Psalms 116:1-2; 118:8-9
Sometimes we get caught up in the world enough to forget where our help comes from. We look to the church, a government, security of money, even a specific person to protect, provide or to be our refuge. Granted we do encourage and provide a safe place to land for each other often, but our real refuge is God.
When I read these verses this morning, the very fact that they spoke to me revealed that I once again fell into that trap. Why would we trust in men or princes when our refuge, our help in time of trouble, our life is in the hands of our merciful Lord.
Maybe it is the state of the world now, economy troubles (which are world wide) endless war, or the knowledge that the days will grow darker as we near His return that pulled me off base. At any rate, I fell prey to the lie that we need to worry about our lives, our situation and find a refuge. Instead, we need to of look to the one who hold our future, the one who delights in us and has provided a home for us in His mansion.
I love the Lord, for He heard my voice. He heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Delight
I had an enjoyable week. A very busy week. One of the appointments was with a new friend who was putting together a Bible study on parenting. The course she outlined grabbed my attention. Even though I am a grandmother now, I could see the advantage of the course and hope to be in her class. One of the things that impressed me was the word 'delight'. She said many times parents are so involved in their own agenda and lives they forget to delight in their children. I thought back and remembered I had made the same mistake often. Thus I write to you today to encourage you to take time to delight in your children.
God is our perfect example, the perfect parent. He goes to great length to impress on us how delighted He is with us. By delight, I mean He dances with joy over our existence. Scripture tells us over and over the depth, width and height of His love for us. I have no doubt that if I were to run up to Him, His outstreched arms would scoop me up, His smile and laughter would fill the air and He would receive me unconditionally. Do we extend this to our children?
Do we require our children to jump through hoops beyond their ability to make us feel good, look good and to make up for what we are not, to make up for our shortcomings? Do we try to redo our lives through them and get embarassed because their feelings, attitudes, actions or words do not measure up to our expectations. If they can not feel, think or act out of line in front of us, if they are required to be superkids at home all the time, when do they get to make mistakes and grow up in the confidence of our love for them?
When children have a safe place to land at home, when they believe we delight in them, accept them, believe in them, delight in them, they can face anything in the world. Just as we can face anything in the world because we know God, our parent, is in our corner, accepts us, believes in us and delights in us.
Look at your child's face. Are they depressed, sad, unhappy, fearful, discouraged? Have they quit trying and seem rejected? We are the soft place, the safe place, their cheerleader. They will know if we show delight in our eyes or welcome them in our arms.
Look up 'delight' in the Scriptures and see how many times the Lord delights in us.
God is our perfect example, the perfect parent. He goes to great length to impress on us how delighted He is with us. By delight, I mean He dances with joy over our existence. Scripture tells us over and over the depth, width and height of His love for us. I have no doubt that if I were to run up to Him, His outstreched arms would scoop me up, His smile and laughter would fill the air and He would receive me unconditionally. Do we extend this to our children?
Do we require our children to jump through hoops beyond their ability to make us feel good, look good and to make up for what we are not, to make up for our shortcomings? Do we try to redo our lives through them and get embarassed because their feelings, attitudes, actions or words do not measure up to our expectations. If they can not feel, think or act out of line in front of us, if they are required to be superkids at home all the time, when do they get to make mistakes and grow up in the confidence of our love for them?
When children have a safe place to land at home, when they believe we delight in them, accept them, believe in them, delight in them, they can face anything in the world. Just as we can face anything in the world because we know God, our parent, is in our corner, accepts us, believes in us and delights in us.
Look at your child's face. Are they depressed, sad, unhappy, fearful, discouraged? Have they quit trying and seem rejected? We are the soft place, the safe place, their cheerleader. They will know if we show delight in our eyes or welcome them in our arms.
Look up 'delight' in the Scriptures and see how many times the Lord delights in us.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Oprah
This video is very disturbing not because it is a sign of the times, not because it seeks to destroy the work of the cross, not because it tells me that new age is alive and well or that God is who ever we want Him to be. Why? Because we were warned 2000 years ago, it's recorded in scripture that false christs would arise, that even the elect would be deceived of possible by people who discount the real truth about Christ. The thing that disturbs me the most is that Oprah is world wide, that her message is deceiving, that even christian women question the truth about their faith in Christ and many will follow the deception.
This is it folks. Read scripture and know in whom you believe. Jesus plainly stated I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by way of Me. Jesus is God and claimed to be God. Spread this news. Take the sheep's cloth off the deceiver. See with your own eyes the wolf at the door that others might know the truth.
http://www.carringtonsteele.citymax.com/page/page/5776487.htm
This is it folks. Read scripture and know in whom you believe. Jesus plainly stated I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by way of Me. Jesus is God and claimed to be God. Spread this news. Take the sheep's cloth off the deceiver. See with your own eyes the wolf at the door that others might know the truth.
http://www.carringtonsteele.citymax.com/page/page/5776487.htm
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Dependant
Judges 7; Psalms 146
We struggle to be independent from the day we are born. It feels wrong to be dependant, yet, we are dependant on many things. Most, of which, come from God. The rotation of the earth for gravity, air to breathe, water to drink, food, clothing; in fact we are dependant on God for our very existence. The only Independence we can lay claim to is the use of what He has already supplied. We keep the air clean, drink, prepare and eat food, work and till the land or in today's vernacular we go out and get a job. For if a man will not work he will not eat (Proverbs). The strength and independence we experience in life is in direct response to our source, God. We are created to be strong, till the land, enjoy interdependence with each other and live through troubles and tribulations. For in this life you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (Jesus quote).
So where is the line, the balance, the truth on dependant and independent living. Ask yourself this? Who is doing the work. Who has done the work. How will continue the work. When we take in a breath of air, we breath in (our work). Where did the air come from, the lung, the body, the muscles to breathe(God's work).
Trials and tribulations are a little bit harder to identify, for we feel we are alone and struggle by ourselves. Not so. God says: call on me in a time of trouble and I will deliver you. How? Sometimes he delivers us out. Sometimes He delivers us through. He decides. Either way we are delivered. Where? In Spirit, in heart, in peace, in joy, in every fruit of His spirit, in Him and eventually in body and soul.
The line is this: Acknowledge we can do nothing aside from Christ who lives in us. He is God and without Him life is not worth living. He wants us to acknowledge that every area of our lives belongs to Him, is guided by Him and happens according to His plan. We surrender our all, our strength, might, heart, life, our everything in to his hands. That's dependence.
The story found in Judges is about Gideon. God required him to trim his army down to 300 men for a specific battle. The army was to small at 300 to win, yet, God delivered them. They won the victory. Read why God required them to do this in verse two. It says that they would give themselves the credit if they had more men. This way they knew God did it for them.
You see, we give ourselves the credit for everything that happens, yet,we ask God for miracles. We some how miss the fact that every breath we take is a miracle. That nothing happens unless he first makes it happen. Even the apparent bad things that happen work for the good in, around and through His children. I mean, after all, Eternal life is a big deal and God's goal is to bring us into this Eternal life through Christ, the one whose image we are to bear and whom we are being transformed into daily. The Goal.
Praise God from who all blessings flow, praise Him all peoples here below, praise Him above all heavenly hosts, praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
We struggle to be independent from the day we are born. It feels wrong to be dependant, yet, we are dependant on many things. Most, of which, come from God. The rotation of the earth for gravity, air to breathe, water to drink, food, clothing; in fact we are dependant on God for our very existence. The only Independence we can lay claim to is the use of what He has already supplied. We keep the air clean, drink, prepare and eat food, work and till the land or in today's vernacular we go out and get a job. For if a man will not work he will not eat (Proverbs). The strength and independence we experience in life is in direct response to our source, God. We are created to be strong, till the land, enjoy interdependence with each other and live through troubles and tribulations. For in this life you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (Jesus quote).
So where is the line, the balance, the truth on dependant and independent living. Ask yourself this? Who is doing the work. Who has done the work. How will continue the work. When we take in a breath of air, we breath in (our work). Where did the air come from, the lung, the body, the muscles to breathe(God's work).
Trials and tribulations are a little bit harder to identify, for we feel we are alone and struggle by ourselves. Not so. God says: call on me in a time of trouble and I will deliver you. How? Sometimes he delivers us out. Sometimes He delivers us through. He decides. Either way we are delivered. Where? In Spirit, in heart, in peace, in joy, in every fruit of His spirit, in Him and eventually in body and soul.
The line is this: Acknowledge we can do nothing aside from Christ who lives in us. He is God and without Him life is not worth living. He wants us to acknowledge that every area of our lives belongs to Him, is guided by Him and happens according to His plan. We surrender our all, our strength, might, heart, life, our everything in to his hands. That's dependence.
The story found in Judges is about Gideon. God required him to trim his army down to 300 men for a specific battle. The army was to small at 300 to win, yet, God delivered them. They won the victory. Read why God required them to do this in verse two. It says that they would give themselves the credit if they had more men. This way they knew God did it for them.
You see, we give ourselves the credit for everything that happens, yet,we ask God for miracles. We some how miss the fact that every breath we take is a miracle. That nothing happens unless he first makes it happen. Even the apparent bad things that happen work for the good in, around and through His children. I mean, after all, Eternal life is a big deal and God's goal is to bring us into this Eternal life through Christ, the one whose image we are to bear and whom we are being transformed into daily. The Goal.
Praise God from who all blessings flow, praise Him all peoples here below, praise Him above all heavenly hosts, praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
Friday, March 28, 2008
Listen
John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me.
The scripture also says that God never sleeps. That he watches over us all the time. That we can talk to Him any time and He hears us. That we are to pray continually (Prayer is conversation with God).
All of this tells me that He is communicating His heart on a continual basis daily. That His wisdom, the fruit of His spirit, His voice, in all matters that concern us, is communicated to us every hour of every day. He is with us, intimately with us and available to us every second of our lives.
So why do we feel alone? Why do we not hear His voice? Why do we act, at times, as if we have no God, no one to care and take care of our lives? I believe the answer to these questions are found in us. We are pre-occupied with a noisy world, a world that fills our every thought most of the time. A world that steals life from us. We become too busy to be still and know He is God.
So, today I will take us through a simple exercise. Pick your favorite scripture passage or verse, place it in your heart, and pray, Lord here I am. I want to spend time with you. I call it my date with God. Now, sit in a comfortable chair. Get relaxed, close your eyes, take a deep breath and let go of the world around you. Allow yourself a space of time where you have no where to go, nothing to think about, and nothing to do. Now, let His presence and peace fill your heart.
Just enjoy you date with the Lord and listen to His heart.
The scripture also says that God never sleeps. That he watches over us all the time. That we can talk to Him any time and He hears us. That we are to pray continually (Prayer is conversation with God).
All of this tells me that He is communicating His heart on a continual basis daily. That His wisdom, the fruit of His spirit, His voice, in all matters that concern us, is communicated to us every hour of every day. He is with us, intimately with us and available to us every second of our lives.
So why do we feel alone? Why do we not hear His voice? Why do we act, at times, as if we have no God, no one to care and take care of our lives? I believe the answer to these questions are found in us. We are pre-occupied with a noisy world, a world that fills our every thought most of the time. A world that steals life from us. We become too busy to be still and know He is God.
So, today I will take us through a simple exercise. Pick your favorite scripture passage or verse, place it in your heart, and pray, Lord here I am. I want to spend time with you. I call it my date with God. Now, sit in a comfortable chair. Get relaxed, close your eyes, take a deep breath and let go of the world around you. Allow yourself a space of time where you have no where to go, nothing to think about, and nothing to do. Now, let His presence and peace fill your heart.
Just enjoy you date with the Lord and listen to His heart.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sound mind
2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
For some reason, when I read this verse this time, I thought of all those I've personally known and have seen who did not maintain a sound mind. Not someone who acted silly at a gathering but one who did look as if they had lost their mind. One in particular comes to me. She was unable to get out of bed, not because of a physical condition but because of her mind. A lost expression sat on her face and fear rushed through her eyes in a continual restless cycle. Was fear the culprit?
Then I searched areas in my life where fear lived and found how not only I, but how everyone of us actually look to fear as if we wanted to cultivate fear and integrate it in our daily lives. Movies for instance. Why do we look for a thriller, or an adventure where fear makes our heart race. Fear is the opposite of faith and love, yet, here we go training our minds to live in fear for fun. We even pay to have this take place in our hearts. Sounds unproductive to me. Sounds foolish.
We also encourage fear talk. Each time we tell a story we embellish the fear part to make ourselves look special to the listener. We look to the negatives in life, which are the fears, instead of the positives. We think of the worse case scenarios. Why? Fear takes over unnoticed and we live in fear instead of faith. I ask again, why do we do this as Christians? Do we train our children to do this? I think we might.
Then I compared this to a sound mind. What is as sound mind? It is faith, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness faithfulness and self control. A sound mind believes, trusts, encourages others and seeks the best. A sound mind knows all is well with the soul and finds adventure in a life guided by God, for walking by faith and trusting He knows what He is doing is a definite adventure in faith(which, by the way is not lived in fear.)
I wonder just how many of those people who looked as if they had lost their minds would have been helped by simple scripture readings each day, a time of peace that placed the faith of God in their hearts and minds. I also wonder just how much fear we can allow in our own hearts before we loose our minds. God has not given us a spirit of fear. Why do we allow another spirit in or even entertain the idea.
Thank you God, that you have not given us a spirit of fear, that you maintain us with your spirit of love.
For some reason, when I read this verse this time, I thought of all those I've personally known and have seen who did not maintain a sound mind. Not someone who acted silly at a gathering but one who did look as if they had lost their mind. One in particular comes to me. She was unable to get out of bed, not because of a physical condition but because of her mind. A lost expression sat on her face and fear rushed through her eyes in a continual restless cycle. Was fear the culprit?
Then I searched areas in my life where fear lived and found how not only I, but how everyone of us actually look to fear as if we wanted to cultivate fear and integrate it in our daily lives. Movies for instance. Why do we look for a thriller, or an adventure where fear makes our heart race. Fear is the opposite of faith and love, yet, here we go training our minds to live in fear for fun. We even pay to have this take place in our hearts. Sounds unproductive to me. Sounds foolish.
We also encourage fear talk. Each time we tell a story we embellish the fear part to make ourselves look special to the listener. We look to the negatives in life, which are the fears, instead of the positives. We think of the worse case scenarios. Why? Fear takes over unnoticed and we live in fear instead of faith. I ask again, why do we do this as Christians? Do we train our children to do this? I think we might.
Then I compared this to a sound mind. What is as sound mind? It is faith, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness faithfulness and self control. A sound mind believes, trusts, encourages others and seeks the best. A sound mind knows all is well with the soul and finds adventure in a life guided by God, for walking by faith and trusting He knows what He is doing is a definite adventure in faith(which, by the way is not lived in fear.)
I wonder just how many of those people who looked as if they had lost their minds would have been helped by simple scripture readings each day, a time of peace that placed the faith of God in their hearts and minds. I also wonder just how much fear we can allow in our own hearts before we loose our minds. God has not given us a spirit of fear. Why do we allow another spirit in or even entertain the idea.
Thank you God, that you have not given us a spirit of fear, that you maintain us with your spirit of love.
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