Lately I have been seeing and hearing a certain verse from Revelations over and over. It has come up in conversation with others, it urged me to post that difficult post yesterday, it's shown up in my newsfeed on Google and Facebook, and it has been mentioned twice in sermons I listened to recently, and now I feel like I want to talk about it a little, specifically the first half of the verse. Revelation 12:11 reads "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." These words have been stuck in my mind, speaking to my heart, and I have been meditating on them much, on how our testimonies have power, the power to help move people towards Yeshua.
Testimonies remind me of the ripples on the surface of water. It starts with something breaking the surface, something causing the water in that area to shift and move outward in all directions, then it spreads, each ring larger than the last. Genuine testimonies of God are like this because God used something to break our surface, shifting our thoughts, and our heart, moving in every aspect of our life, then spreading out to others and growing as it goes. As we share and touch lives for Yeshua, the life changing story He gave us spreads and touches others for His glory, and their salvation. Our stories give broken people hope that God does care, that things can get better, that someone understands and has been where they are. This is the power of the testimony, the Truth of who God is spreading into the lives of those who hear what He has done and is capable of doing.
It's that spreading that I think of when I meditate on Revelations 12:11; I think about how people have responded to reading the testimonies I've shared how they have said it effected them. I think about some of the testimonies that have effected me, and I think of the Samaritan woman by the well of Jacob(John 4:3-42). I think of how she told the other Samaritans she had found the Messiah, and that He had told her everything about herself, how they must have seen something different in her, heard it in her voice, to have followed her back to Jesus. I think about the testimony of the blind man before the Pharisees and how he declared twice that Jesus healed his sight sharing his testimony before many, how his parents were afraid of being put out of the synagogue, but he stood up to the Pharisees in John 9:30-33; '30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." ' And I wonder how many heard this and looked to Jesus after this? How many wondered at the miracle and started to wonder if He really was the Messiah.
I know many are afraid to share their testimony, they think it will have no effect, that no one will care, or that what happened to them is not worth sharing. I used to feel that way too. I used to be afraid to talk about what Yeshua is doing and has done in my life. And to be honest I think that's exactly how satan would like to keep it. The devil doesn't want us to share God's glory, the miracles, the healings, the signs, visions and dreams that come from the Lord, because he knows that with that we can overcome his hold, we can be set free. When we share we can turn captive hearts to seek after the Lord again. Just by sharing how God healed us, we can bring others to the Living Water and that makes the devil angry so he uses fear and self doubt to silence us. But by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony we will overcome him, not loving our lives even when faced with death we need to proclaim God's greatness. Our testimonies are a powerful weapon against the enemy, and when we speak them humbly, honestly, giving God all the glory they carry more strength and effect than could ever imagine. Glory to the Father in Heaven.
Psalm 66:16
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul
Psalm 119:46
I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame
Luke 8:39
“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him
2 Timothy 1:8
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God
1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Great Forgiveness
This is probably one of the most uncomfortable post I've written. Honestly, what I am about to share with you is something that I really never wanted to share with anyone. It's painful and shameful, the lines I crossed are something that still hurts to think about. Most of what I am about to share with you, I honestly have very little memory of, I remember the pain and the anger, I remember flashes of what I did, but most of what I am writing was told to me by my brother and his friend, who were involved. Despite not remembering a lot of what happened, this day has greatly impacted my life and decisions I have made since.
At the time this happened I was about 17, maybe 18, and my parents had left my younger brother, his friend and myself at home alone while they were both out doing stuff. My parent's trusted us, like most do their teenagers, to be home alone without getting into too much trouble. Truthfully though, I didn't really deserve their trust. Every time they left me alone, trouble is exactly what I went after, whether I got caught or not is a different story. This day was no different, I knew they would be angry if they knew what I was doing, but like most teenagers, I took my chance and did what I wanted anyway. Which in my case was sit at the computer in the kitchen chatting with my friends online while smoking cigarettes and drinking shots of whiskey. This in itself was bad enough, but when my brother and his friend came into the kitchen the situation got worse.
My little brother has always been a button pusher, just the type of person to push you as far you can go before losing your cool, and when he was younger even beyond your limits. This had led to us getting into more than one sibling squabble. This day was one of the days he pushed me too far, and in my drunken state, I took it even farther. I don't remember exactly what he was doing at set me off, at this point I had already had quite a bit of whiskey, but I know screamed at him to stop it and leave me alone several times, or maybe I just assume this part because it's what I usually did, but for sure at least once. My brother and his friend later told me that I slammed my brother into a wall and punched him repeatedly in the face until he bleed, screaming and cursing at him the whole time. I was told that I was pulled off him by his friend, before going back to the computer chair where I started crying, and they went upstairs, leaving me in my misery. Of this I remember very little, I don't remember hitting him more than once, I don't remember screaming and cursing at him as I did it or as the three of us struggled, and I don't remember being pulled off of him, but I do remember sitting in the computer chair next to the bottle of whiskey with blood on my knuckles.
This was the last time I ever drank whiskey. Sitting there with tears running down my face and a repentant heart I promised never to drink it again. I knew I was wrong and that I had crossed a line, I knew before I ever drank a drop that my family had a history of being violent when whiskey was involved but I had ignored that just like I ignored that fact that I was underage. Up until this point I believed I could escape the family curse that I could control myself, but the blood and the bottle together told me then that it was foolish pride and a lie. My heart broke realizing what I did, I knew that once my brother told our parents I was in for it, I knew and accepted that punishment was on the way because I deserved it. I feared it, losing their trust, the disappointment, and grounding, but I knew I deserved it and I was ready to face my punishment. But that's not what happened.
My brother could have easily gotten me in big trouble that day, and like I said I expected him to because I deserved it, but instead he saw how broken up I was over what I did to him and he chose not to tell our parents, and to forgive me. My brother knew I was upset and angry at myself for hurting him, we fought all the time, physical fights, but never had either of us caused the other to bleed, never did we take it that far. Typically it was just the wrestling, hitting, and name calling that is common to siblings, but this event revealed a rage in me that scared us both. Despite the rage I showed, and the very physical pain I caused him my brother loved me enough to look past what I did to him though, and see my pain, and my repentant heart over the hurt I had caused him. This love and forgiveness he showed cemented two lessons in me that day, one, that whiskey is the devils drink and I will never go near it again, and two my brother had more love and forgiveness in his heart than I did, and that really shook me up. To be honest, I think his forgiveness startled me more than anything else, and had he not taken that path I'm not sure the lesson would have stuck the way it did.
His love, understanding, and forgiveness changed my heart that day. The kindness and mercy he showed when I deserved it the least still astounds me. Never has he brought it up to tease, hurt or taunt me, never has he used this incident to manipulate me into doing things for him, he's just moved on knowing that I when I said was sorry, that I truly was. In my brother's choice to forgive instead of get revenge or justification, I saw something really respectable, and I realized how much my brother really did care about me, even if we did fight a lot. This total forgiveness of my sin against him, to me reflects greatly the love, forgiveness and mercy that God has for us. How God's love covers our sins from sight when we accept Jesus and the forgiveness He gave us through His death on the cross. How God's love is gentle and life altering, causing us to change our ways from the brokenness in our hearts and a desire to be better.
I shared this today after spending three days trying not too, trying to tuck this memory back into the very back of my mind where I wouldn't have to deal with the hurt I still carried from it. But every morning when I would ask God what I should write, there it was again. Now, having written about it, I strangely feel healed from it, and I find myself wondering if maybe God wanted me to finally forgive myself for it too. I think maybe he wanted me to stop avoiding the part of my past and accept the forgiveness that He and my brother had already given me. Now, after sharing all this you know my secret, now you have seen the pain I caused others and the grace that God has for us, and if you take nothing else from this post please take this: Forgiveness is important, for you and those who you forgive, my story today could be so different had my brother not met my rage with mercy, had he not shown me forgiveness. Be blessed.
Proverbs 28:13
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Zechariah 7:9
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
At the time this happened I was about 17, maybe 18, and my parents had left my younger brother, his friend and myself at home alone while they were both out doing stuff. My parent's trusted us, like most do their teenagers, to be home alone without getting into too much trouble. Truthfully though, I didn't really deserve their trust. Every time they left me alone, trouble is exactly what I went after, whether I got caught or not is a different story. This day was no different, I knew they would be angry if they knew what I was doing, but like most teenagers, I took my chance and did what I wanted anyway. Which in my case was sit at the computer in the kitchen chatting with my friends online while smoking cigarettes and drinking shots of whiskey. This in itself was bad enough, but when my brother and his friend came into the kitchen the situation got worse.
My little brother has always been a button pusher, just the type of person to push you as far you can go before losing your cool, and when he was younger even beyond your limits. This had led to us getting into more than one sibling squabble. This day was one of the days he pushed me too far, and in my drunken state, I took it even farther. I don't remember exactly what he was doing at set me off, at this point I had already had quite a bit of whiskey, but I know screamed at him to stop it and leave me alone several times, or maybe I just assume this part because it's what I usually did, but for sure at least once. My brother and his friend later told me that I slammed my brother into a wall and punched him repeatedly in the face until he bleed, screaming and cursing at him the whole time. I was told that I was pulled off him by his friend, before going back to the computer chair where I started crying, and they went upstairs, leaving me in my misery. Of this I remember very little, I don't remember hitting him more than once, I don't remember screaming and cursing at him as I did it or as the three of us struggled, and I don't remember being pulled off of him, but I do remember sitting in the computer chair next to the bottle of whiskey with blood on my knuckles.
This was the last time I ever drank whiskey. Sitting there with tears running down my face and a repentant heart I promised never to drink it again. I knew I was wrong and that I had crossed a line, I knew before I ever drank a drop that my family had a history of being violent when whiskey was involved but I had ignored that just like I ignored that fact that I was underage. Up until this point I believed I could escape the family curse that I could control myself, but the blood and the bottle together told me then that it was foolish pride and a lie. My heart broke realizing what I did, I knew that once my brother told our parents I was in for it, I knew and accepted that punishment was on the way because I deserved it. I feared it, losing their trust, the disappointment, and grounding, but I knew I deserved it and I was ready to face my punishment. But that's not what happened.
My brother could have easily gotten me in big trouble that day, and like I said I expected him to because I deserved it, but instead he saw how broken up I was over what I did to him and he chose not to tell our parents, and to forgive me. My brother knew I was upset and angry at myself for hurting him, we fought all the time, physical fights, but never had either of us caused the other to bleed, never did we take it that far. Typically it was just the wrestling, hitting, and name calling that is common to siblings, but this event revealed a rage in me that scared us both. Despite the rage I showed, and the very physical pain I caused him my brother loved me enough to look past what I did to him though, and see my pain, and my repentant heart over the hurt I had caused him. This love and forgiveness he showed cemented two lessons in me that day, one, that whiskey is the devils drink and I will never go near it again, and two my brother had more love and forgiveness in his heart than I did, and that really shook me up. To be honest, I think his forgiveness startled me more than anything else, and had he not taken that path I'm not sure the lesson would have stuck the way it did.
His love, understanding, and forgiveness changed my heart that day. The kindness and mercy he showed when I deserved it the least still astounds me. Never has he brought it up to tease, hurt or taunt me, never has he used this incident to manipulate me into doing things for him, he's just moved on knowing that I when I said was sorry, that I truly was. In my brother's choice to forgive instead of get revenge or justification, I saw something really respectable, and I realized how much my brother really did care about me, even if we did fight a lot. This total forgiveness of my sin against him, to me reflects greatly the love, forgiveness and mercy that God has for us. How God's love covers our sins from sight when we accept Jesus and the forgiveness He gave us through His death on the cross. How God's love is gentle and life altering, causing us to change our ways from the brokenness in our hearts and a desire to be better.
I shared this today after spending three days trying not too, trying to tuck this memory back into the very back of my mind where I wouldn't have to deal with the hurt I still carried from it. But every morning when I would ask God what I should write, there it was again. Now, having written about it, I strangely feel healed from it, and I find myself wondering if maybe God wanted me to finally forgive myself for it too. I think maybe he wanted me to stop avoiding the part of my past and accept the forgiveness that He and my brother had already given me. Now, after sharing all this you know my secret, now you have seen the pain I caused others and the grace that God has for us, and if you take nothing else from this post please take this: Forgiveness is important, for you and those who you forgive, my story today could be so different had my brother not met my rage with mercy, had he not shown me forgiveness. Be blessed.
Proverbs 28:13
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Zechariah 7:9
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
There isn't an Excuse, Step Out
This morning as I was talking with friends, praying and taking care of the children I nanny for I started thinking about how there was a time in my life when I questioned what my purpose in God was, a time where I questioned how He could possibly use someone so insignificant, so sinful as me. I doubted that I was worthy is what it really boils down to, I doubted that I was good enough to be used by God, and even when He did tell me specifically what He wanted me to do, I doubted that I could, doubted that I would have any effect for the Kingdom at all. God has since shown me that to Him I am worthy and that there is purpose for all that are drawn into the kingdom of God.
I wanted to share this today, my thoughts on not being good enough, and how as I read the Bible I really came to believe it wasn't about being good enough, it's about being obedient and loving Him with all you have because I know I am not alone in thoughts and feelings. I know that there are many who struggle with feelings of being unworthy, and who don't know what their purpose is or do know and are afraid to try. I've been there and so have many that are looked up to in the Bible. The more time I spend in the scriptures the more I realize that no man was really 'good' enough for God, as Paul wrote in Romans 3:23&24 "23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Basically, none of us is righteous, none of us is good, we will all sin, we all fall short, but in Yeshua we have redemption and have been justified to God. This means when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and truly repent (change our ways not just saying I'm sorry) we are then sanctified and made clean before our Father, Jesus in us makes us good enough for God.
I mentioned that there are many in the Bible who were afraid of their calling, who were unsure, and the first that comes to mind is Moses, so I'd like to tell you about him and how God responded to Moses' attempts at denying his call. Moses made 5 excuses to God when the Lord called him to bring Israel out of Egypt, and all were denied by God. The first excuse Moses gave God sounded all to familiar to me, he told God "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11), a clear response of unworthiness. Who I am that you called me, who am I that you would use me, who am I that anyone would listen to me? And what was the Lord's reaction to this? "I will be with you." (Exodus3:12) The same answer He gives to us today, 'I will be with you,' His promise to us from the start, He will be with us and who then can stand against us(Psalm 118:6; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 41:10: Romans 8:31 and more)? Moses's second excuse was that he didn't have the knowledge to serve God (Exodus 3:13), that he didn't even know God's name, and again the Lord quieted Moses's fears by supplying the knowledge he needed. The next excuse is again one I see myself in, 'I don't believe I can fulfill my calling' (Exodus 4:1), it's the doubt that people will listen or care, the fear and expectation that you will fail. And God responded to Moses by giving Him signs to prove it, for us our signs are the fruit we bare and testimony we share. The fourth excuse (Exodus 4:10) I relate to on two levels, first is on a personal level because I like Moses have had issues with stuttering and my speech isn't always what it should because of this, the second is how I saw myself because of that. Because I stutter sometimes I didn't see myself as a leader, I didn't believe in myself or God's ability to make others listen. God answered both Moses and I with a way around this, He gave Aaron to be Moses's mouth and He gave me a keyboard, but the Lord also reminded Moses (and us) that it is He who gave man his mouth and that it is He who will teach him what to say. The last excuse isn't really an excuse but fear pure and simple, "Lord, please send someone else" (Exodus 4:13); to which God gave Moses Aaron(mentioned a minute ago) as his mouth to Israel and told him to use the his staff for the signs.
My point to all this? No matter what excuse we have God has an answer. No matter how we see ourselves God knows what and who He designed us to be. No matter how we perceive ourselves God is with us and He makes us able when we lean on Him and act in obedience to the call He placed on our lives. I hope I explained this well, I hope someone was blessed by this and that it encourages them to trust the Lord's plan no matter how intimidating it may seem. Know that the Lord goes before, be obedient and wait on Him, He will make all the difference. Be blessed by Our Lord.
Exodus 15:6
"Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
1 Peter 4:11
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
I wanted to share this today, my thoughts on not being good enough, and how as I read the Bible I really came to believe it wasn't about being good enough, it's about being obedient and loving Him with all you have because I know I am not alone in thoughts and feelings. I know that there are many who struggle with feelings of being unworthy, and who don't know what their purpose is or do know and are afraid to try. I've been there and so have many that are looked up to in the Bible. The more time I spend in the scriptures the more I realize that no man was really 'good' enough for God, as Paul wrote in Romans 3:23&24 "23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Basically, none of us is righteous, none of us is good, we will all sin, we all fall short, but in Yeshua we have redemption and have been justified to God. This means when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and truly repent (change our ways not just saying I'm sorry) we are then sanctified and made clean before our Father, Jesus in us makes us good enough for God.
I mentioned that there are many in the Bible who were afraid of their calling, who were unsure, and the first that comes to mind is Moses, so I'd like to tell you about him and how God responded to Moses' attempts at denying his call. Moses made 5 excuses to God when the Lord called him to bring Israel out of Egypt, and all were denied by God. The first excuse Moses gave God sounded all to familiar to me, he told God "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11), a clear response of unworthiness. Who I am that you called me, who am I that you would use me, who am I that anyone would listen to me? And what was the Lord's reaction to this? "I will be with you." (Exodus3:12) The same answer He gives to us today, 'I will be with you,' His promise to us from the start, He will be with us and who then can stand against us(Psalm 118:6; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 41:10: Romans 8:31 and more)? Moses's second excuse was that he didn't have the knowledge to serve God (Exodus 3:13), that he didn't even know God's name, and again the Lord quieted Moses's fears by supplying the knowledge he needed. The next excuse is again one I see myself in, 'I don't believe I can fulfill my calling' (Exodus 4:1), it's the doubt that people will listen or care, the fear and expectation that you will fail. And God responded to Moses by giving Him signs to prove it, for us our signs are the fruit we bare and testimony we share. The fourth excuse (Exodus 4:10) I relate to on two levels, first is on a personal level because I like Moses have had issues with stuttering and my speech isn't always what it should because of this, the second is how I saw myself because of that. Because I stutter sometimes I didn't see myself as a leader, I didn't believe in myself or God's ability to make others listen. God answered both Moses and I with a way around this, He gave Aaron to be Moses's mouth and He gave me a keyboard, but the Lord also reminded Moses (and us) that it is He who gave man his mouth and that it is He who will teach him what to say. The last excuse isn't really an excuse but fear pure and simple, "Lord, please send someone else" (Exodus 4:13); to which God gave Moses Aaron(mentioned a minute ago) as his mouth to Israel and told him to use the his staff for the signs.
My point to all this? No matter what excuse we have God has an answer. No matter how we see ourselves God knows what and who He designed us to be. No matter how we perceive ourselves God is with us and He makes us able when we lean on Him and act in obedience to the call He placed on our lives. I hope I explained this well, I hope someone was blessed by this and that it encourages them to trust the Lord's plan no matter how intimidating it may seem. Know that the Lord goes before, be obedient and wait on Him, He will make all the difference. Be blessed by Our Lord.
Exodus 15:6
"Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
1 Peter 4:11
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Pray For The Prodigals
I don't often ask for prayer request in my blog, but I feel like this time I need to. Last night I had the honor of praying with someone I had been praying for and ministering to for a while. This person is a believer but has been really lost for quite some time now. They have been battling feelings of unworthiness, fear, pain, and feeling weak for years now and more recently have been having violent thoughts, and drinking heavier to drown it all out. They used to believe this was a necessary way of life to keep these thoughts and feelings at bay, but lately God has been moving in this person's heart and they have been realizing that they can't keep going on like this. Not long ago God got their attention about their lifestyle choices in a big way and they tried to overcome these feelings and the drinking on their own but have fallen back into drinking heavily again. Last night though as we talked they decided that they needed to ask God to step in and I held his hand as he prayed and he admitted he couldn't do it on his own and that he needed Yeshua to get them out of this situation, to heal and change their heart.
I know God will respond, of that I have no doubts, but what I am asking of you is too take a minute and pray for this brother. Ask the Father to strength him to stay on the right path and draw this man ever nearer to Jesus. Pray for this prodigal as he takes the journey back into the Father's arms because I know from experience satan won't make it easy for him to return. This brother needs our prayers for encouragement, comfort, and change. Prayers to have eyes and ears that see and hear God's truth, and that the voice of God becomes louder than the whispers of doubt, and lies that the enemy plants in his head. He needs prayer that protect him from spiritual attack and that a desire builds up in him to make the right choices as he seeks the Lord.
Now I ask one more thing today before closing out this post, pray these things not only for this prodigal, but all of them. Those who are on their journey back to the Father's house and those still looking for their way out of the trap. Pray for those who are lost and looking for hope. Pray for the broken to be healed, and that when the moment arises for us to step in as the hands and feet of the Lord that the Holy Spirit rest heavily upon us as we hold out our hands for the broken to walk beside us. Be blessed in the name of the risen Lord Yeshua.
John 17:14-17
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
1 Timothy 2;1-4
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
I know God will respond, of that I have no doubts, but what I am asking of you is too take a minute and pray for this brother. Ask the Father to strength him to stay on the right path and draw this man ever nearer to Jesus. Pray for this prodigal as he takes the journey back into the Father's arms because I know from experience satan won't make it easy for him to return. This brother needs our prayers for encouragement, comfort, and change. Prayers to have eyes and ears that see and hear God's truth, and that the voice of God becomes louder than the whispers of doubt, and lies that the enemy plants in his head. He needs prayer that protect him from spiritual attack and that a desire builds up in him to make the right choices as he seeks the Lord.
Now I ask one more thing today before closing out this post, pray these things not only for this prodigal, but all of them. Those who are on their journey back to the Father's house and those still looking for their way out of the trap. Pray for those who are lost and looking for hope. Pray for the broken to be healed, and that when the moment arises for us to step in as the hands and feet of the Lord that the Holy Spirit rest heavily upon us as we hold out our hands for the broken to walk beside us. Be blessed in the name of the risen Lord Yeshua.
John 17:14-17
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
1 Timothy 2;1-4
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Time For More Changes
I didn't post much on Friday, and stayed off line all weekend, it was a busy weekend with my friend's wedding, getting very sick one day, and having to play catch up the rest of the time on errands and chores. Despite all the chaos though I still tried to make time for the Lord, I put aside time to read and pray and when I was too sick to read or too tired I played an online audio Bible so I still got some time in the word. Even with these attempts to be vigilant about the time I spent with the Lord though, I still woke up this morning feeling like I missed God a lot today, that I hadn't given Him the attention He deserved over the weekend. Honestly, it's something that I've been feeling for weeks now and for a while I wasn't sure how to remedy it.
Every week for at least a month now, I wake up Monday morning missing God, desiring His presence and looking forward to spending more time with Him throughout the day and week ahead. When I work on this blog I spend a lot of time focusing on God, praying, listening for the Spirit, and reading scriptures, but when the weekend comes I take a break, shifting my focus from writing to family. I don't think this is a bad thing, I feel I need the break from writing and responding to people, I need the break from social media, I need the uninterrupted time with my husband and family. The problem that arises from this is that I then don't feel as close to the Spirit because I am not as intensely focused. During the weekend I still read and pray but I'm not spending the hours that I otherwise would be during the week entirely focused on God. The more this has gone on, the more I feel like I need to do something to change it, that I need to carry my intense focus from the week over into the weekend.
It's something that I've been praying about, and the answer is really something I already knew, the only way to keep it going is to keep seeking Him and giving Him that time whether it's Monday or Saturday. If I want to be as full of the spirit Sunday as I am Wednesday I need to put in Wednesday's work. I need to give Him first place everyday, and in everything I do. I need to stop making excuses for myself as to why I don't spend as much time with Him on the weekends, because the truth is whether I am writing this or not I can still spend time with God. Just because I am not writing that day doesn't mean I can't spend most of the day communing with God, I don't need to write in order to be focused on the Lord, I can invite Him into my day in other ways too.
Some of the things He has been convicting my heart to change in order to better focus on Him I would like to share with you in hopes of helping or encouraging someone else who may have a similar issue on their heart now. Before I do though I want to make clear these are not "you should do's;" or "you have to do this's" these are just suggestions! Some of the things are obvious and I've been doing them, like reading my Bible and praying. The difference between the week and the weekend on this is two things; one during the week I'm in the word a lot more than just twice a day, and two I tend to read in absolute quiet instead with the TV on or music playing in the background like during the weekend. Another thing I tend to do over the weekend is get in a hurry with our errands, I get caught up in the running here or there and I forget to take as much time to say small prayers throughout the day to say thanks or ask for help as I do during the week. The last thing that has been placed on my heart to change so I can be just as spiritually full on the weekend as the week day is taking the time to worship. During the week I listen to worship music just about the entire day, it's in my car and play it on Pandora whenever I'm cleaning, or playing with the children. Worship is a part of my daily lifestyle during the week, but I have failed to carry it over as much on the weekends. Other than church service, I don't live in worship on the weekends and I think that's a big part of why I am waking up Monday morning feeling like I didn't spend enough time with God, that I actually miss Him.
The Lord loves to see us worship Him, He loves how our hearts respond to Him in worship, and He commands that we worship in Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24), and it's this that I know now my weekends have been missing. I need to carry over my worship into the weekend, and I need to turn off distractions when I'm supposed to be focused on God, and if I can't turn them off I need to find another room to be in. I have to not just say He is a priority, but I must show Him that He is, I must make my life reflect that statement in all I do just like I would for anyone else I said I loved. Thank you and God bless all of you, I hope and pray we all walk a little closer to Him each day, be blessed.
Psalm 84:4
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
Psalm 95:6
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
John 4:23-24
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Colossians 3: 14-17
14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Every week for at least a month now, I wake up Monday morning missing God, desiring His presence and looking forward to spending more time with Him throughout the day and week ahead. When I work on this blog I spend a lot of time focusing on God, praying, listening for the Spirit, and reading scriptures, but when the weekend comes I take a break, shifting my focus from writing to family. I don't think this is a bad thing, I feel I need the break from writing and responding to people, I need the break from social media, I need the uninterrupted time with my husband and family. The problem that arises from this is that I then don't feel as close to the Spirit because I am not as intensely focused. During the weekend I still read and pray but I'm not spending the hours that I otherwise would be during the week entirely focused on God. The more this has gone on, the more I feel like I need to do something to change it, that I need to carry my intense focus from the week over into the weekend.
It's something that I've been praying about, and the answer is really something I already knew, the only way to keep it going is to keep seeking Him and giving Him that time whether it's Monday or Saturday. If I want to be as full of the spirit Sunday as I am Wednesday I need to put in Wednesday's work. I need to give Him first place everyday, and in everything I do. I need to stop making excuses for myself as to why I don't spend as much time with Him on the weekends, because the truth is whether I am writing this or not I can still spend time with God. Just because I am not writing that day doesn't mean I can't spend most of the day communing with God, I don't need to write in order to be focused on the Lord, I can invite Him into my day in other ways too.
Some of the things He has been convicting my heart to change in order to better focus on Him I would like to share with you in hopes of helping or encouraging someone else who may have a similar issue on their heart now. Before I do though I want to make clear these are not "you should do's;" or "you have to do this's" these are just suggestions! Some of the things are obvious and I've been doing them, like reading my Bible and praying. The difference between the week and the weekend on this is two things; one during the week I'm in the word a lot more than just twice a day, and two I tend to read in absolute quiet instead with the TV on or music playing in the background like during the weekend. Another thing I tend to do over the weekend is get in a hurry with our errands, I get caught up in the running here or there and I forget to take as much time to say small prayers throughout the day to say thanks or ask for help as I do during the week. The last thing that has been placed on my heart to change so I can be just as spiritually full on the weekend as the week day is taking the time to worship. During the week I listen to worship music just about the entire day, it's in my car and play it on Pandora whenever I'm cleaning, or playing with the children. Worship is a part of my daily lifestyle during the week, but I have failed to carry it over as much on the weekends. Other than church service, I don't live in worship on the weekends and I think that's a big part of why I am waking up Monday morning feeling like I didn't spend enough time with God, that I actually miss Him.
The Lord loves to see us worship Him, He loves how our hearts respond to Him in worship, and He commands that we worship in Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24), and it's this that I know now my weekends have been missing. I need to carry over my worship into the weekend, and I need to turn off distractions when I'm supposed to be focused on God, and if I can't turn them off I need to find another room to be in. I have to not just say He is a priority, but I must show Him that He is, I must make my life reflect that statement in all I do just like I would for anyone else I said I loved. Thank you and God bless all of you, I hope and pray we all walk a little closer to Him each day, be blessed.
Psalm 84:4
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
Psalm 95:6
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
John 4:23-24
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Colossians 3: 14-17
14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Focus on the Lord
Yesterday I posted a blog called "Freedom in the Cross" and in the closing paragraph I wrote that I had tears in my eyes as I was reminded of Isaiah 53:4-6, this was very true. The reason I was crying though had very little to do with what I wrote at that moment. It was that verse coming to mind right when I needed it, it was rereading that post, most of which I had written Monday, and realizing God had given me comfort for my soul before I knew I needed it. I was crying while I closed that post because God is so good, so loving, and so beautiful in how He works. Yesterday was a struggle, I felt like walking away from certain things, and I was starting to let bitterness and fatigue get the better of me but God had already planned my way of escape, He had already put in place a means of comfort and the reminder I needed to refocus my heart and mind. God had provided before I knew I needed the provision.
This is isn't unusual for God, and any one who spends a lot of time with Him could probably tell you that it's His nature. God is always providing for His children whether in big ways or small and yesterday was an example of this. After spending a lot of the day in bitterness, pouting; really no different than what my toddlers were doing; I finally saw what I needed to get my head right again when I started focusing on Him and working on the blog. I didn't realize it at first but I had written a road map out of those feelings, in yesterday's post. By focusing on the Lord and the freedom He provided it is possible to overcome difficult situations and stay in joy but there I was stupidly clinging onto them until He touched my heart with His word and opened my eyes to what I was doing, or really not doing. The moment I heard the words play through my mind I began tearing up, eventually weeping in prayer as I thanked Him for the word and asked for forgiveness because of the bitterness I had allowed into my heart.
In Colossians 3:1-3 Paul writes "1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" This is essentially what happened yesterday and brought me back out of the flesh into the Spirit again. When I focused my mind on higher things, on God and what was done thru Yeshua, I was restored to a place of peace, I was once again able to look past what was going on around me and focus on the things God wanted me think about. When I was focused on the Lord I was able to see that I didn't have to stay in those feelings because they did nothing but distract me from God and pull me low. I was reminded that in Jesus there is joy, and I had been robbing myself if it by focusing on temporal, fleeting things. Today I am focused and grateful for God's provision and the way He lovingly nudges us when we fall off course. I am grateful that in Yeshua I am an overcomer and not a victim of circumstance and emotion. I am grateful that in God I always have hope, and joy, and an abundance of love. Stay close to the Lord brothers and sisters, and be blessed.
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Romans 8:5
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Hebrews 2:1
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
This is isn't unusual for God, and any one who spends a lot of time with Him could probably tell you that it's His nature. God is always providing for His children whether in big ways or small and yesterday was an example of this. After spending a lot of the day in bitterness, pouting; really no different than what my toddlers were doing; I finally saw what I needed to get my head right again when I started focusing on Him and working on the blog. I didn't realize it at first but I had written a road map out of those feelings, in yesterday's post. By focusing on the Lord and the freedom He provided it is possible to overcome difficult situations and stay in joy but there I was stupidly clinging onto them until He touched my heart with His word and opened my eyes to what I was doing, or really not doing. The moment I heard the words play through my mind I began tearing up, eventually weeping in prayer as I thanked Him for the word and asked for forgiveness because of the bitterness I had allowed into my heart.
In Colossians 3:1-3 Paul writes "1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" This is essentially what happened yesterday and brought me back out of the flesh into the Spirit again. When I focused my mind on higher things, on God and what was done thru Yeshua, I was restored to a place of peace, I was once again able to look past what was going on around me and focus on the things God wanted me think about. When I was focused on the Lord I was able to see that I didn't have to stay in those feelings because they did nothing but distract me from God and pull me low. I was reminded that in Jesus there is joy, and I had been robbing myself if it by focusing on temporal, fleeting things. Today I am focused and grateful for God's provision and the way He lovingly nudges us when we fall off course. I am grateful that in Yeshua I am an overcomer and not a victim of circumstance and emotion. I am grateful that in God I always have hope, and joy, and an abundance of love. Stay close to the Lord brothers and sisters, and be blessed.
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Romans 8:5
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Hebrews 2:1
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Freedom in the Cross
In times of weakness and distress, when my heart is in turmoil because of the things going on around me I will often go back to the Cross. I will meditate on what the Lord did there, the victory He planned out thousands of years before hand to save us from sin and death, to give us access to Him, and the ability to overcome the enemy in Jesus. I think about the Cross and Resurrection and I find strength, freedom, and hope in it because I know that the battle is already won, the enemy was defeated and I am free and made new in Yeshua. When we boldly accept this truth and focus our minds on what God has already done; that He has given us a means to overcome the enemy; we no longer have to worry or fear. When we accept that what God did through the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has given us authority in the name of Jesus over the flesh and boldly declare so the enemy flees. When we know with unflinching faith, that God is in control we can march on even when the steps aren't clear.
The more I mediate on the fact that Yeshua has already defeated the enemy the stronger I become in Christ and the more bold I become for Him, because I understand satan no longer has power over me and anything he tells me is a lie. When I not only knew this but believed this in my heart it gave me great power over the influence of my flesh and blocked the enemies ability to fill my head with the lies that would tear me down lower. I could look at these hard situations that left me feeling low, overwhelmed, angry, hurt, or in some other fashion upset or oppressed and say boldly with conviction "This is not truth! These feelings are not the truth of my situation! This is temporary and God has better things coming for me!" And always without fail, things start to turn around, even if at first it was just my mood.
God used the cross to set us free, to bring His promise and His plans to fullness, and it is of this that I remind myself of in the face of hardship. Thinking on the Cross and the defeated enemy gives me the strength and gratitude in my heart to go on when I feel like I can't; it gives me hope to keep pressing when I want to give up, and the more time I spend with God the more I realize it is important to keep this present in our minds. The Cross and the Resurrection are our freedom and the defeat of our enemy. Because of the blood of Yeshua satan has no power and authority over us except that which we give him. As new creations in Christ we are forgiven of our prior sins and now through Jesus can overcome the temptations that once burdened us and held us low. Through Yeshua we now have the ability to come to God and ask forgiveness when we fail; because of the blood He shed for us we have peace and no longer punishment.
Sitting here with tears in my eyes trying to find a away to close this, I am reminded of Isaiah 53:4-6; "4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Be blessed in the name of our risen Yeshua.
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God
1 John 2:2
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world
The more I mediate on the fact that Yeshua has already defeated the enemy the stronger I become in Christ and the more bold I become for Him, because I understand satan no longer has power over me and anything he tells me is a lie. When I not only knew this but believed this in my heart it gave me great power over the influence of my flesh and blocked the enemies ability to fill my head with the lies that would tear me down lower. I could look at these hard situations that left me feeling low, overwhelmed, angry, hurt, or in some other fashion upset or oppressed and say boldly with conviction "This is not truth! These feelings are not the truth of my situation! This is temporary and God has better things coming for me!" And always without fail, things start to turn around, even if at first it was just my mood.
God used the cross to set us free, to bring His promise and His plans to fullness, and it is of this that I remind myself of in the face of hardship. Thinking on the Cross and the defeated enemy gives me the strength and gratitude in my heart to go on when I feel like I can't; it gives me hope to keep pressing when I want to give up, and the more time I spend with God the more I realize it is important to keep this present in our minds. The Cross and the Resurrection are our freedom and the defeat of our enemy. Because of the blood of Yeshua satan has no power and authority over us except that which we give him. As new creations in Christ we are forgiven of our prior sins and now through Jesus can overcome the temptations that once burdened us and held us low. Through Yeshua we now have the ability to come to God and ask forgiveness when we fail; because of the blood He shed for us we have peace and no longer punishment.
Sitting here with tears in my eyes trying to find a away to close this, I am reminded of Isaiah 53:4-6; "4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Be blessed in the name of our risen Yeshua.
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God
1 John 2:2
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world
Monday, July 20, 2015
Walk in Truth
Lately I've been watching movies on Netflix by this picture company called LoveLight, and each one has greatly impacted my heart. The movies I have been watching are so authentic that I find myself in tears praising God and worshipping from my heart, praying for impacted lives by these films. I cry and rejoice at the work, the gift He laid on someone's life to draw people to Him, and the beauty of how the story comes together, drawing you in and lifting you up. The people in the stories and the stories themselves are so believable and relatable that you can't help but feel like you know these people, and it moves the heart more deeply because of that. It's the brokenness and reality of our imperfection and need for God that we our heart responds to because we know that it is truth. It's this authenticity of the brokenness of this world and how God moves to heal us that I see in these movies and that I think we are often missing in the church today.
I'm not saying in anyway that these movies are better than church, what I am trying to say is we need to be authentic to reach hearts. We need to be honest with each other and most especially ourselves about our faults and give them to God admitting our weaknesses and seeking Him to overcome. We need to admit where we struggle; where we are tempted and seek counsel and encouragement in each other and God. We need to be honest and lay aside our pride because with pride comes many dangers, many areas where we can be influenced and oblivious to it. Pride will lead you to feel more righteous than others, and blind you to the counsel of those trying to help you. Pride will lead you to believe you can do it on your own, and even cause you to take offense to those who are trying to help you. Pride will wrap itself around your heart and weigh it down without you seeing it until too late.
Honesty however, sets us free. When we are honest we can stop pride before it begins and we give God a chance to work because He is truth(John 14:6; 2 John 1:2). When we are honest we are working in God, because God is truth, love, harmony, and hope. God is every good and perfect thing and when we act according to those traits we allow Him to work through us and in us. When we walk in His ways we are abiding in the Spirit, and we are allowing the Spirit to pour out of us to impact others. This is how we bear fruit, by walking in the Spirit of the Lord. Jesus said in John 15 "5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
To abide in Him we must walk in His ways, we must stay in the Spirit and make the choices that honor the spirit over the flesh. Sometimes that means momentary pain, but trusting God means understanding that the pain is just that, temporary, and that God will in time use that pain to bring glory to Him, through you. Honesty is an act of trusting God, trusting the plan He has for you and making yourself totally open for His use. When we are honest we make ourselves vulnerable and are relying totally on God which is why I think it scares so many people. We don't like to feel weak, we don't like to admit that we can't make life work without Him, that we can't experience completeness without Him. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12 "9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." When we are vulnerable God works, when we are vulnerable God pours out of us to others and things are moved by His grace, people and hearts are touched. We may not see it right away but if the Bible shows us anything about the character of God it is that the Lord waste nothing, He is true to His word, and we will bear fruit when we stay in Him. Be blessed, today and always in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
I'm not saying in anyway that these movies are better than church, what I am trying to say is we need to be authentic to reach hearts. We need to be honest with each other and most especially ourselves about our faults and give them to God admitting our weaknesses and seeking Him to overcome. We need to admit where we struggle; where we are tempted and seek counsel and encouragement in each other and God. We need to be honest and lay aside our pride because with pride comes many dangers, many areas where we can be influenced and oblivious to it. Pride will lead you to feel more righteous than others, and blind you to the counsel of those trying to help you. Pride will lead you to believe you can do it on your own, and even cause you to take offense to those who are trying to help you. Pride will wrap itself around your heart and weigh it down without you seeing it until too late.
Honesty however, sets us free. When we are honest we can stop pride before it begins and we give God a chance to work because He is truth(John 14:6; 2 John 1:2). When we are honest we are working in God, because God is truth, love, harmony, and hope. God is every good and perfect thing and when we act according to those traits we allow Him to work through us and in us. When we walk in His ways we are abiding in the Spirit, and we are allowing the Spirit to pour out of us to impact others. This is how we bear fruit, by walking in the Spirit of the Lord. Jesus said in John 15 "5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
To abide in Him we must walk in His ways, we must stay in the Spirit and make the choices that honor the spirit over the flesh. Sometimes that means momentary pain, but trusting God means understanding that the pain is just that, temporary, and that God will in time use that pain to bring glory to Him, through you. Honesty is an act of trusting God, trusting the plan He has for you and making yourself totally open for His use. When we are honest we make ourselves vulnerable and are relying totally on God which is why I think it scares so many people. We don't like to feel weak, we don't like to admit that we can't make life work without Him, that we can't experience completeness without Him. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12 "9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." When we are vulnerable God works, when we are vulnerable God pours out of us to others and things are moved by His grace, people and hearts are touched. We may not see it right away but if the Bible shows us anything about the character of God it is that the Lord waste nothing, He is true to His word, and we will bear fruit when we stay in Him. Be blessed, today and always in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Trust Him With Your Heart
Last night my husband and I were talking about how when we got married we had no doubts, we both knew and were convinced that we were marrying the person God had set aside for us. We felt sure of what we were doing, and still, almost four years later are certain that this was right. I cannot say why my husband was so certain, he said he just knew, but I was certain because the night I took my husband to meet my family for the first time when we had just started dating, I had prayed for a sign and God answered me. I made the decision after my last relationship that I would no longer date a person just because it was what I wanted but instead I would trust my heart to the Lord.
My relationship before my husband was not healthy to put it kindly, I was very broken when I started dating that guy, and even more broken by the end of that relationship, so when I started dating Nick I was scared of being hurt and used all over again. That night in the car on my way to pick Nick up I prayed and asked God for a sign. I asked for something that I knew could only be God's intervention, something that happened so rarely that it was unmistakable. I asked that my little sister warm up to him if he was the man I was supposed to be with, and I told God if she did not speak to him I would walk away, I was done wasting time in relationships that were not His will for me. I realize at this point some of you are scratching your head going 'what's up with the sister talking? why is that a sign?' Well the answer is my sister is a selective mute. I know what that sounds like but she is not actually silent by choice. From the time she was very little my sister has had terrible anxiety rendering her completely unable to speak around most people. At the time she met my husband she was only 8 years old and spoke to no one outside the immediate family and only two of my friends that she had known most of her life, and never to strangers or even to her teachers at school. For her to speak to him the first time they met could only be a miracle.
It didn't take long for Nick to charm my parent's and younger brother but still I waited anxiously for my sister's reaction to him. We may have been there 40 minutes when I noticed my sister starting to move closer to him and stealing glances at him and me from where she was playing on the floor. I could tell she was taking him in, sorting through her thoughts and feelings. Shortly after that she went to her room and came back out with some things; books and a few toys too I believe but I can't remember exactly what she brought out mostly I was focused on who she was showing this stuff too. Much to my joy and surprise she brought the items to Nick, and very quietly in her nervous soft spoken voice started telling him about these things. Everyone was surprised, except Nick who had thought my sister was just shy. Later that night I explained to Nick why everyone seemed so shock that she spoke to him and I think he took it as a boost to his ego, which is fine, he should, I always say she has a better judge of character than I do.
This situation has stayed with me in my heart, it made me confident from the start of what I was doing with Nick and where we were headed, I never doubted that he would be the man I married. God had answered me quickly and I knew without doubt. Though, to be honest the devil did try to plant fear in my mind about it, often in the first two years of dating and in the first year of marriage I would have nightmares of Nick leaving me, saying he never loved me but then the miracle of that first dinner with my family would come to mind and always chased it away the fear before it could grow into doubt. I stood on that sign and trusted God with my heart and my relationship.
I shared this today because one, we were talking about it last night, and two because during our conversation I realized how I should be doing this same thing with every relationship in my life. It became very clear to me that I should be asking God to show me the right people to walk with and those to depart from. I realized that what I did that night was not something to do only once but always, that had I continued doing this with my friendships as well as my dating/marriage interest that I could have spared myself a lot of pain and stress in this last year when I had to separate myself from a friendship that God did not want me to continue. Instead I had acted in the flesh, seeing only the appearances and leaned not on the knowledge of God, leading myself down a path into pain when He placed it on my heart to depart from this friendship. Now seeing the whole picture I have learned a valuable lesson, in all circumstances I must lean on His knowledge, in all situations I need to trust my heart to Him. I hope today I have encouraged you to think on this, are you trusting God in everything? Are you trusting Him to guide your relationships? Be blessed in the name of Yeshua.
Job 5:8-9
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
My relationship before my husband was not healthy to put it kindly, I was very broken when I started dating that guy, and even more broken by the end of that relationship, so when I started dating Nick I was scared of being hurt and used all over again. That night in the car on my way to pick Nick up I prayed and asked God for a sign. I asked for something that I knew could only be God's intervention, something that happened so rarely that it was unmistakable. I asked that my little sister warm up to him if he was the man I was supposed to be with, and I told God if she did not speak to him I would walk away, I was done wasting time in relationships that were not His will for me. I realize at this point some of you are scratching your head going 'what's up with the sister talking? why is that a sign?' Well the answer is my sister is a selective mute. I know what that sounds like but she is not actually silent by choice. From the time she was very little my sister has had terrible anxiety rendering her completely unable to speak around most people. At the time she met my husband she was only 8 years old and spoke to no one outside the immediate family and only two of my friends that she had known most of her life, and never to strangers or even to her teachers at school. For her to speak to him the first time they met could only be a miracle.
It didn't take long for Nick to charm my parent's and younger brother but still I waited anxiously for my sister's reaction to him. We may have been there 40 minutes when I noticed my sister starting to move closer to him and stealing glances at him and me from where she was playing on the floor. I could tell she was taking him in, sorting through her thoughts and feelings. Shortly after that she went to her room and came back out with some things; books and a few toys too I believe but I can't remember exactly what she brought out mostly I was focused on who she was showing this stuff too. Much to my joy and surprise she brought the items to Nick, and very quietly in her nervous soft spoken voice started telling him about these things. Everyone was surprised, except Nick who had thought my sister was just shy. Later that night I explained to Nick why everyone seemed so shock that she spoke to him and I think he took it as a boost to his ego, which is fine, he should, I always say she has a better judge of character than I do.
This situation has stayed with me in my heart, it made me confident from the start of what I was doing with Nick and where we were headed, I never doubted that he would be the man I married. God had answered me quickly and I knew without doubt. Though, to be honest the devil did try to plant fear in my mind about it, often in the first two years of dating and in the first year of marriage I would have nightmares of Nick leaving me, saying he never loved me but then the miracle of that first dinner with my family would come to mind and always chased it away the fear before it could grow into doubt. I stood on that sign and trusted God with my heart and my relationship.
I shared this today because one, we were talking about it last night, and two because during our conversation I realized how I should be doing this same thing with every relationship in my life. It became very clear to me that I should be asking God to show me the right people to walk with and those to depart from. I realized that what I did that night was not something to do only once but always, that had I continued doing this with my friendships as well as my dating/marriage interest that I could have spared myself a lot of pain and stress in this last year when I had to separate myself from a friendship that God did not want me to continue. Instead I had acted in the flesh, seeing only the appearances and leaned not on the knowledge of God, leading myself down a path into pain when He placed it on my heart to depart from this friendship. Now seeing the whole picture I have learned a valuable lesson, in all circumstances I must lean on His knowledge, in all situations I need to trust my heart to Him. I hope today I have encouraged you to think on this, are you trusting God in everything? Are you trusting Him to guide your relationships? Be blessed in the name of Yeshua.
Job 5:8-9
8 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. 9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted
Psalm 9:10
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek youProverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A Debt I Can't Repay
This morning I want to share with you something that I thought about as I was praying. It's probably something that older more mature followers have already come too, but I wanted to share it anyway because the thought has been on my mind and on my heart a lot lately, especially as I prepare myself for the day and think of serving my Father. This morning as I prayed I told Him "Father, I can never repay what I owe you, if you never give me another thing, I would still owe you more than my service to you can repay." As I looked over my life this morning giving God thanks I was overwhelmed by His goodness, as I thought about the sacrifice of His son on our behalf I was humbled. God has given me more than I deserve.
The more I think about and study what is in the Bible the more I see Jesus paid a debt I can never repay. The more I see of our world, the more I see the weight of the burden He carried on that cross, the more I examine who I was and the path I almost went down, the more aware I am of how much He has done. God has shown us immeasurable mercy, and everyday that we go on is proof of it. I realize a little more each day that He has paid the price I never could and a lifetime of service to Him cannot repay what He has done and continues to do in my life.
Today as I write this post bragging on how good He is and how I can never repay Him He blessed me again, thrice over, and I cannot even begin to understand why. But this is God's way. I am in awe of my God and His goodness to us, though we were yet sinners He sent His son to die for us. Though I hid from Him, He sought me. Though He owes me nothing, He continues to bless me. God is magnificent, and His love for us brings me to tears, and it is His love that drives me to love others.
I know that I can never repay my debt to God, and I am relieved to have yet found anything in the Bible that says we have to, instead God asks us to walk as He did, to love like He does, to abide in Him and form a relationship with Him. God asks not that we repay Him but that we show His love to those around us, giving freely what was given to us. God asks us to trust Him and His plan and to lean on Him in all our weaknesses. God asks that we serve Him and each other with all our hearts in truth and deed, in love and humbleness, and in mercy with grace and forgiveness. None of us can repay the sacrifice that took place on the cross, but we can show our Father gratitude for it by doing as He asked, '15 “If you love me, keep my commands.' (John 14:15). Be blessed in the Lord brothers and sisters, and show love.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life
Acts 3:12-16
12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
The more I think about and study what is in the Bible the more I see Jesus paid a debt I can never repay. The more I see of our world, the more I see the weight of the burden He carried on that cross, the more I examine who I was and the path I almost went down, the more aware I am of how much He has done. God has shown us immeasurable mercy, and everyday that we go on is proof of it. I realize a little more each day that He has paid the price I never could and a lifetime of service to Him cannot repay what He has done and continues to do in my life.
Today as I write this post bragging on how good He is and how I can never repay Him He blessed me again, thrice over, and I cannot even begin to understand why. But this is God's way. I am in awe of my God and His goodness to us, though we were yet sinners He sent His son to die for us. Though I hid from Him, He sought me. Though He owes me nothing, He continues to bless me. God is magnificent, and His love for us brings me to tears, and it is His love that drives me to love others.
I know that I can never repay my debt to God, and I am relieved to have yet found anything in the Bible that says we have to, instead God asks us to walk as He did, to love like He does, to abide in Him and form a relationship with Him. God asks not that we repay Him but that we show His love to those around us, giving freely what was given to us. God asks us to trust Him and His plan and to lean on Him in all our weaknesses. God asks that we serve Him and each other with all our hearts in truth and deed, in love and humbleness, and in mercy with grace and forgiveness. None of us can repay the sacrifice that took place on the cross, but we can show our Father gratitude for it by doing as He asked, '15 “If you love me, keep my commands.' (John 14:15). Be blessed in the Lord brothers and sisters, and show love.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life
Acts 3:12-16
12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
God Hears Our Prayers to Sow
This morning I am thinking about how God is faithful to answer our prayers when we are faithful to Him. I am thinking about how important it is to keep the faith and to keep speaking faith even when you don't see the things and changes you think you should, how the breakthrough comes when everything seems to be getting worse. These are things that I am seeing to be true all the time, more and more as I seek Him more and more. Am I saying I have everything I pray for, no. But I am saying that I see how God moves in my life, how little by little He is moving us closer to the fulfillment of the promises He made to us, especially in one area in particular for me of late.
Ever since I wrote the post "Neglected Call" a while back I have been praying for opportunity to share with my family, to plant seeds in their hearts for our Lord. I know my family well enough to know that to push it on them would only push them away, so I have been praying for things to happen so that they seek Him, that they'll have things happen that cause them to ask questions. And God is faithful. I shared with you recently the testimony of my brother seeing something amazing in the heavens and how he came to me with his questions and I was able to counsel him to seek the Lord, but my brother isn't the only person who has had their curiosity peeked by the Lord lately.
There's been someone else in my life who I have been praying for and though I didn't know it they have been watching me and testing my responses. They had fallen away from faith during a struggle, not giving up believing that there is a God or that Jesus is His son who died and rose for us, but they stopped seeking the Lord, stopped spending time with Him, feeling it was better to stop seeking so they'd stop being attacked. But recently I have noticed an increase in interest of the Lord again. They are coming to me asking questions, seeking prayer, praying with me, and a few times now I've seen them watching sermons on TV. I've noticed subtle changes in their attitude and how some things that they used to like and defend they are now saying "I can't believe I let that in my life for so long."
Honestly, when they first started asking questions it felt like they were really just trying to make me stumble or cause doubt in my own mind, but it back fired on them as I had been praying for the opportunity to share the word with them, and turn them back to our Father. As they asked questions, the Lord provided answers, sometimes days in advance for what would be asked by this person. Each question poised to make me doubt only showed them the trust I had in God, and through that situation I was able to share with them how God moves which has caused them to reflect. I have shared with this person my shortcomings and how I am learning to give everything to God, all of which this person watched to see if it was true. And now, after time patience, and a struggle that made me wonder if I should even bother anymore, this person is now frequently coming to me with revelations of things that need to change in their life as they rebuild, and build on what they tried to walk away from. Now, they are beginning to see they needed God all along, and that life was more complete with Him.
I shared this today as reminder that God is faithful. He is answering my prayers for the salvation of my family and giving me the opportunities that I prayed for to throw out seeds, and God can do it for you too. He is changing me everyday, and those that I pray for He is turning to Him, and He can do the same for you. Sometimes it'll look like nothing is happening, that the prayers are falling on deaf ears but our God hears us when we pray. I am watching, praising, and continuing to pray as I am seeing how the Lord is slowly changing the hearts and minds around me, one event after another in their life causing them to search, reflect, and change. One day at a time, and this is not something special to me but something that can happen in the life of other believers too. Our God is faithful, of that I He has made me certain.
Psalm 37:4-5
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.
John 15:7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Ever since I wrote the post "Neglected Call" a while back I have been praying for opportunity to share with my family, to plant seeds in their hearts for our Lord. I know my family well enough to know that to push it on them would only push them away, so I have been praying for things to happen so that they seek Him, that they'll have things happen that cause them to ask questions. And God is faithful. I shared with you recently the testimony of my brother seeing something amazing in the heavens and how he came to me with his questions and I was able to counsel him to seek the Lord, but my brother isn't the only person who has had their curiosity peeked by the Lord lately.
There's been someone else in my life who I have been praying for and though I didn't know it they have been watching me and testing my responses. They had fallen away from faith during a struggle, not giving up believing that there is a God or that Jesus is His son who died and rose for us, but they stopped seeking the Lord, stopped spending time with Him, feeling it was better to stop seeking so they'd stop being attacked. But recently I have noticed an increase in interest of the Lord again. They are coming to me asking questions, seeking prayer, praying with me, and a few times now I've seen them watching sermons on TV. I've noticed subtle changes in their attitude and how some things that they used to like and defend they are now saying "I can't believe I let that in my life for so long."
Honestly, when they first started asking questions it felt like they were really just trying to make me stumble or cause doubt in my own mind, but it back fired on them as I had been praying for the opportunity to share the word with them, and turn them back to our Father. As they asked questions, the Lord provided answers, sometimes days in advance for what would be asked by this person. Each question poised to make me doubt only showed them the trust I had in God, and through that situation I was able to share with them how God moves which has caused them to reflect. I have shared with this person my shortcomings and how I am learning to give everything to God, all of which this person watched to see if it was true. And now, after time patience, and a struggle that made me wonder if I should even bother anymore, this person is now frequently coming to me with revelations of things that need to change in their life as they rebuild, and build on what they tried to walk away from. Now, they are beginning to see they needed God all along, and that life was more complete with Him.
I shared this today as reminder that God is faithful. He is answering my prayers for the salvation of my family and giving me the opportunities that I prayed for to throw out seeds, and God can do it for you too. He is changing me everyday, and those that I pray for He is turning to Him, and He can do the same for you. Sometimes it'll look like nothing is happening, that the prayers are falling on deaf ears but our God hears us when we pray. I am watching, praising, and continuing to pray as I am seeing how the Lord is slowly changing the hearts and minds around me, one event after another in their life causing them to search, reflect, and change. One day at a time, and this is not something special to me but something that can happen in the life of other believers too. Our God is faithful, of that I He has made me certain.
Psalm 37:4-5
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.
John 15:7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Love is an Action Word
When I was a little girl in elementary school I remember them teaching us about grammar, you know, nouns, pronouns, verbs, and all that sort of thing and what I remember most about that is verbs were described as actions words, things you do like walk or run. Typically when we think of 'love' we think about it as a noun, its dictionary definition being 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person or 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. And that certainly is love, that is love in its most recognizable form, but love is also a verb, and love is also a pronoun. No, I am not giving a grammar lesson today, I promise, but I do want to talk about how love is a pronoun, and also a verb.
So the title of my post is 'Love is an Action Word' obviously referring to how love is a verb. And the dictionary does have some definitions of love as a verb, but its not the kind of love I'm talking about. Most of the dictionary definitions for love as a verb are about physical love, like making love and embracing. However, what I'm talking about are those large and small actions that show love to others, like helping the girl in the hallway at school who is being bullied, or putting the groceries in the car for an older man or woman who you see struggling, that is love, the love we were called by Christ to give. In John 13:34-35 Jesus tells us "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And what kind of love did He show us? Sacrificial love, the kind of love that puts God first, others second and ourselves last. The kind of love that fulfilled His words found at John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Love is an action word because it is what we are to do for people, we are to love them whenever we have the opportunity too, not by words, or touch necessarily, but by our actions. By being the hand that helps them up, and shows them that someone cares when everyone else is too wrapped up in themselves.
Love is also a pronoun, the personage of Jesus Christ. God is Himself Love, and we cannot truly love without Yeshua in us(1 John 4:8); which is something I have come to realize is very true. Before I knew Jesus it was hard to love people without expecting something in return, even if I did tell them I didn't want anything. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but before Love took me over even my 'charitable' deeds had ulterior motives, like wanting to look good or getting something in return in the future. There was even a time before I surrendered where my service to the Lord was motivated by what He could or would give me, and not for the love of Him and His creations. Accepting the forgiveness Jesus had for me changed that, though. Now I love because Love is inside of me and its becoming as natural as breathing to care for others, not just sympathize with them but care so much you actually try to do what you can for them, even if it's just hunting down helpful information.
Love is a pronoun that moves you to action, moves you to express Him. When you honestly have Yeshua in your heart you know it because He overflows from the depths of your heart and into your deeds. He is the driving force in your life taking you one small step closer at a time into His Father's house. He is what causes you to act, to love, to give and to be a servant to others because He cannot be contained within you. Love is an action word because Love is in all the actions we take when we abide in Him. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.(1 Corinthains 13:4-8) Be blessed and show them the love of our Mighty Mighty God, today and always.
Joshua 22:5
Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
1 Thessalonians 4:9
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another
1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
So the title of my post is 'Love is an Action Word' obviously referring to how love is a verb. And the dictionary does have some definitions of love as a verb, but its not the kind of love I'm talking about. Most of the dictionary definitions for love as a verb are about physical love, like making love and embracing. However, what I'm talking about are those large and small actions that show love to others, like helping the girl in the hallway at school who is being bullied, or putting the groceries in the car for an older man or woman who you see struggling, that is love, the love we were called by Christ to give. In John 13:34-35 Jesus tells us "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And what kind of love did He show us? Sacrificial love, the kind of love that puts God first, others second and ourselves last. The kind of love that fulfilled His words found at John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Love is an action word because it is what we are to do for people, we are to love them whenever we have the opportunity too, not by words, or touch necessarily, but by our actions. By being the hand that helps them up, and shows them that someone cares when everyone else is too wrapped up in themselves.
Love is also a pronoun, the personage of Jesus Christ. God is Himself Love, and we cannot truly love without Yeshua in us(1 John 4:8); which is something I have come to realize is very true. Before I knew Jesus it was hard to love people without expecting something in return, even if I did tell them I didn't want anything. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but before Love took me over even my 'charitable' deeds had ulterior motives, like wanting to look good or getting something in return in the future. There was even a time before I surrendered where my service to the Lord was motivated by what He could or would give me, and not for the love of Him and His creations. Accepting the forgiveness Jesus had for me changed that, though. Now I love because Love is inside of me and its becoming as natural as breathing to care for others, not just sympathize with them but care so much you actually try to do what you can for them, even if it's just hunting down helpful information.
Love is a pronoun that moves you to action, moves you to express Him. When you honestly have Yeshua in your heart you know it because He overflows from the depths of your heart and into your deeds. He is the driving force in your life taking you one small step closer at a time into His Father's house. He is what causes you to act, to love, to give and to be a servant to others because He cannot be contained within you. Love is an action word because Love is in all the actions we take when we abide in Him. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.(1 Corinthains 13:4-8) Be blessed and show them the love of our Mighty Mighty God, today and always.
Joshua 22:5
Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
1 Thessalonians 4:9
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another
1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Pride and Unforgivenness
It hasn't happened in a while which I was grateful for but something happened yesterday that upset both my husband and myself, but it's happened afterwards that I really want to share. A man in one of the Christian communities I belong to here on google approached me on one of my post with "hey sexy how are you?" this part actually happens often so I wasn't at first upset at this; I just thanked him for his compliment and told him I was married. This is my typical response to this kind of thing and usually it is enough that they either apologize and we can have occasional public conversations about Christ after this, or they disappear completely. Yesterday this was not the case.
After my first interaction with this person I went to their page and looked at some of their post. They had quite a few post that you would expect on a Christian's page, like bible verse and post meant to encourage us in times of trouble. After seeing that I figured he would probably be one of the ones that apologized and respected my marriage. Instead though, he responded by trying to entice me, saying that it was okay for me to do something wrong once or twice in my life. I was shocked at this response from someone who appeared to be a Christian! I quickly responded to him that what he was trying wasn't working and blocked him. What I didn't know was that my husband had seen what this man said to me. I had left my phone at home yesterday by accident and the messages I was getting from this man popped up while my husband was home on break. Poor Nick could see nothing I said and only this man's approach to me. Nick then spent the rest of his evening at work worrying about this guy bothering me, wondering what else he may have said. My husband trusted me to handle it though, and resisted the temptation to log into my phone and give that guy a 'talking to,' though to be honest I probably wouldn't have been upset at him if he had.
The situation felt resolved as far as I am concerned, my husband and I talked about what happened, and he seemed relieved when I brought it up before he did and I informed him of what all was said on my part. But ever since yesterday I have had a few verses that seem to be replaying in my mind, one is a line scripture that says 'A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.' Proverbs 29:5, the second is 1 John 3:4 'Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.' And the last one is found in Matthew, in the passage Jesus is speaking of the children there with Him, but I have always felt that it applied more broadly, to us as the children of His Father, it says ' 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.' (Matthew 18:6) At first these thoughts, these scriptures that played in mind felt like they were condemning this man, that he was revealed as a wolf in sheep's clothing. And maybe that is still true, maybe he was a wolf, but I can't really say.
Then something else happened yesterday after this and it has had a big effect on my heart. When I got home after work and did some chores around the house I sat down to watch a movie while I folded laundry. It was a Christian film I had never seen before called "The Father's Love" in it a woman is lead into an adulterous affair with a man who she had believed to be single and to be her "Mr. Right." During the movie she comes to the Lord and tries to break off the relationship, but gives into sin again. Eventually though, she does succeed in breaking it off, and moving forward in her relationship with the Lord and healing. The thing that has really been effecting me about the movie is that this woman choose to forgive the man who enticed her. All those same verses that I was thinking of and using to look down my nose at this guy because he had try to temp me and it mad me could be applied to the man who did lead her astray, and she forgave him. I looked into my heart and was ashamed.
When I heard the sermon in the movie about forgiveness, and I saw the woman's choice to forgive I cried. It didn't hit me right away why I was crying, at first I thought it was because it was just such a beautiful story, such a beautiful lesson! But as I thought more about this I came to realize that I was crying because there was not forgiveness in my heart for this man who tried to entice me. Instead pride had risen up in my heart and I wrote him off as a creep, judging him without knowing him and I considered him condemned from the verses that played in my mind. It was an awful thought and I'm sorry that I had it. I know without a doubt what he did was wrong, it wasn't behavior that a Christian man should do, but I cannot condemn him either, I have dirt on my hands too. Right now I am seeking our Father to help me forgive and to release me from the pride that was in my heart, to help me to not judge and condemn others, but to instead pray for them. I'm far from perfect, and this incident has reminded me how well we can be blinded from our sin, making me feel the need of my Savior that much more. I hope somehow this touched or encouraged someone, that it makes people think twice before looking down on someone else, even if what they are doing is wrong. Be blessed.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Psalm 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Galatians 6:3
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
After my first interaction with this person I went to their page and looked at some of their post. They had quite a few post that you would expect on a Christian's page, like bible verse and post meant to encourage us in times of trouble. After seeing that I figured he would probably be one of the ones that apologized and respected my marriage. Instead though, he responded by trying to entice me, saying that it was okay for me to do something wrong once or twice in my life. I was shocked at this response from someone who appeared to be a Christian! I quickly responded to him that what he was trying wasn't working and blocked him. What I didn't know was that my husband had seen what this man said to me. I had left my phone at home yesterday by accident and the messages I was getting from this man popped up while my husband was home on break. Poor Nick could see nothing I said and only this man's approach to me. Nick then spent the rest of his evening at work worrying about this guy bothering me, wondering what else he may have said. My husband trusted me to handle it though, and resisted the temptation to log into my phone and give that guy a 'talking to,' though to be honest I probably wouldn't have been upset at him if he had.
The situation felt resolved as far as I am concerned, my husband and I talked about what happened, and he seemed relieved when I brought it up before he did and I informed him of what all was said on my part. But ever since yesterday I have had a few verses that seem to be replaying in my mind, one is a line scripture that says 'A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.' Proverbs 29:5, the second is 1 John 3:4 'Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.' And the last one is found in Matthew, in the passage Jesus is speaking of the children there with Him, but I have always felt that it applied more broadly, to us as the children of His Father, it says ' 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.' (Matthew 18:6) At first these thoughts, these scriptures that played in mind felt like they were condemning this man, that he was revealed as a wolf in sheep's clothing. And maybe that is still true, maybe he was a wolf, but I can't really say.
Then something else happened yesterday after this and it has had a big effect on my heart. When I got home after work and did some chores around the house I sat down to watch a movie while I folded laundry. It was a Christian film I had never seen before called "The Father's Love" in it a woman is lead into an adulterous affair with a man who she had believed to be single and to be her "Mr. Right." During the movie she comes to the Lord and tries to break off the relationship, but gives into sin again. Eventually though, she does succeed in breaking it off, and moving forward in her relationship with the Lord and healing. The thing that has really been effecting me about the movie is that this woman choose to forgive the man who enticed her. All those same verses that I was thinking of and using to look down my nose at this guy because he had try to temp me and it mad me could be applied to the man who did lead her astray, and she forgave him. I looked into my heart and was ashamed.
When I heard the sermon in the movie about forgiveness, and I saw the woman's choice to forgive I cried. It didn't hit me right away why I was crying, at first I thought it was because it was just such a beautiful story, such a beautiful lesson! But as I thought more about this I came to realize that I was crying because there was not forgiveness in my heart for this man who tried to entice me. Instead pride had risen up in my heart and I wrote him off as a creep, judging him without knowing him and I considered him condemned from the verses that played in my mind. It was an awful thought and I'm sorry that I had it. I know without a doubt what he did was wrong, it wasn't behavior that a Christian man should do, but I cannot condemn him either, I have dirt on my hands too. Right now I am seeking our Father to help me forgive and to release me from the pride that was in my heart, to help me to not judge and condemn others, but to instead pray for them. I'm far from perfect, and this incident has reminded me how well we can be blinded from our sin, making me feel the need of my Savior that much more. I hope somehow this touched or encouraged someone, that it makes people think twice before looking down on someone else, even if what they are doing is wrong. Be blessed.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Psalm 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Galatians 6:3
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
A Surprising Converstaion
Sometimes we get unexpected opportunities to minister to people we care about, chances to point them to God when we weren't expecting it, sometimes it's an opportunity we prayed for and other times it's God just giving us a chance to do it. Literally, one of those moments just happened to me now and came about in the course of a surprising conversation with my brother. I know I don't talk about him as often as my sister and it may come as surprise to some that I have another a sibling, but this is because frankly I'm closer to my sister, we spend more time together and get along better. My brother and I fought constantly as children, sometimes just verbally, but being honest it often became physical leaving us both with our fair share of cuts and bruises. So it is not often now that we talk, I think really he and my husband speak more often. But something happened last night that shook him up and he needed to talk to someone who could help him understand, someone who would believe him and not look down on him, so he came to me.
What happened was something that seemed supernatural, something that there was at least four other witnesses too. I know some will believe what happened when I write it out, but others won't, and that's fine; not everyone can accept these kinds of things and I'm not trying to make them accept them, I'm just sharing with you what my brother shared with me and the conversation that followed. First though I must give you a little back story. Living outside of Pittsburgh obviously we have rivers in our area, and in the summer time, especially over the holiday weekend like the 4th of July, people enjoy boating and swimming in the rivers. This is a lot of fun, it's something that I did growing up, but it can be dangerous too, you really have to be aware when you are swimming in the river especially after getting a lot of rain like we have recently because all this rainy weather can cause the currents in the river to speed up. On the surface the water can appear calm and to be moving at a normal pace, but the under currents can and have taken many lives, including the life of a friend of my brother's on July 1st of this year.
My brother, being the kind, compassionate man he is, has been going out everyday since the young man was pulled under by one of these strong under currents and searching for the body along the banks of the rivers. It was during one of these searches that the event that left my brother questioning things happened. It was evening and getting pretty dark according to my brother, he and four others were in his group when suddenly something strange happened in the sky. They all saw a bright light open up in a beam coming down from the sky, he said it was a light brighter than anything he had before seen. From in that beam of light a cloud descended, and in it, he and one other out of the four that were with him saw the image of his deceased friend before the light and the cloud both vanished just as suddenly as they appeared. I asked my brother why the other three had not seen his friend in the cloud, and he said he thinks it was because of where they were standing, but that they had also seen the light and one had taken video of the event.
Then he asked me the question that he had been waiting to ask as he explained the situation, he said 'Sis, do you think this was God? Was it a sign that ***** is in heaven?' I know he wanted me to say yes, and there are probably lots of people reading this who would have, heck there was a time when I would have but that isn't who I am anymore. I didn't tell him yes it was God because I don't know that, I don't know that this was from God, and I wasn't going to lie to my brother just to make him feel better. What I did do though, was explain to him that he needed to pray and ask God. That he needed to talk to God and spend time with Him. I explained to my brother that just because something looks like it is from God, doesn't make it so. I shared with him that the devil will fool people with false signs to distract and mislead. I told my brother that only one knew the truth and could reveal it to him.
At first my brother was disappointed that I didn't answer the way he had hoped, but as we spoke more and he understood what I was saying and why, I could hear in his voice that he had cheered up. He understood that my only thoughts and motivation in my response was that he not be deceived, and because of that he not only accepted my answer but said he would follow through with it and pray about what he had seen. He also said that he was going to ask the people who were there with him to do the same and share what I had told him with them as well. I was really happy about this, and glad that my brother came to me over someone who would have just said what he wanted to hear. Which is something that has been happening more and more lately with him as it seems that he is more often texting and calling me, and always about something faith related.
I wanted to share this story for two reasons today, one that when we pray for opportunities to minister to our family as the Lord had led me to do, He will give you the opportunity, it just may not always come in expected ways. Second, because we must remember that the enemy roams around like a lion looking for those he can devour, and that he will disguise himself as the light to accomplish those goals. That's why we must be on guard, we must take EVERYTHING to the Lord in prayer and leave the devil no room to deceive us. Stay in the Spirit, stay in the Word, and come to know the Truth, the Life, and Love of our Lord, because He will reveal all truth to us. Be blessed and be vigilant, in Jesus name.
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Ephesians 6:10-18
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
What happened was something that seemed supernatural, something that there was at least four other witnesses too. I know some will believe what happened when I write it out, but others won't, and that's fine; not everyone can accept these kinds of things and I'm not trying to make them accept them, I'm just sharing with you what my brother shared with me and the conversation that followed. First though I must give you a little back story. Living outside of Pittsburgh obviously we have rivers in our area, and in the summer time, especially over the holiday weekend like the 4th of July, people enjoy boating and swimming in the rivers. This is a lot of fun, it's something that I did growing up, but it can be dangerous too, you really have to be aware when you are swimming in the river especially after getting a lot of rain like we have recently because all this rainy weather can cause the currents in the river to speed up. On the surface the water can appear calm and to be moving at a normal pace, but the under currents can and have taken many lives, including the life of a friend of my brother's on July 1st of this year.
My brother, being the kind, compassionate man he is, has been going out everyday since the young man was pulled under by one of these strong under currents and searching for the body along the banks of the rivers. It was during one of these searches that the event that left my brother questioning things happened. It was evening and getting pretty dark according to my brother, he and four others were in his group when suddenly something strange happened in the sky. They all saw a bright light open up in a beam coming down from the sky, he said it was a light brighter than anything he had before seen. From in that beam of light a cloud descended, and in it, he and one other out of the four that were with him saw the image of his deceased friend before the light and the cloud both vanished just as suddenly as they appeared. I asked my brother why the other three had not seen his friend in the cloud, and he said he thinks it was because of where they were standing, but that they had also seen the light and one had taken video of the event.
Then he asked me the question that he had been waiting to ask as he explained the situation, he said 'Sis, do you think this was God? Was it a sign that ***** is in heaven?' I know he wanted me to say yes, and there are probably lots of people reading this who would have, heck there was a time when I would have but that isn't who I am anymore. I didn't tell him yes it was God because I don't know that, I don't know that this was from God, and I wasn't going to lie to my brother just to make him feel better. What I did do though, was explain to him that he needed to pray and ask God. That he needed to talk to God and spend time with Him. I explained to my brother that just because something looks like it is from God, doesn't make it so. I shared with him that the devil will fool people with false signs to distract and mislead. I told my brother that only one knew the truth and could reveal it to him.
At first my brother was disappointed that I didn't answer the way he had hoped, but as we spoke more and he understood what I was saying and why, I could hear in his voice that he had cheered up. He understood that my only thoughts and motivation in my response was that he not be deceived, and because of that he not only accepted my answer but said he would follow through with it and pray about what he had seen. He also said that he was going to ask the people who were there with him to do the same and share what I had told him with them as well. I was really happy about this, and glad that my brother came to me over someone who would have just said what he wanted to hear. Which is something that has been happening more and more lately with him as it seems that he is more often texting and calling me, and always about something faith related.
I wanted to share this story for two reasons today, one that when we pray for opportunities to minister to our family as the Lord had led me to do, He will give you the opportunity, it just may not always come in expected ways. Second, because we must remember that the enemy roams around like a lion looking for those he can devour, and that he will disguise himself as the light to accomplish those goals. That's why we must be on guard, we must take EVERYTHING to the Lord in prayer and leave the devil no room to deceive us. Stay in the Spirit, stay in the Word, and come to know the Truth, the Life, and Love of our Lord, because He will reveal all truth to us. Be blessed and be vigilant, in Jesus name.
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
The Mood Changer
Anyone who has ever cared for a child, or more than one knows that there are good days and there are bad days. Sometimes it's bad because of you and your attitude, and sometimes it's the children and their attitudes. Today, it was combination of both, leading to a very long stressful morning with more than a few tears. At first I was honestly pretty patient but after a while I started to get sharp and blamed the children for my being that way in my heart when I would raise my voice. They were fighting non-stop over every little thing, throwing tantrums when told no, getting into mischief, hitting, and biting each other as well as me. I care for toddlers so some of this is expected everyday and typically I can easily redirect their attention and keep the peace, but that was not the case this morning, and after two and half hours of struggling with the behaviors I started to lose my cool.
My patients wore thin and soon I wanted to cry with them. I was raising my voice more often now and even growling and grumbling to myself under my breathe after removing them from a bad situation to a new one. I started to count down the minutes until lunch and naptime, a time where I knew I would find peace, a time where I could listen to the word on an audio bible while cleaning or to a sermon. I started focusing on that moment pressing to it, checking the time often between battles, and seeing that it barely changed, and my mood sank lower.
Then a thought came into my mind, "is this how I love you?" I stopped and thought about this more. Was God's goodness and patience toward us dependent on our moods or His? Does He appreciate us only when we listen? He may be happier when we obey, but His love is unconditional, something that my love today was not. Not that I really withheld love or affection from them, but that my response to their misdeeds today had become unloving. Instead of gently redirecting one or both if they started fighting, I was frustrated and raising my voice when I separated them. Instead of just ignoring their tantrums and focusing on the other until they calmed down, I found myself thinking 'I can't wait until nap so I don't have to deal with them anymore.' At every opportunity this morning my flesh rose up and I blindly followed it down the wrong road with my tone of voice and thoughts.
But that simple question turned me around, I looked at myself and my actions this morning and I started to feel repentant. I made a greater effort after this to be aware of my responses and think them through before reacting and did much better. Then as soon as I finished putting them to bed I prayed. I asked for forgiveness, and thanked God for it. I asked Him to help me be someone to influence these children for Him, and always show them His love in all that I do in caring for them. I asked Him that they too would be in better moods after nap and that the rest of the day would be better. But even if it isn't better, even if they aren't better I know I will handle things better, and that will make the afternoon go smoother in itself. I know I am not perfect, and today was a good example of how imperfect I am, but it was also a reminder that our Lord does not leave us alone to battle the flesh, that the Holy Spirit is there to correct us and led us on the path of righteousness, and that our God is good in the small and the large. Be blessed.
John 3:5-8
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 16:13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
My patients wore thin and soon I wanted to cry with them. I was raising my voice more often now and even growling and grumbling to myself under my breathe after removing them from a bad situation to a new one. I started to count down the minutes until lunch and naptime, a time where I knew I would find peace, a time where I could listen to the word on an audio bible while cleaning or to a sermon. I started focusing on that moment pressing to it, checking the time often between battles, and seeing that it barely changed, and my mood sank lower.
Then a thought came into my mind, "is this how I love you?" I stopped and thought about this more. Was God's goodness and patience toward us dependent on our moods or His? Does He appreciate us only when we listen? He may be happier when we obey, but His love is unconditional, something that my love today was not. Not that I really withheld love or affection from them, but that my response to their misdeeds today had become unloving. Instead of gently redirecting one or both if they started fighting, I was frustrated and raising my voice when I separated them. Instead of just ignoring their tantrums and focusing on the other until they calmed down, I found myself thinking 'I can't wait until nap so I don't have to deal with them anymore.' At every opportunity this morning my flesh rose up and I blindly followed it down the wrong road with my tone of voice and thoughts.
But that simple question turned me around, I looked at myself and my actions this morning and I started to feel repentant. I made a greater effort after this to be aware of my responses and think them through before reacting and did much better. Then as soon as I finished putting them to bed I prayed. I asked for forgiveness, and thanked God for it. I asked Him to help me be someone to influence these children for Him, and always show them His love in all that I do in caring for them. I asked Him that they too would be in better moods after nap and that the rest of the day would be better. But even if it isn't better, even if they aren't better I know I will handle things better, and that will make the afternoon go smoother in itself. I know I am not perfect, and today was a good example of how imperfect I am, but it was also a reminder that our Lord does not leave us alone to battle the flesh, that the Holy Spirit is there to correct us and led us on the path of righteousness, and that our God is good in the small and the large. Be blessed.
John 3:5-8
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 16:13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Think About It
This morning something I read not long ago was sitting on my mind and heart, it was written by someone who called into question whether Jesus was resurrected or not. The article or blog post that this person wrote talked about their belief that the apostles made up the resurrection. This person believed that it was an elaborate story made up so that it would validate that Yeshua was the promised Messiah. This person stated that they believe that Jesus's body was stolen by the apostles, and that they themselves spread the lie of the resurrection of Yeshua to spread their faith more. I can't blame this person for their doubts of the authenticity of the claims, we weren't there and we have never really seen that kind of miracle today, so doubting it is natural. Even so I had to question this persons logic. Think about this, would you die for something you made up? Would you honestly risk your life, risk getting tortured and beaten for something you knew was a lie? Does that even make sense? Wouldn't you have confessed at some point when you were being tortured by the Romans to make it stop if you were lying? And what about the people who claimed to have seen Jesus after He died? This person's theory mentioned nothing of those people.
Just thinking about the question rationally, they had to be convinced, they had to believe and know that what they said and taught was truth or else they would not have stayed the course. If it was simply a lie, what would possess them to perpetrate it under persecution? If it was a lie why not say so and stop the torture? Why not spare yourself and denounce Jesus and the resurrection if it were false? From my understanding those early Christians killed by Rome had the chance, they were asked to renounce Jesus as the Christ but did not. That kind of conviction, that kind of staunch belief in the face of death can only come from knowing that you are right. People just don't risk their lives for things they don't believe in or know are untrue. They had to really believe what they said or it simply doesn't make sense that they would endure what they did.
And what kind of things did they endure? Let me share with you now some of the ways the early disciples died, and I want you think about this question as you read this, would you endure this if it were a lie you made up? Simon, called Peter by our Lord, was crucified as well and at his request it was done upside because he didn't feel worthy to die in the same manner as the Lord. James the son of Zebedee was killed by Herod Agrippa about 11 years after Christ died and rose, and it is believed he was beheaded. Andrew was crucified in Patrae in Achaia or Greece and was crucified on a 'x' shaped cross. Matthew was supposedly killed in Ethiopia by spears, being impaled and later beheaded. Thomas is supposed to have been lanced in either Persia or India, dying from the wound. James Alpheus was said to have been thrown from the wall of the temple, stoned, and then had his brains bashed out. And Stephen was stoned death which we can read about in the Bible located in Acts 7:59-60(if you want to read the full story and not just the final lines about his death start reading in Acts 6). These are just a few of the early disciples, whose followers too were tortured and killed by Rome and the authorities in the countries they preached too. While I am talking of their deaths though you must remember that not only did they meet gruesome deaths, but they were imprisoned and tortured in many of the places they preached, sometimes for long periods of time.
Knowing all that I cannot believe that these men and women too, though I did not mention any of the early women of the church in this post, would have died, would have suffered what they did without absolute conviction. I can't believe that they would have knowingly died to perpetrate a lie. It simply doesn't make sense. It's irrational to think that when you look at what they went through knowing they could have stopped it just by denouncing Jesus, that they could have gone back to their ordinary lives and lived out their days in relative peace. When I think about the resurrection being an elaborate hoax by the disciples, it just doesn't add up. It doesn't account for the lengths they went to spread the gospel or what they endured while doing it, it doesn't account for those that saw Jesus after He rose again.
I shared this today hoping to get you thinking about the early Church, what they risked, what they suffered and the argument of resurrection being a hoax, does it add up to you? Or for you like myself, did the thoughts of their conviction of faith, thoughts of how sure they had to be of the truth of Jesus Christ strengthen your walk and the convictions of your faith? Be blessed today and always.
Acts 20:24
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Links to pages about deaths of apostles and persecution of early church:
http://amazingbibletimeline.com/bible_questions/q6_apostles_die/
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-did-the-12-apostles-die-a-bible-study/
http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/early-christian-persecution-faq.htm
Just thinking about the question rationally, they had to be convinced, they had to believe and know that what they said and taught was truth or else they would not have stayed the course. If it was simply a lie, what would possess them to perpetrate it under persecution? If it was a lie why not say so and stop the torture? Why not spare yourself and denounce Jesus and the resurrection if it were false? From my understanding those early Christians killed by Rome had the chance, they were asked to renounce Jesus as the Christ but did not. That kind of conviction, that kind of staunch belief in the face of death can only come from knowing that you are right. People just don't risk their lives for things they don't believe in or know are untrue. They had to really believe what they said or it simply doesn't make sense that they would endure what they did.
And what kind of things did they endure? Let me share with you now some of the ways the early disciples died, and I want you think about this question as you read this, would you endure this if it were a lie you made up? Simon, called Peter by our Lord, was crucified as well and at his request it was done upside because he didn't feel worthy to die in the same manner as the Lord. James the son of Zebedee was killed by Herod Agrippa about 11 years after Christ died and rose, and it is believed he was beheaded. Andrew was crucified in Patrae in Achaia or Greece and was crucified on a 'x' shaped cross. Matthew was supposedly killed in Ethiopia by spears, being impaled and later beheaded. Thomas is supposed to have been lanced in either Persia or India, dying from the wound. James Alpheus was said to have been thrown from the wall of the temple, stoned, and then had his brains bashed out. And Stephen was stoned death which we can read about in the Bible located in Acts 7:59-60(if you want to read the full story and not just the final lines about his death start reading in Acts 6). These are just a few of the early disciples, whose followers too were tortured and killed by Rome and the authorities in the countries they preached too. While I am talking of their deaths though you must remember that not only did they meet gruesome deaths, but they were imprisoned and tortured in many of the places they preached, sometimes for long periods of time.
Knowing all that I cannot believe that these men and women too, though I did not mention any of the early women of the church in this post, would have died, would have suffered what they did without absolute conviction. I can't believe that they would have knowingly died to perpetrate a lie. It simply doesn't make sense. It's irrational to think that when you look at what they went through knowing they could have stopped it just by denouncing Jesus, that they could have gone back to their ordinary lives and lived out their days in relative peace. When I think about the resurrection being an elaborate hoax by the disciples, it just doesn't add up. It doesn't account for the lengths they went to spread the gospel or what they endured while doing it, it doesn't account for those that saw Jesus after He rose again.
I shared this today hoping to get you thinking about the early Church, what they risked, what they suffered and the argument of resurrection being a hoax, does it add up to you? Or for you like myself, did the thoughts of their conviction of faith, thoughts of how sure they had to be of the truth of Jesus Christ strengthen your walk and the convictions of your faith? Be blessed today and always.
Acts 20:24
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Links to pages about deaths of apostles and persecution of early church:
http://amazingbibletimeline.com/bible_questions/q6_apostles_die/
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-did-the-12-apostles-die-a-bible-study/
http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/early-christian-persecution-faq.htm
Friday, July 3, 2015
Amazing Grace
This morning I thought of two things as I sat here praying for inspiration, and really they go hand in hand. As I sat here praying I started to hear the lyrics and music to "Amazing Grace" in my mind and up sprang thoughts of the prodigal son(Luke 15:11-32). Both of these are pretty popular, I could be wrong but I think most people are familiar with both. Most people I am sure have heard that song and can recognize it, mostly because we often hear it at funerals. For a lot of people they associate it with mourning and pain, but really that's not what this song is about, it's really a song of hope after the pain. It's light after the darkness. Much like the story of the prodigal son it reminds us that there is hope for the sinner, that we will be welcomed back with open arms.
The writer of "Amazing Grace" knew well this lesson having learned it first hand. I have read reports that describe John Newton as surly, insubordinate, and down right mean, I have read that he was a heavy drinker as well, which if true wouldn't surprise me, from my own experience drinking too much and being surly and mean go together. He was a member of the British Royal Navy, something he had been forced into and later after leaving the service he entered the Atlantic slave trade. It was when he was working in the slave trade that John Newton began to change. During a terrible storm off the coast of Ireland he called out to God to rescue him, and God did. When he came home he wrote the first verse of "Amazing Grace" and in 1764 was ordained by the Church of England, having made a dramatic turn around. John Newton had experienced something in that ocean that changed him, something the caused him to write "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me....I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see." he had returned home and was found by the Father in his moment of distress.
When I sing "Amazing Grace" knowing my own story, and the stories of many others I know, I see it as singing the story of the prodigal son. Blinded by pride and a "I can do it without you" attitude we wander through life trying to do things on our own but nothing ever works out quite right. Until we finally fall, until we are in a place where we have no other choice but to go to our Father or be completely left to waste by our own pride. In that moment of broken surrender of asking for forgiveness, our repentant plea of "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I need you, please just get me out of this and I will serve you!" goes up to our Creator as our blinders fall off and we see ourselves clearly. We finally see we needed Him all along, and grace feels our hearts!
Amazing grace is unconditional love. A love willing to suffer and die to set you free from death, free from the burdens that beat you down and make you feel like less. It's a love that says you are worthy not because of anything you do, but because I love you where you are and want the best for you. It's a father's love for his wayward child returning home, accepting and forgiving, celebrating the second chance and forgetting what was wrong. It's Jesus's arms spread wide on the cross saying "Father forgive them for they know not what they do(Luke 23:34)." It's time after time God telling us and reassuring us in His word that we are forgiven giving us the freedom to walk away from our former life and be a new creation in our Lord. Amazing grace is freedom in Yeshua. Be blessed.
Psalm 103:8
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103:13
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him
Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
The writer of "Amazing Grace" knew well this lesson having learned it first hand. I have read reports that describe John Newton as surly, insubordinate, and down right mean, I have read that he was a heavy drinker as well, which if true wouldn't surprise me, from my own experience drinking too much and being surly and mean go together. He was a member of the British Royal Navy, something he had been forced into and later after leaving the service he entered the Atlantic slave trade. It was when he was working in the slave trade that John Newton began to change. During a terrible storm off the coast of Ireland he called out to God to rescue him, and God did. When he came home he wrote the first verse of "Amazing Grace" and in 1764 was ordained by the Church of England, having made a dramatic turn around. John Newton had experienced something in that ocean that changed him, something the caused him to write "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me....I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see." he had returned home and was found by the Father in his moment of distress.
When I sing "Amazing Grace" knowing my own story, and the stories of many others I know, I see it as singing the story of the prodigal son. Blinded by pride and a "I can do it without you" attitude we wander through life trying to do things on our own but nothing ever works out quite right. Until we finally fall, until we are in a place where we have no other choice but to go to our Father or be completely left to waste by our own pride. In that moment of broken surrender of asking for forgiveness, our repentant plea of "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I need you, please just get me out of this and I will serve you!" goes up to our Creator as our blinders fall off and we see ourselves clearly. We finally see we needed Him all along, and grace feels our hearts!
Amazing grace is unconditional love. A love willing to suffer and die to set you free from death, free from the burdens that beat you down and make you feel like less. It's a love that says you are worthy not because of anything you do, but because I love you where you are and want the best for you. It's a father's love for his wayward child returning home, accepting and forgiving, celebrating the second chance and forgetting what was wrong. It's Jesus's arms spread wide on the cross saying "Father forgive them for they know not what they do(Luke 23:34)." It's time after time God telling us and reassuring us in His word that we are forgiven giving us the freedom to walk away from our former life and be a new creation in our Lord. Amazing grace is freedom in Yeshua. Be blessed.
Psalm 103:8
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103:13
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him
Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
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