Don't worry about ANYTHING, instead, pray about EVERYTHING!! The Lord is our protector, our shield - nothing can ever separate us from His love and His total protection! As believers in Jesus Christ, we live in the shelter of the Most High!!
Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
RAISE THE ROOF!!!
Psalm 32 - (The Message)
1 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
you get a fresh start,
your slate's wiped clean.
2 Count yourself lucky—
God holds nothing against you
and you're holding nothing back from him.
3 When I kept it all inside,
my bones turned to powder,
my words became daylong groans.
4 The pressure never let up;
all the juices of my life dried up.
5 Then I let it all out;
I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God."
Suddenly the pressure was gone—
my guilt dissolved,
my sin disappeared.
6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
we'll be on high ground, untouched.
7 God's my island hideaway,
keeps danger far from the shore,
throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.
8 Let me give you some good advice;
I'm looking you in the eye
and giving it to you straight:
9 "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule
that needs bit and bridle
to stay on track."
10 God-defiers are always in trouble;
God-affirmers find themselves loved
every time they turn around.
11 Celebrate God.
Sing together—everyone!
All you honest hearts, raise the roof!
I had an opportunity on Friday night to "raise the roof" at my church for a night of worship. It was an incredible 2 hours - pouring our hearts out to God, singing His praises, surrendering our wills (once again) to Him! Surely He was blessed!
I've been studying David lately! What a life! No wonder David was a great worshiper!! God was always faithful to him, no matter what! He is also faithful to us, no matter what!
Praise Him!!
1 Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
you get a fresh start,
your slate's wiped clean.
2 Count yourself lucky—
God holds nothing against you
and you're holding nothing back from him.
3 When I kept it all inside,
my bones turned to powder,
my words became daylong groans.
4 The pressure never let up;
all the juices of my life dried up.
5 Then I let it all out;
I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God."
Suddenly the pressure was gone—
my guilt dissolved,
my sin disappeared.
6 These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray;
when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts
we'll be on high ground, untouched.
7 God's my island hideaway,
keeps danger far from the shore,
throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.
8 Let me give you some good advice;
I'm looking you in the eye
and giving it to you straight:
9 "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule
that needs bit and bridle
to stay on track."
10 God-defiers are always in trouble;
God-affirmers find themselves loved
every time they turn around.
11 Celebrate God.
Sing together—everyone!
All you honest hearts, raise the roof!
I had an opportunity on Friday night to "raise the roof" at my church for a night of worship. It was an incredible 2 hours - pouring our hearts out to God, singing His praises, surrendering our wills (once again) to Him! Surely He was blessed!
I've been studying David lately! What a life! No wonder David was a great worshiper!! God was always faithful to him, no matter what! He is also faithful to us, no matter what!
Praise Him!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What would you do?
What would you do if you weren't afraid?
Think about that for a while.................
Think about that for a while.................
Monday, April 20, 2009
The ministry of reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
We Are God’s Ambassadors
"Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
We Are God’s Ambassadors
"Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Martha, Martha.................
Luke 10:41-42
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
How precious it is to spend alone time with our Lord and Savior and how even sweeter it is to know that He longs to spend time with us! This hammock hangs in my beautiful backyard and it is a place where I often spend quiet time with God. I find that it is in these times when He will so often speak to me. I've never heard his audible voice but He comes to me in a deep feeling in my spirit and I know that I know it is Him. He comes sometimes in a very authoritative way, letting me know that I MUST be obedient to Him. He comes through His Word when a passage of scripture speaks to my circumstances so loudly and clearly that I know, beyond a doubt that it is no coincidence!
But, this wonderful world of going deeper with God involves action on my part. I've heard it said that it is a miracle in itself that the God of Heaven even speaks to us, individually. Like all the other miracles that Jesus performed in the Bible, they all required some effort on the part of the recipient. He did not just zap them with their miracle. They were almost always commanded by Jesus to take some sort of action, some step toward receiving what He had for them. Like those people, if I did not make the choice to spend one-on-one, quiet time with God, I wonder what I would be missing out on. Actually, I know what I'd be missing out on - sweet fellowship with the one who created the universe and yet knows my name!
The world we live in is absolutely full of distractions. There are things coming at us constantly ranging from jobs to family obligations to hobbies to technology to ministries to our schedules and the "to-do" list goes on. Not that any of these things are bad things, but if we choose to fill every free moment of our lives with the "stuff" of life, we will miss out on the only true meaning of life, the whole reason we are here in the first place. I want to be so intimate with God that every step I take, I ask Him about it first. I want His opinion on absolutely everything. So how can I clearly hear His voice if I, like Martha, busy myself so much with all of this "stuff" that I don't set aside enough time, each day to spend with Jesus? He longs to spend time with me and I believe He is heartbroken when we don't make time for him. If He truly is our "Everything" then why would we not want to give Him our time, our attention, our affection? Remember that teenage boyfriend you could not get enough of? You know, the one your mother, deep down, could not stand because you wanted to spend every waking moment with him and if the two of you weren't together, you were talking on the phone?!?!?
James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." This clearly means that if we want to get close to God, we must choose to draw near to Him. I have found this to be impossible without first getting alone with Him. How often, during play-dates with my "mommy" friends, do we try to have "adult conversation" but find ourselves being constantly interrupted and distracted by the voices of our little happy children. We joke and say we only have "half" conversations because we have one eye on each other and the other eye on our kids. A half conversation really is the most we can hope for during these play dates. We don't go into them expecting any more than that. If our time with God takes place amongst other distractions, how can we really give Him our undivided attention? But God wants both of our eyes focused on Him. He wants us at his feet listening, praising, adoring and worshiping Him. He wants to reveal Himself to us in such a mighty way that we will be shocked at just how real and present He feels to us. Sometimes I sense Him wanting to grab our cheeks and turn our faces toward as he says, "Listen to me, my precious child! I've got something awesome for you but you must tune in, in order to get it! So, drop the TV, drop the yacking on the cell phone, drop the e-mails, drop the fiction book, drop the thing that you are so tightly hanging onto. Let go of it long enough for you to grab onto my hand, I want to take you somewhere incredible!!"
In my personal experience, this has involved making sacrifices to make sure I don't give God the short end of the stick. I am in the season of life of pre-school aged children. I have a particularly early rising 3-year old who is up by 6:00 a.m. - regardless of what time he goes to bed. Therefore, I must rise up much earlier than him if I am to get my time in with God. For me, if I don't spend my quiet time at the very start of my day, I won't get it in. As soon as life starts coming at me it is so much harder to grab onto that uninterrupted quality time with God. I also believe He wants our first fruits, the best of us, before we fail and sin later in the day. We can start with a clean slate every morning and ask Him to create in us a clean heart and pour out His new mercies on us that day. We can ask him to fill our day and stay near to us all day. Of course, it is not easy getting up very early and I'll admit, there are some mornings when it just doesn't happen! I mean, in our human flesh, who wouldn't rather stay asleep, all cozy in a warm bed? But the more I consistently stick to it, the more God speaks to me. I find myself not wanting to miss my time because I am so anxious to hear what He has for me that day. It is certainly true that, not every morning involves a grand, huge revelation from God. There are some days when I can just sit back and thank Him for all the ways He has blessed me. I cannot tell you how much better my day goes when I start off praising God for it! I believe that when we start our day with Him, we are inviting Him to stick around with us the rest of the day!
By all means, we can be in His presence anytime, all day, all the time, not just during the one-on-one time. I am learning more and more how to stay with Him all day - just to talk to Him off and on, all day long. He never leaves us!! I believe both ways of being with Him are essential - the bottom line is He wants us - ALL of us!!
I guess it's just like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. But, unlike other things in life worth spending time on, the benefits of spending time in the presence of the King of Kings, our Abba Father, our Daddy is something we simply cannot put a price tag on! Nothing compares to it!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
That's My girl
This story of her own son, written by Joanna Weaver in her book, "Having A Mary Spirit" touched me so deeply today. God spoke to me through this story and answered a burning question and gave me some much needed confirmation. He has asked me to do something for Him. Something difficult for me. Something way, way out of my comfort zone. Our of fear, I've been telling myself it would be too hard, too weird, too awkward, but God keeps replying: "Obey, I am faithful and you can do ALL things through me!" I hope you will be encouraged by this story as much as I am:
"When baby Joshua joined our family nearly four years ago, he brought more joy than I ever thought possible. Which is saying a lot. At forty years of age and with two nearly grown teenagers, I never expected to be shopping for cribs and colleges at the same time. (Although a friend did point out it could be worse - I could have been shopping for diapers and Depends.)
But more than joy, Joshua brought me a new understanding of God's love that I'd never considered before.
After Josh was born a month early, the doctors immediately knew something wasn't quite right. Eliminating more serious conditions, they diagnosed him with hypotonia. Low muscle tone. Rather than the tight little bundle of baby I was used to holding, Joshua felt more like a rag doll, loose and limp in my arms. He was slow to nurse, slow to roll over, slow to sit up, slow to do many things. Rather than doing movements natural for most babies, Josh's muscles had to be taught, even awakened, through physical therapy. At three-and-a-half years of age, he still has delays in motor skills as well as speech development.
But do you know what? It doesn't matter. I don't bother comparing Josh to other kids because Josh isn't like other kids. Josh is Josh. I don't keep a list of things babies should do at one or two or three years of age. It's all immaterial. Josh will do it when Josh can. And we'll do - and are doing - everything possible to help him. After being an uptight mom the first time around, constantly comparing to see how my kids measured up to others their age, I can't tell you how freeing this has been.
In some ways, these four years with Josh have been the most enjoyable years of my life. Why? Because we celebrate everything! Every little advance is met with great joy and applause. And I've recently realized that loving Josh has taught me a wonderful lesson about how God loves me.
That realization came three years ago in Gold Beach, Oregon. My sister Linda, had some along to watch Josh while I spoke at a women's retreat. When I went back to the hotel room after the first evening session, Linda was so excited.
"You won't believe what Joshua did!"she said dragging me to where he sat playing with some toys. That in itself was a miracle, for Josh had only recently mastered the art of sitting up. But my sister had something new to show me. "Watch this!" Linda cleared the space around him, then took his favorite toy and placed it in front of him, just out of reach. Josh looked at her, then at me. Then with a little smile, he bent forward and stretched out nearly flat to grab the toy that rested beyond his toes. I was amazed. He'd never done that before. But that was only the beginning. There was more to come.
Little by little, grunting and groaning, my sweet boy slowly worked his hands back toward his body. Beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead as he, still grasping the toy, worked himself back into a sitting position. The whole process took at least thirty seconds, ten times the amount of time another child would have required. But rather than being disappointed, Linda and I whooped and hollered and cried our eyes out.
"Woohoo! That's my boy!" I said, hugging Josh. It was amazing. It was wonderful. It was a milestone, a moment of pure joy I'll never forget. And with it came a revelation from the Lord that has changed my life. As I lay in bed that night still rejoicing over Joshua's accomplishment, I felt God whisper to my spirit"
"That's how I feel, you know.
"What do you mean, Lord?" I asked.
"The joy you feel watching Joshua do something you know is difficult - that's how I feel when I see you stretch beyond what you've tried before. When you believe Me for something that seems impossible...trust Me in the midst of difficulties...do what I ask even though you don't feel able...that's how I feel."
My heart swelled with the thought and caught in my throat. That I could bring that much joy to the Lord had never occurred to me.
With the sounds of waves outside echoing the waves of gratitude in my heart, I wept quietly, mouthing words of praise to the One who knew me so intimately and yet loved me so completely.
It wasn't until I shared the thought with the women the next morning that a fuller revelation of the truth finally hit me. The women nodded and smiled through the story, and many even wept. But I suddenly realized that they could never understand the immensity of it all. Neither could Linda. Not really. No one could.
Why? Because Joshua belongs to me. He BELONGS to me.
That's why God rejoices over our every little step. That's why He tirelessly spends time exercising our faith and stretching us in order to expand our limits. That's why, when we fall, He helps us, picks us up, and encourages us to try again.
He doesn't compare us to anyone else. He doesn't have a list of what Christians should be and do at certain phases of their Christian walk. He accepts us individually and works with us where we are. Yet He constantly challenges us to go beyond what we are. And He throws a great big party whenever we reach a milestone or make a spiritual breakthrough.
Why? Because we belong to Him. We BELONG to Him.
"Woohoo! That's My girl!" He says.
"Did you see that?" He asks, turning to the angels and pointing to earth. Pointing to you and to me.
"That's My girl."
"When baby Joshua joined our family nearly four years ago, he brought more joy than I ever thought possible. Which is saying a lot. At forty years of age and with two nearly grown teenagers, I never expected to be shopping for cribs and colleges at the same time. (Although a friend did point out it could be worse - I could have been shopping for diapers and Depends.)
But more than joy, Joshua brought me a new understanding of God's love that I'd never considered before.
After Josh was born a month early, the doctors immediately knew something wasn't quite right. Eliminating more serious conditions, they diagnosed him with hypotonia. Low muscle tone. Rather than the tight little bundle of baby I was used to holding, Joshua felt more like a rag doll, loose and limp in my arms. He was slow to nurse, slow to roll over, slow to sit up, slow to do many things. Rather than doing movements natural for most babies, Josh's muscles had to be taught, even awakened, through physical therapy. At three-and-a-half years of age, he still has delays in motor skills as well as speech development.
But do you know what? It doesn't matter. I don't bother comparing Josh to other kids because Josh isn't like other kids. Josh is Josh. I don't keep a list of things babies should do at one or two or three years of age. It's all immaterial. Josh will do it when Josh can. And we'll do - and are doing - everything possible to help him. After being an uptight mom the first time around, constantly comparing to see how my kids measured up to others their age, I can't tell you how freeing this has been.
In some ways, these four years with Josh have been the most enjoyable years of my life. Why? Because we celebrate everything! Every little advance is met with great joy and applause. And I've recently realized that loving Josh has taught me a wonderful lesson about how God loves me.
That realization came three years ago in Gold Beach, Oregon. My sister Linda, had some along to watch Josh while I spoke at a women's retreat. When I went back to the hotel room after the first evening session, Linda was so excited.
"You won't believe what Joshua did!"she said dragging me to where he sat playing with some toys. That in itself was a miracle, for Josh had only recently mastered the art of sitting up. But my sister had something new to show me. "Watch this!" Linda cleared the space around him, then took his favorite toy and placed it in front of him, just out of reach. Josh looked at her, then at me. Then with a little smile, he bent forward and stretched out nearly flat to grab the toy that rested beyond his toes. I was amazed. He'd never done that before. But that was only the beginning. There was more to come.
Little by little, grunting and groaning, my sweet boy slowly worked his hands back toward his body. Beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead as he, still grasping the toy, worked himself back into a sitting position. The whole process took at least thirty seconds, ten times the amount of time another child would have required. But rather than being disappointed, Linda and I whooped and hollered and cried our eyes out.
"Woohoo! That's my boy!" I said, hugging Josh. It was amazing. It was wonderful. It was a milestone, a moment of pure joy I'll never forget. And with it came a revelation from the Lord that has changed my life. As I lay in bed that night still rejoicing over Joshua's accomplishment, I felt God whisper to my spirit"
"That's how I feel, you know.
"What do you mean, Lord?" I asked.
"The joy you feel watching Joshua do something you know is difficult - that's how I feel when I see you stretch beyond what you've tried before. When you believe Me for something that seems impossible...trust Me in the midst of difficulties...do what I ask even though you don't feel able...that's how I feel."
My heart swelled with the thought and caught in my throat. That I could bring that much joy to the Lord had never occurred to me.
With the sounds of waves outside echoing the waves of gratitude in my heart, I wept quietly, mouthing words of praise to the One who knew me so intimately and yet loved me so completely.
It wasn't until I shared the thought with the women the next morning that a fuller revelation of the truth finally hit me. The women nodded and smiled through the story, and many even wept. But I suddenly realized that they could never understand the immensity of it all. Neither could Linda. Not really. No one could.
Why? Because Joshua belongs to me. He BELONGS to me.
That's why God rejoices over our every little step. That's why He tirelessly spends time exercising our faith and stretching us in order to expand our limits. That's why, when we fall, He helps us, picks us up, and encourages us to try again.
He doesn't compare us to anyone else. He doesn't have a list of what Christians should be and do at certain phases of their Christian walk. He accepts us individually and works with us where we are. Yet He constantly challenges us to go beyond what we are. And He throws a great big party whenever we reach a milestone or make a spiritual breakthrough.
Why? Because we belong to Him. We BELONG to Him.
"Woohoo! That's My girl!" He says.
"Did you see that?" He asks, turning to the angels and pointing to earth. Pointing to you and to me.
"That's My girl."
Sunday, April 12, 2009
He was beaten for our transgressions
Isaiah 53 (New Living Translation)
1 Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.[b]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.[c]
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
1 Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.[b]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.[c]
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thank God it's Good Friday!
Oh, it's Good Friday again. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. God planned it, before the foundation of the earth that on that day, after He had spent His time on earth in the body of a man, that He would die a horrible death on a cross, for us, His creation. He knew there was no other way. Jesus had to make the choice to do it, that's just the way it had to be! His purpose was to save us, to be our Redeemer from sin. By the way, we are ALL sinners and have ALL fallen short of the glory of God! Regardless of what pride tells us, Pride is a liar! We cannot be made right with God without accepting Jesus sacrifice for us. There is no other way! There is no greater love than this When we truly grasp the magnitude of Jesus love for us, it transforms our lives! It completes us. It brings us out of ignorance, out of darkness and into the marvelous light, a marvelous life. A life that is flowing with power, breath and living water!
Ephesians 3:14-21
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
This story below written by Beth Moore just this morning on her LPM blog really moved me. I hope you will be blessed by it:
"Several months ago, Melissa had insisted upon going with me to have a dye test to follow up a suspicious mammogram. (No rumors please. I do not have breast cancer. Because my mother died with it, however, I never get the luxury of drama-less annual check-ups.) We were sitting in the waiting room and a rack was within arms reach offering all manner of brochure on various cancers. Melissa took one out after another and glanced over them, shaking her head. She looked up at me with that classic expression of hers and said, "Life is brutal, man."
I nodded.
We both sat silently for just a moment.
Then she said one of the most profound things I've ever heard.
"He knows it's scary to be us."
Yes, He does. Yes, He does. He does NOT take the fact lightly that we go through medical tests to see if we have a raging cancer. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are secretly fearing that the monster has come back. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are going through the cancer treatments of your own children. I had to pause and put my hand over my mouth on that one. Holding back the tears.
Son of David, have mercy on us! You know it's scary to be us! It's almost too much here, Lord. It's almost too much.
And the thunder crashes in the heavens and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "It is finished!"
And death is overcome.
One day, Sweet Darling. ONE DAY. We will trade that hem for the real Him and there will be no more sickness. No more death. No more sadness. We will all be healed.
Bliss."
I pray that you have an incredible, beautiful, powerful, forgiven, redeemed, blessed Easter!
Love,
Brandi
Ephesians 3:14-21
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
This story below written by Beth Moore just this morning on her LPM blog really moved me. I hope you will be blessed by it:
"Several months ago, Melissa had insisted upon going with me to have a dye test to follow up a suspicious mammogram. (No rumors please. I do not have breast cancer. Because my mother died with it, however, I never get the luxury of drama-less annual check-ups.) We were sitting in the waiting room and a rack was within arms reach offering all manner of brochure on various cancers. Melissa took one out after another and glanced over them, shaking her head. She looked up at me with that classic expression of hers and said, "Life is brutal, man."
I nodded.
We both sat silently for just a moment.
Then she said one of the most profound things I've ever heard.
"He knows it's scary to be us."
Yes, He does. Yes, He does. He does NOT take the fact lightly that we go through medical tests to see if we have a raging cancer. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are secretly fearing that the monster has come back. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are going through the cancer treatments of your own children. I had to pause and put my hand over my mouth on that one. Holding back the tears.
Son of David, have mercy on us! You know it's scary to be us! It's almost too much here, Lord. It's almost too much.
And the thunder crashes in the heavens and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "It is finished!"
And death is overcome.
One day, Sweet Darling. ONE DAY. We will trade that hem for the real Him and there will be no more sickness. No more death. No more sadness. We will all be healed.
Bliss."
I pray that you have an incredible, beautiful, powerful, forgiven, redeemed, blessed Easter!
Love,
Brandi
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The God Of This City
"God Of This City"
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are
You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all kings
You Are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are
For greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
When glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for You and love for You
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here.
This song has become my new favorites. The lyrics are powerful, telling of a God who is in control of this world, even though we may not see it with our eyes. There are so many things I have been praying for, for quite some time. God has spoken to me and said there are greater things in the works that God is planning. There are things happening in the Heavenlies that we just cannot see. I must wait for Him and He will reveal it all in His perfect timing! I am to trust God, that He knows what He is doing. Even as we speak, He is knocking on the door of people's hearts, He is working through circumstances, He is shaking things up - for HIS glory!!
Habakkuk 2:2-3 is so encouraging in this area of waiting:
"Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed."
May the King of Kings renew strength as you wait upon Him, not upon the thing you are waiting for. Simply wait on God. He will fulfill all of His promises!
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are
You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all kings
You Are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are
For greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
When glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for You and love for You
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here.
This song has become my new favorites. The lyrics are powerful, telling of a God who is in control of this world, even though we may not see it with our eyes. There are so many things I have been praying for, for quite some time. God has spoken to me and said there are greater things in the works that God is planning. There are things happening in the Heavenlies that we just cannot see. I must wait for Him and He will reveal it all in His perfect timing! I am to trust God, that He knows what He is doing. Even as we speak, He is knocking on the door of people's hearts, He is working through circumstances, He is shaking things up - for HIS glory!!
Habakkuk 2:2-3 is so encouraging in this area of waiting:
"Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed."
May the King of Kings renew strength as you wait upon Him, not upon the thing you are waiting for. Simply wait on God. He will fulfill all of His promises!
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Collision of God and Sin
1 Peter 2:24
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God's judgement on sin. Never tolerate martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God.
The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. The Incarnation was for the purpose of Redemption. God became incarnate for the purpose of putting away sin; not for the purpose of Self-realization. The Cross is the center of Time and of Eternity, the answer to the enigmas of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man but the Cross of God, and the Cross of God can never be realized in human experience. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God. When we get to the Cross, we do not go through it; we abide in the life to which the Cross is the gateway.
The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened - but the crash is on the heart of God.
- Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost For His Highest"
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God's judgement on sin. Never tolerate martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God.
The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. The Incarnation was for the purpose of Redemption. God became incarnate for the purpose of putting away sin; not for the purpose of Self-realization. The Cross is the center of Time and of Eternity, the answer to the enigmas of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man but the Cross of God, and the Cross of God can never be realized in human experience. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God. When we get to the Cross, we do not go through it; we abide in the life to which the Cross is the gateway.
The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened - but the crash is on the heart of God.
- Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost For His Highest"
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thoughts on Palm Sunday
Here are some wonderful thoughts on Palm Sunday, written yesterday by my wise and Jesus-loving friend, Jonathon Sawyer:
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; a day observed by the historic Christian Church for centuries.
As a child, I recall walking into a church and receiving a palm leaf, or something akin to it. At the time, this gift that I received upon entering the sanctuary was void of any meaning except the youthful intrigue of receiving such an odd item prior to a church service.
This evening, as I compose my thoughts about Palm Sunday, I am filled with a reverential awe for the creator of the palm leaf, for "by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16-17
Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, walked the earth and ministered among men who did not perceive his Godhood. Jesus' Jewish disciples were anticipating a Messiah who would restore the throne of King David. The Messiah was expected to conquer their Roman foes and restore the Kingdom of Israel through military might. In this Hebraic context, Jesus was celebrated and hailed with palm branches as the King of Israel. The Palm leaf was a symbol of Jewish victory, and rightfully prophesied a great conquest. Indeed, the Messiah Jesus was among them, but his conquest would be far greater than the greatest of military victories.
"His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him." John 12:16
The King Jesus' conquest would be sealed through his own blood and humility on the cross. His victory would be over sin, death, and Satan. On the cross, Jesus would become sin for sinners. Jesus would willingly endure the just punishment of a Holy and perfectly good God, so that those who trust in him would be credited as the beneficiaries of his sacrificial conquest over evil. Whereas we were once children of darkness, we are now forgiven children of light, and our Father is God, the maker of the palm leaf, and the creator of all things.
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
John 1:10
"He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him."
2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
1 Thessalonians 5:5
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness."
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; a day observed by the historic Christian Church for centuries.
As a child, I recall walking into a church and receiving a palm leaf, or something akin to it. At the time, this gift that I received upon entering the sanctuary was void of any meaning except the youthful intrigue of receiving such an odd item prior to a church service.
This evening, as I compose my thoughts about Palm Sunday, I am filled with a reverential awe for the creator of the palm leaf, for "by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16-17
Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, walked the earth and ministered among men who did not perceive his Godhood. Jesus' Jewish disciples were anticipating a Messiah who would restore the throne of King David. The Messiah was expected to conquer their Roman foes and restore the Kingdom of Israel through military might. In this Hebraic context, Jesus was celebrated and hailed with palm branches as the King of Israel. The Palm leaf was a symbol of Jewish victory, and rightfully prophesied a great conquest. Indeed, the Messiah Jesus was among them, but his conquest would be far greater than the greatest of military victories.
"His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him." John 12:16
The King Jesus' conquest would be sealed through his own blood and humility on the cross. His victory would be over sin, death, and Satan. On the cross, Jesus would become sin for sinners. Jesus would willingly endure the just punishment of a Holy and perfectly good God, so that those who trust in him would be credited as the beneficiaries of his sacrificial conquest over evil. Whereas we were once children of darkness, we are now forgiven children of light, and our Father is God, the maker of the palm leaf, and the creator of all things.
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
John 1:10
"He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him."
2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
1 Thessalonians 5:5
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness."
Friday, April 3, 2009
You were in His Prayers
Just a few hours ago, as I spent an absolutely glorious morning with God, outside in the fresh morning air, watching the sunrise, I was overwhelmed by what He has done for me! With Easter coming up, the sacrifice of Jesus is all the more real to me. Not that I don't live every day with the realization of what He did for me on the cross, but Easter provides a grand opportunity to celebrate it! It just makes me want to shout from the rooftops the meaning of what He did.
I've never come across such a beautiful illustration of what Jesus did until I read this morning's devotional by Max Lucado from his book, "And the Angels Were Silent." In it he says:
"The final prayer of Jesus was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was for you. Before he went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers....
And God couldn't turn his back on you. He couldn't because he saw you, and one look at you was all it took to convince him. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak....
On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you."
Luke 22:41
"Then Jesus went about a stone's throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed."
Jesus made the choice to die on the cross for us. He didn't have to go through with it but He understood He was sent to this earth to do His Father's will. And it is the will of God in Heaven that every person on this earth would come to know Him as their personal savior, through the incredible sacrifice of His son. What a treasure, a gift this is for us! I encourage you to not only accept it, but grab hold of it!!
Love in Christ,
Brandi
I've never come across such a beautiful illustration of what Jesus did until I read this morning's devotional by Max Lucado from his book, "And the Angels Were Silent." In it he says:
"The final prayer of Jesus was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was for you. Before he went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers....
And God couldn't turn his back on you. He couldn't because he saw you, and one look at you was all it took to convince him. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak....
On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you."
Luke 22:41
"Then Jesus went about a stone's throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed."
Jesus made the choice to die on the cross for us. He didn't have to go through with it but He understood He was sent to this earth to do His Father's will. And it is the will of God in Heaven that every person on this earth would come to know Him as their personal savior, through the incredible sacrifice of His son. What a treasure, a gift this is for us! I encourage you to not only accept it, but grab hold of it!!
Love in Christ,
Brandi
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Seek His face!
Psalm 43:3-5
"Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!"
Yes Lord, I will put my trust in you. You are all I need. You are my everything. I will praise you with all I've got to give. Thank you for guiding me with your truth, lighting my path in this dark world. I long for the day when I will see your face and until then, I will choose to constantly seek your face!!
Love,
Your daughter,
Brandi
"Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!"
Yes Lord, I will put my trust in you. You are all I need. You are my everything. I will praise you with all I've got to give. Thank you for guiding me with your truth, lighting my path in this dark world. I long for the day when I will see your face and until then, I will choose to constantly seek your face!!
Love,
Your daughter,
Brandi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)