Urgency. Preparedness. Anticipation. Excitement. Purpose.
10But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
11-13Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.
God knew me before I was born.
God has a plan for my life.
God is waiting patiently on me.
God is coming back for me.
Grace really is a beautiful thing.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 461 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Right now, in my life, there is a battle brewing. I know it is coming. Instead of preparing like I should I feel like I am looking for more bricks to pile on my wall. In my heart I know that if I am following God's word I have to break this down. It is hard when a life time of fear and lack of confidence has built itself up. Then, there is this pesky need I have of never upsetting anyone. I know, you can't please everyone but no reason to pick fights, right?!! Okay, that is entirely wrong. We are called to fight, to carry our crosses, to stand on God's Word, to make a difference for our God's Glory. How do I do that if I am closed in a perfect wall? Mark 4:18-20 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
Do you every wonder why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? I do. I wonder, if God knows our hearts, wouldn't he have known that Abraham would do whatever He asked?
Psalm 18:28-32
28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
How are you? How is life treating you?
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
How do you know what is right and what is wrong? How do you know what is on that perfect line in the middle?
Matthew 22: 36- 40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
I could be considered a dictator. Sometimes my rules can be so ridiculous. I have the best of intentions at heart. I am really just trying to protect and guide my children the best I know how.
Romans 8: 1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Psalm 1:3He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Jeremiah 17: 7,8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."
Water is not very controversial. No one debates it's importance for life on this big blue ball we all live on. In fact, when 70.8% of the Earth is covered with water it is easy to take it for granted. I wonder if most kids these days even know that water comes from some place other than a bottle.
Despite it's comfortable seat in the midst of our culture and society, water has had a sorted past when it come to spirituality. Even within the text of the Bible water has carried different meanings, in and of itself, as well as, they way humanity relates to it. In Matthew 27:24, Pilate washed his hands in a basin of water as he removed himself from the decision making process of what would happen to Jesus. His unwillingness to act made him as guilty as the mobs that put Jesus on the cross. He committed indirect murder because of his selfish act deflection.
We can see the antithesis of Pilate's actions in another basin of water, as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. In John 13 we see a selfless act of love as Jesus humbled himself before those that followed him. He not only served those around them, but he also challenged them to follow his example of servant hood and humility. What an awesome picture of grace and responsibility.
I believe that we all stand at a basin of water every day. We have the choice to serve others or ourselves. One decision follows the example of the of a man that gave himself for those he loved. The other decision follows our human nature that is founded in selfishness and self preservation. Could what we do with our hands change a life or take one? Do we engage in indirect murder when we choose to not act. Pilate found solace in the fact that he did not pull the trigger, and we are not much different. I believe that in this day and age we must stand up and choose selflessness over selfishness. We must make a choice and act, instead of doing nothing. Love: Serve: Change
John 13:12-15
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
~Nick R.
Romans 6:23 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Corinthians 1:10-11 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Penal
Substitutionary
Atonement
........there was a penalty to be paid for my sin
........Jesus took my place on the cross
........Jesus reconciled me.
What for?
our sins, our infirmities (Isaiah 53:4)
peace, healing (Isaiah 53:5)
intercession (Isaiah 53:12)
sins, justification (Romans 4:25)
love (Romans 5:8)
bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18)
sins of the world (1 John 2:2)
redemption (Galatians 3:13)
Luke 9: 57-62 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (emphasis mine)
Hebrews10:35-39 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the
will of God, you may receive what was promised.
FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
It has recently come to my attention that I live a very safe life. Truth be told, I have done everything I could think of to create a safe life. The suburban house wife, the mini van and the all important, if not physical, symbolic picket fence.
I didn't have a lot of safety as a child. As an adult most of the decisions I have made have been to make my life "better" then what I had. Sometimes I treat my Christianity as a stepping stone for the "better" life. Isn't that what it is? A place for good morals, happy children and good marriages.
What I didn't realize is that my picket fence isn't keeping out all of the bad. Instead it has kept me in a very safe "better" life than what I had. It isn't the "best" life that God has called me to live. How does my picket fence life show the power of my God?
God has been calling me to change. Change radically. To fall in love with Him dramatically. To respond with a faith that trusts Him with my life. I love my life. I love my husband, my kids, my home and all the treasure I have stored up in it. There isn't anything wrong with safety and security. I am scared of every step that calls me out of my safe place. Stronger than the fear, I have a desire to know what is outside this fence of mine. I am curious to see what God has beyond this "better" life of mine. I want to grasp the thing called "Christianity" that brings me first to my knees and second into following His plan.
How are you responding when God calls you to change?
Do you limit yourself? Do you limit your dreams? Are you afraid to begin because you can't see the end?
I do.
Proverbs 16:9
The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
In November I ran my first race. I got up, I ate my breakfast, I followed my plan and I made it to the starting line. I ran my first 8k, also the first time I ran 5 consecutive miles. I did it 2 minutes a mile faster then I thought I could.
In February I ran my first half-marathon. 13.2 miles. It took me two hours and 25 minutes. I didn't know I could run 13 miles. Again, I cried.
There are things and moments in life that will tell you about yourself. When I run, I am reminded that there is potential in me that I don't know yet. I don't have the courage to start things on my own but sometimes I find myself facing a fear and taking on the challenge. Because of one idea, one challenge I was inspired. I pray that my journey will inspire others. I know I have drawn closer to God in the process. I now can see in many areas of my life where the courage to begin and finding the strength to pursue and endure come from God. The finish line really isn't as important. What I thought would be the finish line in the process has disappeared but the journey will drive me for the rest of my life.
I may not see it and you may not see it in me but God does. I believe that. I believe He sees in me abilities and ideas and concepts that I can't even grasp. When it comes to honoring Him with my life, He is my biggest advocate and the best trainer. It isn't about just living a better life. This life isn't about the beginning or the end, it is about the journey. It is about taking this very moment and pointing it to God and His promises.
Matthew 10:30-32 (amp)
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him.
I will run my marathon this weekend. I don't know if I can run 26.2 miles. I know I have trained. The journey has been amazing. I will be looking to Him in the process.
What calling in your life needs you to get started on journey?
God Created Man In His Image.
You and I are a part of God's creative legacy.
Wow, now that is an awesome responsibility....or is it an honor?!!
In the image of our Creator we are given the opportunity to be imaginative. We can take any idea we have and turn it into something real, something tangable. Do you believe you have that ability?
Why do we hold ourselves back? Why do we stop before we even start? Why do we believe only in our own potential and not in the potential God sees in us?
A few months ago a good friend of mine found out her husband is not what he said he was. He came home one day and told her he was tired of lying and that he wasn't a Christian. After 10 years of marriage, 10 years of church going, mission supporting and Sunday School teaching he made this confession.
She knew that he had struggles with his faith. She knew he questioned and lived a lukewarm life. Did she expect that deep down he wasn't a believer? No.
Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens--they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them--they have their retirement plan in place. They don't genuinely seek out what life God would have them live--they have life figured and mapped out. They don't depend on God on a daily basis--their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God. (Crazy Love by Francis Chan, pg 78)
How do we recognize when our lives have become too comfortable? Do we recognize when the people we love have lost their faith? Do we know the difference between when they are just doing the "right" thing and when they are serving God?
Is it our responsibility as Christians to hold one another responsible for the lives we live?
If you stopped believing in God today would anyone notice?
I may never know what it means to be physically hungry. I am an American and even as a child, eating government cheese, I was never hungry. I am in the top 1% of the worlds wealthiest people. So are you, if you live in the United States.
If I had the cure for world hunger would I only give it to a select few? Would I pick and choose the most deserving based on my own judgements?
I have know what it means to be spiritually hungry. I know what it is like to live a life separated from God. There are approximately 224,457,000 Christians in the United States and only two stepped out and told me the name of Jesus.
We have the cure for the greatest famine of them all, living a life separated from God. Are we picking and choosing who gets fed and who doesn't?
John 4:7-14 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will
you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the
well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
“When one door closes, another opens
...." ~Alexander Graham Bell
"When one door closes, God opens a window." ~Unknown
I am not a big subscriber to those two thoughts. I think doors are shut for a reason but we like to cut out our own doors and windows to escape the very place God wants us to be.
Why do we always need to escape the place we are in?
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Life is undoubtedly full of valleys and mountain tops. Being a Christian doesn't promise any less valleys. It doesn't promise that bad things won't happen to good people. Being a believer in the saving blood of Christ does promise that wherever we are in life's topography, God is with us.
I have never understood the roller coaster ride that some people choose to be on in their Christian lives. God never leaves us, regardless of the place we are in. The same joy that is shouted from the mountain tops of life should be the relied on in the valleys. The Father in our times of triumph is the same Father in our times of weakness.
Philippians 4:11-14 .....for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Next time life brings you to a valley, no matter how long or how deep, remember God is with you. It is up to you to trust that He is there.
There is a section of Romans 8 that I go to when the valleys of life overwhelm me. In verse 37 it says "...we are more than conquerors.". I find peace in those words, to me it is a promise that I am on the side of God and I will overcome this, whatever the "this" is.
Write His word on your heart. Know the promises made to you. Believe you are adopted into the family of God. He won't leave you in your time of need.
Romans 8:37-39 "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Tunnels are a necessary part of our journey. It seems they are the simplest way to get from here to where God wants us to be. Why then do we constantly try to take the long way around?
I wish I had a great answer. It does make me think about a necessary tunnel that I have recently come through. I entered it about 6 other times in my adult life. I always convinced myself to turn around because of self-doubt. My inability to see the end result in my own mind created doubt that coming through the other end was even a possibility for me.
What made it happen this time? I stopped relying on myself for the strength to get through. Renewing of my mind, so to speak. I believe a little more each day that He is strong when I am weak. I believe He has a greater plan for me than I have for myself. I believe I am an overcomer, not because of me but because I believe, I am adopted into a family of overcomers.
Here I am. On the other side. I am freed from the bondage of addiction, celebrating one year smoke free.
There is power in moving forward, through places where we can't even see around the corner.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen.
There always seems to be a lot of talk about change when the new year comes. It is a time for self-reflection. Maybe the only time of year we re-evaluate where we have been, where we are and where we want to be. It is a good time to start new habits and try and get rid of the old ones. Try and follow my thought process here...what if I believed that one small thing that I change in my life, would have an effect as grand as the flapping of the wings of a butterfly? What if I believed for a moment that by living my life according to His Word that He will take that beyond anything I could conceive or imagine.
When I first started thinking about the idea of changing someones life, I thought that it was a little crazy and far fetched. Okay, maybe possible if you give me a year to build a real relationship with someone so that I can feel comfortable actually trying to "save" them. I have a tendency to only see what I am capable of and not what God is capable of doing with my obedience. If God can use the flapping of a butterfly's wings to change the direction of a tornado, is He not also capable of using my desire to change someones life for something beyond my foresight?
1 Corinthians 3:7-9 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is
anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are
one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are
God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Do you remember the challenge we were given during Nick's sermon in December? He asked us to intentionally bring change to 3 separate environments.
Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
So, did you pick three? Did you change the atmosphere of a place because you were there? Was God glorified?
I have to admit, I haven't thought about the three environments I chose until I sat down to write this blog. I know it was on my heart over the holidays though and looking back I can kinda see a change in each environment. Going against the grain a bit here, I will tell you all three of my "environments" were actually relationships. I am going to share one of my experiences in the hopes that some of you will share how this challenge manifested itself in your own lives. (And if you didn't do it, that is okay, today is a great day to start.)
So, my first and most important environment is actually with my daughter Madi. Sometimes as mom, I can be really hard on Madi. Always seeing her potential and expecting the above and beyond from her. I know this isn't bad but sometimes I forget to take time to just be a light in her life. Sometimes our environment is more like a battlefield than a peaceful home. Over Christmas break I really made an effort to pick my battles and found time to pour into her the praises she deserves. With a little extra helping of self-control and patience, of coarse. God is amazingly faithful to me when I am ready for change that will truly glorify Him. I also called on a few accountability partners to keep me in check through the last few weeks. My goal now is to continue to change and find the balance that is so necessary in my relationship with Madi. I was reminded with this challenge that it isn't my job to just teach my girls about Christ but to show them what it looks like to be salt and light. My words mean very little if I don't pour into them the very things I tell them to do.
"To change atmosphere, be people willing to influence atmosphere"
~Nick Rains
Happy New Year!! I hope everyone has enjoyed the first 6 days of 2009. It is amazing how fast a week can come and go.
I hope you all can forgive me for my recent lack of posting. I was consumed by the insanity of the holidays (actually, I was just trying to edit our Stolpementary). So, it seemed appropriate to me to start this year off writing about my thoughts on time.
At the beginning of every new year we seem to make a new promise to spend more time with God, more time reading our Bibles. We go and buy the newest 15 min with God devotional that comes with the dates already. We buy the Bibles with the "Read the Bible in a Year" Calendars. Now Jan 1 never actually counts as the first day of the year because it is a day with family, a Sabbath day. So we start on the 2nd, we get up a few minutes early and read our 15 min devotional while the coffee brews. Then get out the new journal that a spouse loving purchased and inscribed for us because they support and love all of our best-of-intentions. We read the scriptures for Jan 1 and 2 because we observed the Sabbath. Write a few words about what they mean to us, maybe a question or two to talk to the pastor about.
Skip ahead a few weeks and we have only written in our journals a handful of times. Decided that the weekends were just too difficult, so this will be a commitment we will make on week days. About mid February you have overslept an entire week and the 30 min you had planned to spend with God has become a rush and an "I will get to that".
In my overactive imagination I can picture God, getting up a little early, enjoying his cup of heavenly java while waiting for me to join Him in our quiet place. I wonder how many mornings He has waited on me. I wonder how many times I passed by in my morning rush. I wonder how many more mornings He will wait for me.
Revelations 3:20'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
I think we make the idea of spending time with God much more difficult than it needs to be. He is there, waiting for us to spend time with Him. We don't need calendars or special devotionals, inscripted journals or the lasted Bible translation. We only need to want to be in relationship. We only need to want it bad enough that it is worth our time.