possess. I am known as mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, wife, etc…I am known as silly, clutsy, fearful of the dark, spiritual…etc. The I AM of the universe has been known across the generations according to the relationship forged with God and the characteristics that God has possessed for them. Our sovereign God has been, is presently and will be the great I AM according to how we experience Him.
For me, the great I AM this year has been the God of Comfort, the God of Deliverance and God of Faithfulness. Do we truthfully approach God with the honor, the respect, the humility deserving only to the “I AM” of creation?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
When I Grow Up...
“The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:4-6.
As many other little girls on this planet, when I was young I had thoughts of becoming a STAR! (Do I hear laughter on the other side of that screen?) I would pretend to sing into microphones, practice certain walks which would be reserved for public appearances, and other crazy things. As I matured I realized this was not a realistic goal for me so my mind turned to more sane thinking. Had I continued to claim and believe that I was a star would put me no closer to becoming one.
As baby Christians we do the same as we claim our spirituality apart from our walk. God knows that this proclamation is important in setting the path of our lives but also will only allow us to claim being a Christian without action for so long. Many people are turned off by Christians as they watch us in our decisions, listen to us in our conversations and experience us in our attitudes. They look to us for authenticity in our faith and credibility in our walk. Can you imagine if I walked into a hospital and claimed to be a doctor trying to access the benefits from that claim? They would throw me out in a second for lack of accreditation, authenticity and references.
The bottom line is if we are truly walking the life of a Christian we should not have to claim anything but rather display everything in our daily walk. It goes far beyond sitting in church once a week, although that is one command from Christ. I remember hearing once from my daughter, Kristen something she had read: “Sitting in church makes you no more a Christian than sitting in a garage makes you a car.”
People should know our Christian claim from the integrity in our decisions, the content of our tongues and the attitude of our hearts.
As many other little girls on this planet, when I was young I had thoughts of becoming a STAR! (Do I hear laughter on the other side of that screen?) I would pretend to sing into microphones, practice certain walks which would be reserved for public appearances, and other crazy things. As I matured I realized this was not a realistic goal for me so my mind turned to more sane thinking. Had I continued to claim and believe that I was a star would put me no closer to becoming one.
As baby Christians we do the same as we claim our spirituality apart from our walk. God knows that this proclamation is important in setting the path of our lives but also will only allow us to claim being a Christian without action for so long. Many people are turned off by Christians as they watch us in our decisions, listen to us in our conversations and experience us in our attitudes. They look to us for authenticity in our faith and credibility in our walk. Can you imagine if I walked into a hospital and claimed to be a doctor trying to access the benefits from that claim? They would throw me out in a second for lack of accreditation, authenticity and references.
The bottom line is if we are truly walking the life of a Christian we should not have to claim anything but rather display everything in our daily walk. It goes far beyond sitting in church once a week, although that is one command from Christ. I remember hearing once from my daughter, Kristen something she had read: “Sitting in church makes you no more a Christian than sitting in a garage makes you a car.”
People should know our Christian claim from the integrity in our decisions, the content of our tongues and the attitude of our hearts.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Giving It Our All
“Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-29.
This was the response of Jesus when a scribe questioned Him as to which commandment was the greatest. The love Jesus had for His Father was all consuming, all encompassing and all surpassing in attitude, actions and thoughts. It was a love that fueled His walk on earth which was a walk of surrendered living and sacrificial dying.
We are commanded first and foremost to love this awesome Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit followed by the love we should have and show for each other. God loves us with the full measure of His heart and spirit without limits, conditions or expectations. His love for us is first and independent of our actions towards Him, everything else being secondary.
What we require and ask of God had better be what we are willing to give to others. If we are pleading for the great mercies from God, we must be prepared to be merciful to others. If we are seeking forgiveness from God, we had better open our hearts and forgive others. If we are praying that someone will love and accept us with complete love we must not be tempted in trying to change someone else but accept them for who they are, trusting that God will bring them around to His image.
Giving your all to others can be achieved by giving your all to God. Our love for others will not come back empty if we have accessed the primary love first, God’s love. We must settle the issue of love in our hearts. Love is not contingent upon how others love us but how we love the Lord.
If we are doing our part in loving Him completely we will receive precious love from others as it passes through the precious love of God.
This was the response of Jesus when a scribe questioned Him as to which commandment was the greatest. The love Jesus had for His Father was all consuming, all encompassing and all surpassing in attitude, actions and thoughts. It was a love that fueled His walk on earth which was a walk of surrendered living and sacrificial dying.
We are commanded first and foremost to love this awesome Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit followed by the love we should have and show for each other. God loves us with the full measure of His heart and spirit without limits, conditions or expectations. His love for us is first and independent of our actions towards Him, everything else being secondary.
What we require and ask of God had better be what we are willing to give to others. If we are pleading for the great mercies from God, we must be prepared to be merciful to others. If we are seeking forgiveness from God, we had better open our hearts and forgive others. If we are praying that someone will love and accept us with complete love we must not be tempted in trying to change someone else but accept them for who they are, trusting that God will bring them around to His image.
Giving your all to others can be achieved by giving your all to God. Our love for others will not come back empty if we have accessed the primary love first, God’s love. We must settle the issue of love in our hearts. Love is not contingent upon how others love us but how we love the Lord.
If we are doing our part in loving Him completely we will receive precious love from others as it passes through the precious love of God.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Renovations
“If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle the house leaks.” Ecc. 10:18
The Book of Ecclesiastes houses many sayings that have become common not only to the Christian world but to the secular world. They are words of wisdom in one collection contributed by King Solomon, son of King David.
Bruce and I have been in our current home for 25 years. Over the past 10 years our home has gradually aged and suffered the affects of the scorching sun and wind. For the past three summers we have had to put a lot of work into reviving, renewing and restoring. We kept putting off having windows fixed, rotten wood replaced and protective measures for our cedar siding. The results of not making the initial investment of time and money left us with overwhelming issues that needed immediate attention. Now that the work has been done and our home has new paint and windows it is nice to enjoy the new beauty and strength of our accomplishments. As long as we live in this aging home there will be maintenance required daily which needs to be attended to avoid the massive overhauls we had to endure.
The same is the case with our hearts. We have a spiritual home that we have invited the Holy Spirit to dwell within that needs daily maintenance. This daily maintenance assures our spiritual home doesn’t have leaky roofs allowing the elements of sin and adversity to fill up and flood our hearts. The pressure of past hurts and wounds can put an overwhelming amount of pressure on our hearts creating our emotions and spirit to sag and despair. To maintain a healthy spiritual home we must do intentional and daily work on our home so that neglect doesn’t infiltrate destroying what we have built and worked so hard to maintain in the past. We cannot be spiritually lazy in our relationship with God and must give it the proper attention required to keep our home strong, safe and secure from the elements of life.
In the words of King Solomon, let us not forget that spiritual defeat comes on the heels of spiritual laziness.
The Book of Ecclesiastes houses many sayings that have become common not only to the Christian world but to the secular world. They are words of wisdom in one collection contributed by King Solomon, son of King David.
Bruce and I have been in our current home for 25 years. Over the past 10 years our home has gradually aged and suffered the affects of the scorching sun and wind. For the past three summers we have had to put a lot of work into reviving, renewing and restoring. We kept putting off having windows fixed, rotten wood replaced and protective measures for our cedar siding. The results of not making the initial investment of time and money left us with overwhelming issues that needed immediate attention. Now that the work has been done and our home has new paint and windows it is nice to enjoy the new beauty and strength of our accomplishments. As long as we live in this aging home there will be maintenance required daily which needs to be attended to avoid the massive overhauls we had to endure.
The same is the case with our hearts. We have a spiritual home that we have invited the Holy Spirit to dwell within that needs daily maintenance. This daily maintenance assures our spiritual home doesn’t have leaky roofs allowing the elements of sin and adversity to fill up and flood our hearts. The pressure of past hurts and wounds can put an overwhelming amount of pressure on our hearts creating our emotions and spirit to sag and despair. To maintain a healthy spiritual home we must do intentional and daily work on our home so that neglect doesn’t infiltrate destroying what we have built and worked so hard to maintain in the past. We cannot be spiritually lazy in our relationship with God and must give it the proper attention required to keep our home strong, safe and secure from the elements of life.
In the words of King Solomon, let us not forget that spiritual defeat comes on the heels of spiritual laziness.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Doubting Don'ts
“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left;” Proverbs 4:25-26.
When I was a teenager, I worked one summer at our church camp, Bonclarken as a waitress. I know…the image is priceless as clumsy as I am. A piece of advice I received was to choose a still object on the table to which I as walking, keeping my eyes on that object until I arrive at my destination. Seemed to work like a charm until doubt and curiosity set in at which point I looked down, kept walking, began doubting and the pitcher of tea plummeted onto the table of the guests.
My “lack attack” wasn’t as serious as our beloved Peter in the Bible as he was walking by faith on the water towards Jesus. He began doubting and looked down at which point he started to sink.
Doubt will derail us from intended goals set by God. It will take our absolutes in which we firmly believe and dismantle known truths worry by worry. Doubt has stolen many nights and rerouted many plans for me. It has counterfeited truth and disguised itself with many faces.
When God speaks truths into our hearts we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him and what He has revealed to us no matter what our circumstances show. Looking above our circumstances to God will keep us focused on the truths of God instead of doubting thoughts. God blesses those who can fix our gaze above our circumstances and look to Heaven with trust and see that mighty Horseman as the Bible states, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True”. Rev. 19:11.
Remember, doubt derails, diminishes and disorients but faith finishes!
When I was a teenager, I worked one summer at our church camp, Bonclarken as a waitress. I know…the image is priceless as clumsy as I am. A piece of advice I received was to choose a still object on the table to which I as walking, keeping my eyes on that object until I arrive at my destination. Seemed to work like a charm until doubt and curiosity set in at which point I looked down, kept walking, began doubting and the pitcher of tea plummeted onto the table of the guests.
My “lack attack” wasn’t as serious as our beloved Peter in the Bible as he was walking by faith on the water towards Jesus. He began doubting and looked down at which point he started to sink.
Doubt will derail us from intended goals set by God. It will take our absolutes in which we firmly believe and dismantle known truths worry by worry. Doubt has stolen many nights and rerouted many plans for me. It has counterfeited truth and disguised itself with many faces.
When God speaks truths into our hearts we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him and what He has revealed to us no matter what our circumstances show. Looking above our circumstances to God will keep us focused on the truths of God instead of doubting thoughts. God blesses those who can fix our gaze above our circumstances and look to Heaven with trust and see that mighty Horseman as the Bible states, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True”. Rev. 19:11.
Remember, doubt derails, diminishes and disorients but faith finishes!
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Power of Fear
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity {fear}, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Tim. 1:7.
This verse is very easy to recite when addressing the fears of someone else. It is when we must apply the principle to our own fear where the rubber meets the road. I have always been very fearful of the outside dark. I am fine when enclosed in a home or a store but if I must walk in the dark from my car to my house or into a store I am dreadfully afraid. It is something that has never stopped me from accomplishing what I desired but certainly something I still hate doing to this day. I can remember when I use to run errands at night because I worked full time during the day and would drive up to my home. I would call Bruce on my way home to ensure that he would come to the front porch or stand at the window as I walked from the car to my home. The other night as I arrived to an empty home after babysitting for my grandchildren I realized that I had forgotten to leave the front porch light on. My backup plan was to dial 911 on my cell and have my finger on the send button if needed. It is more likely that I would trip and get hurt while bolting to the house in the dark than someone actually grabbing me. Bruce laughed when he heard this story and reminded me that we don’t get service down at the house. I had a false sense of security in the phone and apparently a false sense of security in God.
I was like the servant of Elisha who walked outside early in the morning and saw a great army that was going to attack them. His heart sunk with fear and despair and he reported this to Elisha (2 Kings 6:15). Verse 17 states, “So, [Elisha] answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” Elisha then prayed for God to open up the eyes of his servant so he could see the army of God and all of the horses and chariots surrounding them and their attackers. When facing our fears, many of us forget that we are in God's protective custody.
Fear will stop us from achieving our goals and will make us abandon our peace. Fear grasps and entraps while faith builds and frees. While fear is a normal part of life, it should never control the life of a believer. Fear and anxiety is the belief that God has somehow lost control of our situation. Fear destroys our hope and entreats us to run for cover. “Fear is certainly one of the most prevalent reasons people do not reach their goals. It is as if an alarm goes off on the inside of some people warning of a possible threat to their personhoods. Suddenly, they feel inadequate and want to abandon projects, jobs, relationships, or goals.” Charles Stanley, Success God’s Way, p. 89.
"A fearful person, or one who is inappropriately anxious, has his attention focused upon himself..Fear tends to paralyze the mind and cause it to function inadequately." Maurice Wagner, Christian counselor and author.
When we can replace fear with faith we will experience the freeing power of Christ in our lives and realize that nothing is outside of our grasp.
Indeed, “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
This verse is very easy to recite when addressing the fears of someone else. It is when we must apply the principle to our own fear where the rubber meets the road. I have always been very fearful of the outside dark. I am fine when enclosed in a home or a store but if I must walk in the dark from my car to my house or into a store I am dreadfully afraid. It is something that has never stopped me from accomplishing what I desired but certainly something I still hate doing to this day. I can remember when I use to run errands at night because I worked full time during the day and would drive up to my home. I would call Bruce on my way home to ensure that he would come to the front porch or stand at the window as I walked from the car to my home. The other night as I arrived to an empty home after babysitting for my grandchildren I realized that I had forgotten to leave the front porch light on. My backup plan was to dial 911 on my cell and have my finger on the send button if needed. It is more likely that I would trip and get hurt while bolting to the house in the dark than someone actually grabbing me. Bruce laughed when he heard this story and reminded me that we don’t get service down at the house. I had a false sense of security in the phone and apparently a false sense of security in God.
I was like the servant of Elisha who walked outside early in the morning and saw a great army that was going to attack them. His heart sunk with fear and despair and he reported this to Elisha (2 Kings 6:15). Verse 17 states, “So, [Elisha] answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” Elisha then prayed for God to open up the eyes of his servant so he could see the army of God and all of the horses and chariots surrounding them and their attackers. When facing our fears, many of us forget that we are in God's protective custody.
Fear will stop us from achieving our goals and will make us abandon our peace. Fear grasps and entraps while faith builds and frees. While fear is a normal part of life, it should never control the life of a believer. Fear and anxiety is the belief that God has somehow lost control of our situation. Fear destroys our hope and entreats us to run for cover. “Fear is certainly one of the most prevalent reasons people do not reach their goals. It is as if an alarm goes off on the inside of some people warning of a possible threat to their personhoods. Suddenly, they feel inadequate and want to abandon projects, jobs, relationships, or goals.” Charles Stanley, Success God’s Way, p. 89.
"A fearful person, or one who is inappropriately anxious, has his attention focused upon himself..Fear tends to paralyze the mind and cause it to function inadequately." Maurice Wagner, Christian counselor and author.
When we can replace fear with faith we will experience the freeing power of Christ in our lives and realize that nothing is outside of our grasp.
Indeed, “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Hope Diamond
“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of is holiness.” Psalm 29:2.
Holiness means “to be extraordinary; to be above and independent of.” God’s holiness means that He is uniquely set apart from the rest of His creation. God is separate from all that is sinful and also separate from the finite and created. He is exceptionally uncommon. Holiness indicates that God is exceedingly “different” and “special.” Finally, the word holy means illustrious. Holiness is inherently brilliant, dazzling, and magnificent. To be holy is to be spectacularly unique.
The Hope Diamond comes to mind when thinking of this description. This was a stone that was set apart from all others because of its expansive size, it invaluable worth and its amazing beauty. For centuries this dazzling one of a kind has been sought after by kings, re-cut to enhance its beauty and coveted by many. In 1642 a man by the name of Jean Baptiste Tavernier, a French jeweler who traveled extensively, visited India and bought a 112 3/16 carat blue diamond. (This diamond was much larger than the present weight of the Hope diamond because the Hope has been cut down at least twice in the past three centuries.) The diamond is believed to have come from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India. In 1673, King Louis XIV decided to re-cut the diamond to enhance its brilliance (the previous cut had been to enhance size and not brilliance).
Our Holy God desires each of us to pursue a life of holiness, a life set apart and unique. Our pursuit of holiness requires His hand upon our lives to re-cut, sharpen and polish just as several owners of the Hope Diamond have in the past. We all begin as God’s creation and through His holiness and our desire to be more Christ-like we begin to take on the reflection of His holiness as He removes the “flaws in the stone”. Our flaws may not be visible to the naked eye but God uses His spiritual “jeweler’s glass” to identify the areas in our lives that are flawed and cuts away the areas to enhance our beauty.
We are all diamonds in the rough but through allowing our Holy God access to our flaws we can be more closely aligned with His holiness.
We are all Hope Diamonds and invaluable in hands of God.
Holiness means “to be extraordinary; to be above and independent of.” God’s holiness means that He is uniquely set apart from the rest of His creation. God is separate from all that is sinful and also separate from the finite and created. He is exceptionally uncommon. Holiness indicates that God is exceedingly “different” and “special.” Finally, the word holy means illustrious. Holiness is inherently brilliant, dazzling, and magnificent. To be holy is to be spectacularly unique.
The Hope Diamond comes to mind when thinking of this description. This was a stone that was set apart from all others because of its expansive size, it invaluable worth and its amazing beauty. For centuries this dazzling one of a kind has been sought after by kings, re-cut to enhance its beauty and coveted by many. In 1642 a man by the name of Jean Baptiste Tavernier, a French jeweler who traveled extensively, visited India and bought a 112 3/16 carat blue diamond. (This diamond was much larger than the present weight of the Hope diamond because the Hope has been cut down at least twice in the past three centuries.) The diamond is believed to have come from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India. In 1673, King Louis XIV decided to re-cut the diamond to enhance its brilliance (the previous cut had been to enhance size and not brilliance).
Our Holy God desires each of us to pursue a life of holiness, a life set apart and unique. Our pursuit of holiness requires His hand upon our lives to re-cut, sharpen and polish just as several owners of the Hope Diamond have in the past. We all begin as God’s creation and through His holiness and our desire to be more Christ-like we begin to take on the reflection of His holiness as He removes the “flaws in the stone”. Our flaws may not be visible to the naked eye but God uses His spiritual “jeweler’s glass” to identify the areas in our lives that are flawed and cuts away the areas to enhance our beauty.
We are all diamonds in the rough but through allowing our Holy God access to our flaws we can be more closely aligned with His holiness.
We are all Hope Diamonds and invaluable in hands of God.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Whitney Houston - A Humble Heart
“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Co. 12:10b
Last night I caught the Winfrey interview with one of my favorite artists from many years ago, Whitney Houston. She stormed the scene many years ago with such innocence, amazing talent and a desire to give everything she had to both her fans and her music. She was raised in a Christian home and experienced a close relationship with a large family and a large God. As temptation, drugs and abuse took over her life I thought we had lost her forever. The woman who emerged from the fire is refined, mature and a humble servant of God. She finally returned to what she knew was the only “saving grace”. I relate on such a personal level with her as I watched a similar life lived with my own daughter regarding choices, lifestyles and her depletion of soul and spirit. But, things change….
I know the joy Whitney’s mother feels watching her daughter emerge with beauty, grace and humility. I know the feeling of waking up and knowing the words, “Thank you, God” seem so inadequate. I know the feeling of the “old order of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4) and a new life is being renewed and rebuilt.
You can tell when God has intervened and lifted His child out of the fire because of the humility that accompanies the person’s heart. Whitney displayed an incredible sense of recommitment to God, personal cleansing and a servant’s heart of humility. When asked if she considers this her big comeback she stated with sincerity, “I don’t consider this a comeback but a come through.” She acknowledged that her “come through” was by returning to God, trusting Him and laying it down. She stated that her prayer every night for so long was for Him to send the strength just for one day to leave and she promised she would go. She said one morning she woke up with that amazing strength at her weakest point and she fulfilled the second half of the equation and left. God sent the strength but we have to believe we can trust that strength to be enough. I love the verse in one of her new songs as she belted the words repeatedly, “I was not born to break”.
No matter what circumstances we face we all were created to thrive, to grow and to soar. No one person has a more limited future than the other as God intends and promises the same life of abundance for all of His children. Life’s circumstances may cause us to bend, twist, reshape and even temporary fold, but WE WERE NOT BORN TO BREAK!
Praise God that each of us has the same Father who will provide a “come through” no matter what circumstances life presents.
Last night I caught the Winfrey interview with one of my favorite artists from many years ago, Whitney Houston. She stormed the scene many years ago with such innocence, amazing talent and a desire to give everything she had to both her fans and her music. She was raised in a Christian home and experienced a close relationship with a large family and a large God. As temptation, drugs and abuse took over her life I thought we had lost her forever. The woman who emerged from the fire is refined, mature and a humble servant of God. She finally returned to what she knew was the only “saving grace”. I relate on such a personal level with her as I watched a similar life lived with my own daughter regarding choices, lifestyles and her depletion of soul and spirit. But, things change….
I know the joy Whitney’s mother feels watching her daughter emerge with beauty, grace and humility. I know the feeling of waking up and knowing the words, “Thank you, God” seem so inadequate. I know the feeling of the “old order of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4) and a new life is being renewed and rebuilt.
You can tell when God has intervened and lifted His child out of the fire because of the humility that accompanies the person’s heart. Whitney displayed an incredible sense of recommitment to God, personal cleansing and a servant’s heart of humility. When asked if she considers this her big comeback she stated with sincerity, “I don’t consider this a comeback but a come through.” She acknowledged that her “come through” was by returning to God, trusting Him and laying it down. She stated that her prayer every night for so long was for Him to send the strength just for one day to leave and she promised she would go. She said one morning she woke up with that amazing strength at her weakest point and she fulfilled the second half of the equation and left. God sent the strength but we have to believe we can trust that strength to be enough. I love the verse in one of her new songs as she belted the words repeatedly, “I was not born to break”.
No matter what circumstances we face we all were created to thrive, to grow and to soar. No one person has a more limited future than the other as God intends and promises the same life of abundance for all of His children. Life’s circumstances may cause us to bend, twist, reshape and even temporary fold, but WE WERE NOT BORN TO BREAK!
Praise God that each of us has the same Father who will provide a “come through” no matter what circumstances life presents.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Pressing On
“This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.” 1 Samuel 17:46.
Now I know we are supposed to have lofty goals but this one goes down in history as one of the loftiest. This was a statement proclaimed by David, the gentle shepherd boy, as he stood towards the enemy of the nation, Goliath.
I am watching this lived out in two situations within my own family. As stated previously, my dad’s side effects from cancer were put aside by God for Daddy to accomplish work in the ministry of CEF in which he previously served. This calling came from God in a loud and clear message near the middle of August at which point he was obedient to the calling. As his side effects seem to slowly infiltrate again things are different this time. Since he made a commitment to God with a belief that God will strengthen him to be successful he works through his side effects with a higher focus and determination.
My sister was called by God into a relationship of marriage with a wonderful man with two of his own children. She heard this goal very clearly and immediately obeyed the direction He revealed for her life. There are houses to be sold, two families to merge into one with the complication of three of the four girls being teenagers. The complications and frustrations of the immediate goals needing to be accomplished can be overwhelming and exhausting. With the support of her fiancé and her focus on the clear message from God she works diligently through each of the challenges as they arise.
What do these three people have in common? They have a clear commitment from and to God, a focus on God and determination to accomplish their goal from God.
We will achieve a God-given goal when our focus becomes higher than our frustrations and the commitment is greater than the cost. With this recipe of success, the goal will come out perfect everytime.
Now I know we are supposed to have lofty goals but this one goes down in history as one of the loftiest. This was a statement proclaimed by David, the gentle shepherd boy, as he stood towards the enemy of the nation, Goliath.
I am watching this lived out in two situations within my own family. As stated previously, my dad’s side effects from cancer were put aside by God for Daddy to accomplish work in the ministry of CEF in which he previously served. This calling came from God in a loud and clear message near the middle of August at which point he was obedient to the calling. As his side effects seem to slowly infiltrate again things are different this time. Since he made a commitment to God with a belief that God will strengthen him to be successful he works through his side effects with a higher focus and determination.
My sister was called by God into a relationship of marriage with a wonderful man with two of his own children. She heard this goal very clearly and immediately obeyed the direction He revealed for her life. There are houses to be sold, two families to merge into one with the complication of three of the four girls being teenagers. The complications and frustrations of the immediate goals needing to be accomplished can be overwhelming and exhausting. With the support of her fiancé and her focus on the clear message from God she works diligently through each of the challenges as they arise.
What do these three people have in common? They have a clear commitment from and to God, a focus on God and determination to accomplish their goal from God.
We will achieve a God-given goal when our focus becomes higher than our frustrations and the commitment is greater than the cost. With this recipe of success, the goal will come out perfect everytime.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Status Quo Living
I just heard an alarming statistic. Two of every three college students who arrive at college with their faith throw it to the side. I presently have two children in college – the math is not hard to do.
We can arm our children with foundational faith – a faith built upon the environment in which they were raised. It is when they go off, whether to college or their own apartment, that the responsibility of their individual faith lies purely in their hearts. It will be up to them to not only determine the importance of their faith but the presence of their faith and convictions in their lives. We cannot know God for our children but we can redirect them to God when we see them veering off course.
We all veer off course in our lives and need a revival of our faith just as our children experience when they find themselves in a new environment.
The “two out of every three” is such status quo living as we strive to be like everyone else when we were meant to be that one that stands apart.
Don’t be a statistic in a status quo environment.
We can arm our children with foundational faith – a faith built upon the environment in which they were raised. It is when they go off, whether to college or their own apartment, that the responsibility of their individual faith lies purely in their hearts. It will be up to them to not only determine the importance of their faith but the presence of their faith and convictions in their lives. We cannot know God for our children but we can redirect them to God when we see them veering off course.
We all veer off course in our lives and need a revival of our faith just as our children experience when they find themselves in a new environment.
The “two out of every three” is such status quo living as we strive to be like everyone else when we were meant to be that one that stands apart.
Don’t be a statistic in a status quo environment.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Pulling the Ripcord
“Faith that is not tested is not true faith.” Charles Stanley, Success God’s Way, p 58.
This morning as I read this statement in my Bible Study the image of parachutes came to my mind. I looked up parachutes and was amazed at the various types of chutes offered depending upon the purpose. There are parachutes used for sports, parachutes used for military drops, and parachutes used for braking on airplanes upon landing to name a few. Each parachute is carefully constructed based upon the required purpose of that chute.
The same is with our faith. God looks at our lives and sees the purpose He intended on us accomplishing and begins putting together a “faith parachute” which is carefully constructed with our circumstances in mind. As our faith is tested our parachutes must become stronger and more durable so we can face our jumps. Each jump is unique and important to our lives for it teaches how dependency on our faith is vital.
Just as with parachutes, our faith must go through vigorous processes and tests to assure it will perform when needed and our reliance upon that faith will be there when we pull that ripcord.
A parachute for the sport of parasailing would never be given to a Boeing B-4 to use as a drag chute to assist in landing the plane. Likewise, God will never require us to “jump” without having the appropriate provisions required for the jump to accomplish the purpose or adversity at hand. He will equip us with the appropriate faith parachute that will ensure safe landing and mission accomplished.
God will never allow our circumstances to move beyond our faith.
This morning as I read this statement in my Bible Study the image of parachutes came to my mind. I looked up parachutes and was amazed at the various types of chutes offered depending upon the purpose. There are parachutes used for sports, parachutes used for military drops, and parachutes used for braking on airplanes upon landing to name a few. Each parachute is carefully constructed based upon the required purpose of that chute.
The same is with our faith. God looks at our lives and sees the purpose He intended on us accomplishing and begins putting together a “faith parachute” which is carefully constructed with our circumstances in mind. As our faith is tested our parachutes must become stronger and more durable so we can face our jumps. Each jump is unique and important to our lives for it teaches how dependency on our faith is vital.
Just as with parachutes, our faith must go through vigorous processes and tests to assure it will perform when needed and our reliance upon that faith will be there when we pull that ripcord.
A parachute for the sport of parasailing would never be given to a Boeing B-4 to use as a drag chute to assist in landing the plane. Likewise, God will never require us to “jump” without having the appropriate provisions required for the jump to accomplish the purpose or adversity at hand. He will equip us with the appropriate faith parachute that will ensure safe landing and mission accomplished.
God will never allow our circumstances to move beyond our faith.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Weapon of Choice
“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel whom you have defiled.’” 1 Samuel 17:45
David had the two weapons in his arsenal that were necessary for victory against Goliath. He carried into battle both passion and faith. He was neither intimidated by the size of his opponent nor the weapons for which his opponent would use. David was offended for God that this man would terrorize the children of God as well as hurl taunting remarks directly at God. His passion for God was ignited and powered a weapon that was more dangerous than any other thing he possessed in life. Goliath did not perish because of a rock but died because of David’s weapon of choice – his passion for God and his faith.
We all have enemies in this life that stand on the horizon mocking us, challenging us and threatening our very core of survival. This enemy may be work,financial, illness, relationships or spiritual but he is a real and formidable opponent.
When we have a passionate pursuit of Christ and the faith to achieve what He asks of us, we are armed and positioned to run into any battle with complete confidence of victory. This past year I faced my Goliath who stood on the horizon taunting me with fear, disbelief, and pain while hurling every weapon he had in his arsenal. It seemed that many days it looked as if I would be defeated but I carried those beautiful smooth stones of trust and faith in God in my bag knowing that success would be mine.
We can replace verse 45 with circumstances in our life and live out this childhood story that is near and dear to our hearts.
“And I said to cancer, to Alzheimer’s, and to addiction, ‘You come against me with fear, disbelief, pain and suffering but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of past deliverances, past faithfulness and future victories.’”
Whenever facing your Goliath, remember that the face may change but the enemy is always defeated when going against him with passion and faith.
David had the two weapons in his arsenal that were necessary for victory against Goliath. He carried into battle both passion and faith. He was neither intimidated by the size of his opponent nor the weapons for which his opponent would use. David was offended for God that this man would terrorize the children of God as well as hurl taunting remarks directly at God. His passion for God was ignited and powered a weapon that was more dangerous than any other thing he possessed in life. Goliath did not perish because of a rock but died because of David’s weapon of choice – his passion for God and his faith.
We all have enemies in this life that stand on the horizon mocking us, challenging us and threatening our very core of survival. This enemy may be work,financial, illness, relationships or spiritual but he is a real and formidable opponent.
When we have a passionate pursuit of Christ and the faith to achieve what He asks of us, we are armed and positioned to run into any battle with complete confidence of victory. This past year I faced my Goliath who stood on the horizon taunting me with fear, disbelief, and pain while hurling every weapon he had in his arsenal. It seemed that many days it looked as if I would be defeated but I carried those beautiful smooth stones of trust and faith in God in my bag knowing that success would be mine.
We can replace verse 45 with circumstances in our life and live out this childhood story that is near and dear to our hearts.
“And I said to cancer, to Alzheimer’s, and to addiction, ‘You come against me with fear, disbelief, pain and suffering but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of past deliverances, past faithfulness and future victories.’”
Whenever facing your Goliath, remember that the face may change but the enemy is always defeated when going against him with passion and faith.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Letting the Nets Down
“Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets…and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” Luke 5:5 & 7
Simon Peter was a fisherman by trade with his boat being his means for success. He had been out all night doing the ordinary that he had done many times before. After his nets were cleaned and his little boat was sitting on the side of the shore, Jesus asked Peter to push them out from shore as He was teaching the crowd about the word of God. After teaching, Jesus asked Peter to cast his nets on the side of the boat in deep water for a catch. I am sure that Peter was thinking that he was tired from fishing all night and he had just finished cleaning up everything for the day. However, Peter cast his net not because he believed the yield would be great but because of his obedience and respect to Jesus. The story states that the nets were so full that the boat began to sink.
I love this story for it speaks on the importance of God’s timing and instruction in our lives.
As we journey through our day most of us experience the mundane, the repetitive and the constant duties of our job. To think that at any moment God can use something we have done a million times before and bring about a miraculous blessing for us and those in our lives leaves me humble. The gratitude of what He accomplishes daily through our works and the anticipation of what is to come lures me to continue “casting that net” in waters as He determines.
If Peter would not have lowered the nets he would have missed out on the yield just as we will miss out on blessings if we do not anchor ourselves in obedience and trust in both His timing and the instructions.
Jesus used that ordinary little boat to display the extraordinary works of God through Him and many were blessed. Are you letting down your nets?
Simon Peter was a fisherman by trade with his boat being his means for success. He had been out all night doing the ordinary that he had done many times before. After his nets were cleaned and his little boat was sitting on the side of the shore, Jesus asked Peter to push them out from shore as He was teaching the crowd about the word of God. After teaching, Jesus asked Peter to cast his nets on the side of the boat in deep water for a catch. I am sure that Peter was thinking that he was tired from fishing all night and he had just finished cleaning up everything for the day. However, Peter cast his net not because he believed the yield would be great but because of his obedience and respect to Jesus. The story states that the nets were so full that the boat began to sink.
I love this story for it speaks on the importance of God’s timing and instruction in our lives.
As we journey through our day most of us experience the mundane, the repetitive and the constant duties of our job. To think that at any moment God can use something we have done a million times before and bring about a miraculous blessing for us and those in our lives leaves me humble. The gratitude of what He accomplishes daily through our works and the anticipation of what is to come lures me to continue “casting that net” in waters as He determines.
If Peter would not have lowered the nets he would have missed out on the yield just as we will miss out on blessings if we do not anchor ourselves in obedience and trust in both His timing and the instructions.
Jesus used that ordinary little boat to display the extraordinary works of God through Him and many were blessed. Are you letting down your nets?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Love Defined
“…but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal…but have not love, I am nothing…but have not love, I gain nothing.” 1 Co. 13: 1-3 (portions)
Love is the most overused word and emotion in our society. The love we share with others is representative of the love we have been shown – good or bad. It is the platform for which we base all actions and thoughts and is a manufactured idea of an end result. It seems that we have assigned love to be something free and available to us as a gift when really we have a huge responsibility in this pursuit.
Our part of the love equation is clearly spelled out in 1 Cor. 13, and fulfillment of love is rooted in what we are doing in these relationships rather than what is being done for us. It is easy to love when we are being fulfilled but are we portraying love when our hearts are experiencing unmet expectations? Next time we are facing a difficult situation with a “loved” one let us pause and ask ourselves these questions.
Am I being patient?
Am I being envious?
Am I being kind?
Am I being proud?
Am I being self-seeking?
Am I keeping records of wrong?
Am I protecting?
Am I trusting?
Am I hoping?
Am I persevering?
Am I truly loving?
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Co. 13:13.
Love is the most overused word and emotion in our society. The love we share with others is representative of the love we have been shown – good or bad. It is the platform for which we base all actions and thoughts and is a manufactured idea of an end result. It seems that we have assigned love to be something free and available to us as a gift when really we have a huge responsibility in this pursuit.
Our part of the love equation is clearly spelled out in 1 Cor. 13, and fulfillment of love is rooted in what we are doing in these relationships rather than what is being done for us. It is easy to love when we are being fulfilled but are we portraying love when our hearts are experiencing unmet expectations? Next time we are facing a difficult situation with a “loved” one let us pause and ask ourselves these questions.
Am I being patient?
Am I being envious?
Am I being kind?
Am I being proud?
Am I being self-seeking?
Am I keeping records of wrong?
Am I protecting?
Am I trusting?
Am I hoping?
Am I persevering?
Am I truly loving?
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Co. 13:13.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Creation Rights
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” Col. 1:15-17.
First and foremost God is a loving Creator. He has been creating since the beginning of time and is in a perpetual state of motion in regards to His creations. The beautiful thing about our Creator is that no matter how far we veer off course He can take our broken dreams and hopes and create a beautiful masterpiece in our lives. He sees the possibilities apart from our circumstances when all we can see is chaos, fear and uncertainty.
The key to allowing Him “creation rights” is to surrender our own ideas of how things should seem or appear and give Him the creative license to work on our behalf in this life. When I began feeling His urging to join Him in the creation of E.L.M. it was clear that I was to come along side Him and be shown the design frame by frame. There is an enormous freedom in not knowing where I will be taken on this journey for it allows me to remove my hands from this endeavor.
When we are shown a new creation or design for our lives we must submit to the Creator and allow Him to act upon the greater vision that He has for our lives. God has the right to alter a direction in our lives that does not match what He is creating on our behalf. “He only redirects when He knows there is something we need to do, or the potential for greater blessing is in another direction.” Charles Stanley, Success God’s Way.
Every touch from God in our lives is a fingerprint of His creation rooted in love and individual in purpose.
First and foremost God is a loving Creator. He has been creating since the beginning of time and is in a perpetual state of motion in regards to His creations. The beautiful thing about our Creator is that no matter how far we veer off course He can take our broken dreams and hopes and create a beautiful masterpiece in our lives. He sees the possibilities apart from our circumstances when all we can see is chaos, fear and uncertainty.
The key to allowing Him “creation rights” is to surrender our own ideas of how things should seem or appear and give Him the creative license to work on our behalf in this life. When I began feeling His urging to join Him in the creation of E.L.M. it was clear that I was to come along side Him and be shown the design frame by frame. There is an enormous freedom in not knowing where I will be taken on this journey for it allows me to remove my hands from this endeavor.
When we are shown a new creation or design for our lives we must submit to the Creator and allow Him to act upon the greater vision that He has for our lives. God has the right to alter a direction in our lives that does not match what He is creating on our behalf. “He only redirects when He knows there is something we need to do, or the potential for greater blessing is in another direction.” Charles Stanley, Success God’s Way.
Every touch from God in our lives is a fingerprint of His creation rooted in love and individual in purpose.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Throwing the White Flag
“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:25.
One of the most basic but difficult principles in living a Christian life is being fully surrendered to Christ. To surrender is to give up possession of something, to yield to a strong emotion or influence and to abandon rights to something.
Loving our life without surrender will cause us to live our lives towards our own agenda and will. We will pursue the things of this life without regard to the rewards of the eternal life. Another definition of surrendering is the act of relinquishing control or possession to somebody or something.
When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, he didn’t think of ways to buy time to figure out a better way or a sufficient sacrifice. The Bible says that he set out first thing the next morning with every intention to offer his son to God through obedience. He neither negotiated with nor calculated without God in bringing about his will for his son’s life. He raised that white flag and surrendered what God had asked him to surrender. Surrender is the ultimate sacrifice and offering that may be made to God. What you are surrendering holds no value compared to the act of surrendering. To surrender our Isaac on the altar of God, whatever that offering may be, is the practice that will bless us, please God and yield to Him.
In times of war, the white flag is not raised because they are buying into what lies ahead, but rather success and victory can no longer be seen on the horizon. The opposite is true with our lives once we become Christians and choose to surrender our battles.
“The way we come to see Jesus is through surrender. The blessing of living life abandoned to Him is to witness His daily power and grace alive and flowing through our lives into the lives of others.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest.
When we throw the white flag to Christ we have His assurance that we will triumphantly walk towards victory as He leads. We must trust Him and lay down our Isaac.
One of the most basic but difficult principles in living a Christian life is being fully surrendered to Christ. To surrender is to give up possession of something, to yield to a strong emotion or influence and to abandon rights to something.
Loving our life without surrender will cause us to live our lives towards our own agenda and will. We will pursue the things of this life without regard to the rewards of the eternal life. Another definition of surrendering is the act of relinquishing control or possession to somebody or something.
When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, he didn’t think of ways to buy time to figure out a better way or a sufficient sacrifice. The Bible says that he set out first thing the next morning with every intention to offer his son to God through obedience. He neither negotiated with nor calculated without God in bringing about his will for his son’s life. He raised that white flag and surrendered what God had asked him to surrender. Surrender is the ultimate sacrifice and offering that may be made to God. What you are surrendering holds no value compared to the act of surrendering. To surrender our Isaac on the altar of God, whatever that offering may be, is the practice that will bless us, please God and yield to Him.
In times of war, the white flag is not raised because they are buying into what lies ahead, but rather success and victory can no longer be seen on the horizon. The opposite is true with our lives once we become Christians and choose to surrender our battles.
“The way we come to see Jesus is through surrender. The blessing of living life abandoned to Him is to witness His daily power and grace alive and flowing through our lives into the lives of others.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest.
When we throw the white flag to Christ we have His assurance that we will triumphantly walk towards victory as He leads. We must trust Him and lay down our Isaac.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Our Personal Tutor
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5.
Our experiences in learning will always be defined by our teacher’s ability to bridge their knowledge with our understanding. There was nothing worse for me in school as when I desired to understand something only to be made to feel stupid for asking or slow in learning. God promises that His instruction will be without reproach and given generously to all. The word reproach means to criticize, to scold and rebuke. I can remember the teachers who were able to bridge learning with respect, love and understanding. I have always encouraged my children to pursue one-on-one time with their professors at school in an attempt to better understand any sections from class they were unable to attain. This will always give them more personal and applicable knowledge for their perspective of understanding. We all learn in our individual and unique way.
We carry within us a wonderful spiritual tutor who walks along side us, who camps on lessons when we require additional help and who will quiz us to assure our understanding. He will never demean our level of knowledge and will never allow us to become stagnant in our learning. He desires success for us and a spirit of learning from us.
Our lives are canvases for which He teaches, instructs and writes out His story of love, grace and redemption upon our lives. These canvases are cumulative just as our years of education were and require daily learning and personal tutoring from the great Teacher who dwells within. The difference between the earthly classrooms and the spiritual classroom is the duration of the learning environment. We are in a constant state of spiritual development and eternal completion. God is writing His life for us in our daily walk and requires us to yield to those teachings. He will not rush or hurry us for in His classroom there is no sense of time, no teacher’s pet, and He doesn’t have anywhere He would rather be.
Mother Teresa lived out this concept and so should we as a student of God.
“We are pencils in the hands of a writing God.” – Mother Teresa
Our experiences in learning will always be defined by our teacher’s ability to bridge their knowledge with our understanding. There was nothing worse for me in school as when I desired to understand something only to be made to feel stupid for asking or slow in learning. God promises that His instruction will be without reproach and given generously to all. The word reproach means to criticize, to scold and rebuke. I can remember the teachers who were able to bridge learning with respect, love and understanding. I have always encouraged my children to pursue one-on-one time with their professors at school in an attempt to better understand any sections from class they were unable to attain. This will always give them more personal and applicable knowledge for their perspective of understanding. We all learn in our individual and unique way.
We carry within us a wonderful spiritual tutor who walks along side us, who camps on lessons when we require additional help and who will quiz us to assure our understanding. He will never demean our level of knowledge and will never allow us to become stagnant in our learning. He desires success for us and a spirit of learning from us.
Our lives are canvases for which He teaches, instructs and writes out His story of love, grace and redemption upon our lives. These canvases are cumulative just as our years of education were and require daily learning and personal tutoring from the great Teacher who dwells within. The difference between the earthly classrooms and the spiritual classroom is the duration of the learning environment. We are in a constant state of spiritual development and eternal completion. God is writing His life for us in our daily walk and requires us to yield to those teachings. He will not rush or hurry us for in His classroom there is no sense of time, no teacher’s pet, and He doesn’t have anywhere He would rather be.
Mother Teresa lived out this concept and so should we as a student of God.
“We are pencils in the hands of a writing God.” – Mother Teresa
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Truth Exposed
“Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the LORD comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” 1 Co. 4:5
How many times have we ended up frustrated, angered or bitter as a situation arises before we have all of the facts? Children experience this over and over as they learn the social graces of friendship.
So many times in the past, I have experienced uncontrolled emotions due to the fact that I had not received all of the details correctly or completely. It was only through the receiving of additional information that I was able to get more clarity on the situation and surrender my hurts or frustration. I had experienced unnecessary stress by believing in my own perception of the situation.
God tells us in the above verse we do not need to concern ourselves with things surrounding us as it relates to rights and equality. Any situation that arises that questions our reputation, causes us anxiety or simply creates uneasiness in our hearts will be brought to light on God’s timetable. We do not need to defend ourselves in the courtroom of our peers as an attorney does in court. Our only defense is what we have in the LORD and He will be our Judge and Jury. He alone will cast light on the secret things that others hold in their hearts that may create anxiety in our life.
At the appointment time, God will expose truth and act accordingly to the motives of the hearts of everyone involved. He will fight our battles for us and will not turn His back on those who attack His children.
Just as we look after the interest of our children, our Father looks after the interest of His.
How many times have we ended up frustrated, angered or bitter as a situation arises before we have all of the facts? Children experience this over and over as they learn the social graces of friendship.
So many times in the past, I have experienced uncontrolled emotions due to the fact that I had not received all of the details correctly or completely. It was only through the receiving of additional information that I was able to get more clarity on the situation and surrender my hurts or frustration. I had experienced unnecessary stress by believing in my own perception of the situation.
God tells us in the above verse we do not need to concern ourselves with things surrounding us as it relates to rights and equality. Any situation that arises that questions our reputation, causes us anxiety or simply creates uneasiness in our hearts will be brought to light on God’s timetable. We do not need to defend ourselves in the courtroom of our peers as an attorney does in court. Our only defense is what we have in the LORD and He will be our Judge and Jury. He alone will cast light on the secret things that others hold in their hearts that may create anxiety in our life.
At the appointment time, God will expose truth and act accordingly to the motives of the hearts of everyone involved. He will fight our battles for us and will not turn His back on those who attack His children.
Just as we look after the interest of our children, our Father looks after the interest of His.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Calculating Without God
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Prov. 19:21.
When my father-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago, my husband and I put into place a long laundry list of “to-do’s” to re-establish him and his wife nearby. We enlisted the best medical specialists, found them a great community for their remaining years, and for the most part had them resettled and positioned for the future. It was much like the way parents look into the future and determine the needs of their precious ones. As parents or children, we desire to see our loved ones successful and joyful.
The LORD had other plans for my in-laws as well as me and Bruce. What we had determined was a plan of action for the future, God determined was a plan of action for a season. Suddenly and abruptly they moved back to their home in Boone and have decided to live there for the remainder of their lives.
When I look back and see all of the sacrifices and adjustments we made for the plans we had for my in-laws, I see that God knew that could only be for a season. Like all seasons, the landscape changes, the temperatures fluctuate and we must be flexible to move in and out of these seasons as God changes them. If our plans do not align with God’s they will not prevail. Even if our plans do align with His there is no guarantee that as the winds shift the plans will remain unchanged.
To prevail is to triumph, to overcome and to reign. Any purpose that is our Father’s will is going to triumph and succeed those that we tuck securely in our heart. If we hold too tightly to the plans we have for ourselves or our family, God may lovingly but firmly remove those plans from your life.
“For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future”. Jer. 29:11.
He sees where our plans lead and will thwart any plans we have if we are “calculating without God.”
When my father-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago, my husband and I put into place a long laundry list of “to-do’s” to re-establish him and his wife nearby. We enlisted the best medical specialists, found them a great community for their remaining years, and for the most part had them resettled and positioned for the future. It was much like the way parents look into the future and determine the needs of their precious ones. As parents or children, we desire to see our loved ones successful and joyful.
The LORD had other plans for my in-laws as well as me and Bruce. What we had determined was a plan of action for the future, God determined was a plan of action for a season. Suddenly and abruptly they moved back to their home in Boone and have decided to live there for the remainder of their lives.
When I look back and see all of the sacrifices and adjustments we made for the plans we had for my in-laws, I see that God knew that could only be for a season. Like all seasons, the landscape changes, the temperatures fluctuate and we must be flexible to move in and out of these seasons as God changes them. If our plans do not align with God’s they will not prevail. Even if our plans do align with His there is no guarantee that as the winds shift the plans will remain unchanged.
To prevail is to triumph, to overcome and to reign. Any purpose that is our Father’s will is going to triumph and succeed those that we tuck securely in our heart. If we hold too tightly to the plans we have for ourselves or our family, God may lovingly but firmly remove those plans from your life.
“For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future”. Jer. 29:11.
He sees where our plans lead and will thwart any plans we have if we are “calculating without God.”
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Faithful Focus
“For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b
I met with a dear friend yesterday who seems to be facing battles on every side. Just one season ago I felt the intense heat of battle on every front for which I faced. The blasts of the storms were overwhelming and devastating. Whether it was my in-laws dependency on us, my sister and dad’s battle, or comforting my grieving daughter at the death of her boyfriend the end result was this verse – I had no power to face this vast army that was attacking me.
This verse is lifted out of 2 Chron. when God was entreating King Jehoshaphat to empty out his fear and discouragement when facing the army coming against them from Edom. God’s words were “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you…go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” (v.15-17)
The most incredible part of this story is what followed God’s promise. The next morning they arose to face their “vast army” with celebration and worship as they entered into battle. They faced their circumstances head on but with upward eyes praising the One who they believed and knew would fight for them.
Half the battle in our circumstances is knowing that we will be delivered – not hoping. We all have vast armies that threat the very core of our beings as we journey through life. These faithful warriors had forward faith of the deliverance that would be theirs by simply believing and claiming the victory before it was ever fought.
So I ask myself in any season, "Are my eyes upon Him?"
The intensity of our faith will always be powered by our focus. What is in our lens?
I met with a dear friend yesterday who seems to be facing battles on every side. Just one season ago I felt the intense heat of battle on every front for which I faced. The blasts of the storms were overwhelming and devastating. Whether it was my in-laws dependency on us, my sister and dad’s battle, or comforting my grieving daughter at the death of her boyfriend the end result was this verse – I had no power to face this vast army that was attacking me.
This verse is lifted out of 2 Chron. when God was entreating King Jehoshaphat to empty out his fear and discouragement when facing the army coming against them from Edom. God’s words were “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you…go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” (v.15-17)
The most incredible part of this story is what followed God’s promise. The next morning they arose to face their “vast army” with celebration and worship as they entered into battle. They faced their circumstances head on but with upward eyes praising the One who they believed and knew would fight for them.
Half the battle in our circumstances is knowing that we will be delivered – not hoping. We all have vast armies that threat the very core of our beings as we journey through life. These faithful warriors had forward faith of the deliverance that would be theirs by simply believing and claiming the victory before it was ever fought.
So I ask myself in any season, "Are my eyes upon Him?"
The intensity of our faith will always be powered by our focus. What is in our lens?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Secret Things...
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Deut. 29:29.
Many times revelation comes through temptation and sin. Such was the case when one of my children blatantly broke the rules one summer. She was on grounding for a month and as the completion of her grounding quickly approached I began to fear her freedom. She had rarely been in trouble for anything but this particular incident warranted serious punishment because of the person who had broken the rules.
Each one of us has a sin issue we must reconcile with the Father. We were born into this world with a sinful nature which is why God reveals valuable lessons through our sin. As our Father, He knows and has already accepted that we are of a sinful nature and cannot ever be free of temptation and sin until He takes us home. Through our sinful decisions He demonstrates many of His ageless lessons and always provides a path for us back to Him. Through these continuous journeys back to Him we discover who He is and who we are in Him. Just as He loves us God requires constant love from one to another and any part of love we withhold, either conscious or subconscious, is in conflict with what He requires of us.
He uses the temptation and sin to teach us His precious truths which are individual to our make up just as we know the punishment that will best teach our children when they are disobedient. God revealed to me through my fear of my daughter’s returned freedom that her walk is between the two of them and I must trust Him to reveal the things He needs to impart upon her heart to help her be His successful daughter. In regards to my daughter’s path of temptation I had to and have accepted her journey as a fellow traveler through life first as a child of God and second as my daughter. I accepted her decisions as God accepts mine – only to teach how to be more like Him. I released my fear of a grieved heart knowing it is inevitable just as I will grieve the heart of God in my own life as a child of His.
Temptation and sin have a very important place in our spiritual development and should not be overlooked lightly. Once we have dealt with the sins in our life, forgiving ourselves and others, we should only remember past sins in the same way we remember a lesson in school. We build a stronger Christian life when we learn God’s lesson from sins along the way.
God will impart His wisdom and manner of teaching upon each of His children. We must trust that He will use each person’s temptation and sin to bring about His truths for their lives.
These are the things that belong to us….
Many times revelation comes through temptation and sin. Such was the case when one of my children blatantly broke the rules one summer. She was on grounding for a month and as the completion of her grounding quickly approached I began to fear her freedom. She had rarely been in trouble for anything but this particular incident warranted serious punishment because of the person who had broken the rules.
Each one of us has a sin issue we must reconcile with the Father. We were born into this world with a sinful nature which is why God reveals valuable lessons through our sin. As our Father, He knows and has already accepted that we are of a sinful nature and cannot ever be free of temptation and sin until He takes us home. Through our sinful decisions He demonstrates many of His ageless lessons and always provides a path for us back to Him. Through these continuous journeys back to Him we discover who He is and who we are in Him. Just as He loves us God requires constant love from one to another and any part of love we withhold, either conscious or subconscious, is in conflict with what He requires of us.
He uses the temptation and sin to teach us His precious truths which are individual to our make up just as we know the punishment that will best teach our children when they are disobedient. God revealed to me through my fear of my daughter’s returned freedom that her walk is between the two of them and I must trust Him to reveal the things He needs to impart upon her heart to help her be His successful daughter. In regards to my daughter’s path of temptation I had to and have accepted her journey as a fellow traveler through life first as a child of God and second as my daughter. I accepted her decisions as God accepts mine – only to teach how to be more like Him. I released my fear of a grieved heart knowing it is inevitable just as I will grieve the heart of God in my own life as a child of His.
Temptation and sin have a very important place in our spiritual development and should not be overlooked lightly. Once we have dealt with the sins in our life, forgiving ourselves and others, we should only remember past sins in the same way we remember a lesson in school. We build a stronger Christian life when we learn God’s lesson from sins along the way.
God will impart His wisdom and manner of teaching upon each of His children. We must trust that He will use each person’s temptation and sin to bring about His truths for their lives.
These are the things that belong to us….
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Meant to Perform
“All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Cor. 12:11.
When I was a little girl my mom and dad paid for me to take piano lessons for five years. I am not sure whether they saw talent or were hoping for talent! Either way, I went to my piano lessons, played in recitals and occasionally Becki and I would play a song at church during the Christmas season. At the end of five years I finally convinced my parents to allow me to quit. I had no interest in continuing only to be matched with no talent.
Fast forward 40 years and here I am writing by the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I have neither been a writer nor ever had any desire to become one. It was a gift that God determined He would reveal to me and perform through me. Each one of us has a God- ordained and God-given gift that He uses to both teach us dependency on Him and to bring Him glory.
The Body of Christ is made up of all of these talents and gifts to form a complete manifestation of Himself and what can be accomplished through these gifts. We must position ourselves to discern our part in working in the Family. In an earthly family, there is always discord when one member fails to do his part. The burden must spread among the remaining family members as they must compensate for his laziness. God specifically formed each of us for a specific purpose which He equipped us to be able to accomplish.
Every person born into the world came with a gift that will be revealed through pursuing God. It may be something you would never have dreamed of being called to pursue but through trusting God He has already given you the talents you need. He will provide opportunities to sharpen our talents and grow our gifts if we remain postured to perform.
Through developing our talents for which God has entrusted us, we will be able to accomplish great things for His name. Don't hide your talent but position yourself to receive your perfect gift from our perfect God. You were meant to perform!
When I was a little girl my mom and dad paid for me to take piano lessons for five years. I am not sure whether they saw talent or were hoping for talent! Either way, I went to my piano lessons, played in recitals and occasionally Becki and I would play a song at church during the Christmas season. At the end of five years I finally convinced my parents to allow me to quit. I had no interest in continuing only to be matched with no talent.
Fast forward 40 years and here I am writing by the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I have neither been a writer nor ever had any desire to become one. It was a gift that God determined He would reveal to me and perform through me. Each one of us has a God- ordained and God-given gift that He uses to both teach us dependency on Him and to bring Him glory.
The Body of Christ is made up of all of these talents and gifts to form a complete manifestation of Himself and what can be accomplished through these gifts. We must position ourselves to discern our part in working in the Family. In an earthly family, there is always discord when one member fails to do his part. The burden must spread among the remaining family members as they must compensate for his laziness. God specifically formed each of us for a specific purpose which He equipped us to be able to accomplish.
Every person born into the world came with a gift that will be revealed through pursuing God. It may be something you would never have dreamed of being called to pursue but through trusting God He has already given you the talents you need. He will provide opportunities to sharpen our talents and grow our gifts if we remain postured to perform.
Through developing our talents for which God has entrusted us, we will be able to accomplish great things for His name. Don't hide your talent but position yourself to receive your perfect gift from our perfect God. You were meant to perform!
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