If this doesn't light your fire, I don't know what will........................
John 10:7-18 (New International Version)
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Worry vs. Faith - Putting up the Shield of Faith
Think about your current worries. Are you worrying about temporary things or things that won't matter in eternity? Is your worry adding one moment to your life, or might it be shortening your life? Does your worry imply that God doesn't know what you need or that He is unwilling to meet your need? Are you worried more about current reality or about what you think might happen?
Where do you believe God is when you're worried? Worry, by definition, is a lack of faith in God, It is, as one writer has said, "practical atheism." In fact, worry quickly becomes idolatry of the self: I am more concerned about myself than I am about trusting God's purposes. When we are at such a point, we aren't carrying the shield of faith.
If worry is a problem for you, ask God to help you to trust Him. We only trust people or things that prove to be faithful. (Has God proven His faithfulness to you?) The Enemy stakes his battle plan on your worry. It will rob you of faith and cause you to fall victim to him. Take up the shield of faith and stand against this scheme of the Enemy in your life.
Worry:
focuses on circumstances and self and obsesses about what might happen based on our thoughts.
Faith:
focuses on God, trusts what God has and will do based on God's Word
Worry:
elevates the temporary over the eternal, keeps us awake at night
Faith:
sees the eternal despite the temporary, gives us sleep at night
Worry:
is a tool of the Enemy
Faith:
is a gift of God
One of our biggest problems is that we get more focused on our circumstances than on the God who is bigger than our circumstances.
Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
- Chuck Lawless, Putting on the Armor, Equipped And Deployed for Spiritual Warfare
Where do you believe God is when you're worried? Worry, by definition, is a lack of faith in God, It is, as one writer has said, "practical atheism." In fact, worry quickly becomes idolatry of the self: I am more concerned about myself than I am about trusting God's purposes. When we are at such a point, we aren't carrying the shield of faith.
If worry is a problem for you, ask God to help you to trust Him. We only trust people or things that prove to be faithful. (Has God proven His faithfulness to you?) The Enemy stakes his battle plan on your worry. It will rob you of faith and cause you to fall victim to him. Take up the shield of faith and stand against this scheme of the Enemy in your life.
Worry:
focuses on circumstances and self and obsesses about what might happen based on our thoughts.
Faith:
focuses on God, trusts what God has and will do based on God's Word
Worry:
elevates the temporary over the eternal, keeps us awake at night
Faith:
sees the eternal despite the temporary, gives us sleep at night
Worry:
is a tool of the Enemy
Faith:
is a gift of God
One of our biggest problems is that we get more focused on our circumstances than on the God who is bigger than our circumstances.
Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
- Chuck Lawless, Putting on the Armor, Equipped And Deployed for Spiritual Warfare
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Voice of Adventure
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"
Psalm 27:1
Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry for what you don't try, right? You can't fall if you don't take a stand, right? You can't lose your balance if you never climb, right? So don't try it. Take the safe route.
Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is?
- Max Lucado, He Still Moves Stones
I so identify with these words from a very wise Bible teacher. For the last three years, God has brought me in, tightly under his wing and it is there where He has shaped me, molded me, convicted me, healed me, taught me His Word, loved me and prepared me. I am now entering into a new season of my life, where I see Him opening doors for me to walk through. The key to fearlessly walking through them is believing, that He is standing on the other side of those doors, welcoming we into a new place, where He is. He is not opening them and then pushing me through and then taking off. He will stay right there with me in this new "room" I'll be entering. He would never call me to do something and then not stick around and do it with me. Why? Because He does not want me to do these things in my own strength. He is the Good Shepherd and I am simply His sheep! He is calling me to allow Him to do them through me. The time I've spent, over the last three years so tightly hidden under his wings was actually time spent getting rid of "me" and making room for Him. That is the goal of a Christ follower, right? Less of me, more of Him? I realize I'll be getting rid of "me" until the day I die, but I can honestly say there is a lot more of Him in my life than ever before. And, regardless of what season of life I find myself in, I will never, ever leave the safety of living under His wings. I will stay in that place forever!
So now, I am seeing more and more opportunities seemingly "popping up" in my life to serve Him, to speak for Him, to teach about Him, to stand up for Him, to represent Him, to bring Glory to Him, to point the world to Him. Yes, the battle will rage against me at times, His word says it will. I am alert and prepared to fight that battle by putting on the full armor, from the helmet down to the shoes. But, I will not let the fear of leaving the "safety zone" keep me from entering the game. I don't know what lies ahead for me, but God does, after all, He wrote every day of my life in His book. For this reason, I can trust Him to lead me down the right path. God gives us one chance at this life on earth. I choose to live it, trusting God every step of the way. I want to make a difference. I want my life to represent one word - JESUS!
Oh how thankful I am that He rescued me from the dominion of darkness and has brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves. (Colossians 1:13)
I am so thankful that I even "get to" participate in this kind of life - the adventure of Jesus!
Psalm 27:1
Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry for what you don't try, right? You can't fall if you don't take a stand, right? You can't lose your balance if you never climb, right? So don't try it. Take the safe route.
Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is?
- Max Lucado, He Still Moves Stones
I so identify with these words from a very wise Bible teacher. For the last three years, God has brought me in, tightly under his wing and it is there where He has shaped me, molded me, convicted me, healed me, taught me His Word, loved me and prepared me. I am now entering into a new season of my life, where I see Him opening doors for me to walk through. The key to fearlessly walking through them is believing, that He is standing on the other side of those doors, welcoming we into a new place, where He is. He is not opening them and then pushing me through and then taking off. He will stay right there with me in this new "room" I'll be entering. He would never call me to do something and then not stick around and do it with me. Why? Because He does not want me to do these things in my own strength. He is the Good Shepherd and I am simply His sheep! He is calling me to allow Him to do them through me. The time I've spent, over the last three years so tightly hidden under his wings was actually time spent getting rid of "me" and making room for Him. That is the goal of a Christ follower, right? Less of me, more of Him? I realize I'll be getting rid of "me" until the day I die, but I can honestly say there is a lot more of Him in my life than ever before. And, regardless of what season of life I find myself in, I will never, ever leave the safety of living under His wings. I will stay in that place forever!
So now, I am seeing more and more opportunities seemingly "popping up" in my life to serve Him, to speak for Him, to teach about Him, to stand up for Him, to represent Him, to bring Glory to Him, to point the world to Him. Yes, the battle will rage against me at times, His word says it will. I am alert and prepared to fight that battle by putting on the full armor, from the helmet down to the shoes. But, I will not let the fear of leaving the "safety zone" keep me from entering the game. I don't know what lies ahead for me, but God does, after all, He wrote every day of my life in His book. For this reason, I can trust Him to lead me down the right path. God gives us one chance at this life on earth. I choose to live it, trusting God every step of the way. I want to make a difference. I want my life to represent one word - JESUS!
Oh how thankful I am that He rescued me from the dominion of darkness and has brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves. (Colossians 1:13)
I am so thankful that I even "get to" participate in this kind of life - the adventure of Jesus!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Jesus - the Prince of Peace
Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6) whose sacrificial death bridges the gap between us and God. We can be at peace with God not because we deserve it, but because Jesus is our mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). He became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21), bore God's wrath against us (Rom. 3:23-26), and now advocates for us with the Father (1 John 2:1). That which puts us at odds with God - our sinfulness - has now been addressed.
No peace exists like the peace God gives us when our relationship with Him is restored. Jesus is that peace, and He makes that peace possible.
- Chuck Lawless, Putting on the Armor
As human beings, we have this huge problem - it's called sin! The ONLY way, the ONLY way, the ONLY way we can be reconciled to God, with His perfect standard, is through accepting the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. There is NO OTHER remedy for our sin problem. Make no mistake, the problem exists in every human being ever created. I can't thank God enough for sending His Son as the one and only sacrifice to cover my sin, ultimately making a way for me to be saved from death. Instead, He gives us life and life eternal. What a gift of peace! Thank you God for loving me so much that you would do this for me. Oh but it's not just for me, He is standing at the door, offering His gift of salvation to everyone! It is a free gift, for anyone who will receive it! Wow! Now that's amazing!
No peace exists like the peace God gives us when our relationship with Him is restored. Jesus is that peace, and He makes that peace possible.
- Chuck Lawless, Putting on the Armor
As human beings, we have this huge problem - it's called sin! The ONLY way, the ONLY way, the ONLY way we can be reconciled to God, with His perfect standard, is through accepting the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. There is NO OTHER remedy for our sin problem. Make no mistake, the problem exists in every human being ever created. I can't thank God enough for sending His Son as the one and only sacrifice to cover my sin, ultimately making a way for me to be saved from death. Instead, He gives us life and life eternal. What a gift of peace! Thank you God for loving me so much that you would do this for me. Oh but it's not just for me, He is standing at the door, offering His gift of salvation to everyone! It is a free gift, for anyone who will receive it! Wow! Now that's amazing!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Your one and only?
Genesis 3:15
"....he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
"As God predicted at the fall, the ancient serpent struck Christ's heel, but on the day He ascended, all things were under Christ's feet. Jesus Christ walked the way of humanity so humanity could walk the way of God. How beautiful the feet that brought good news.
The question is not, "Is Jesus the One and Only?" Our vote cannot elect Him to a position He already occupies. The question is this: Has Jesus become your One and Only? Is He transcending all else in your life? Is He beyond compare? Your one and only Savior? Your one and only Deliverer? The one and only Lover of your soul? If so, my dear friend, you are being transformed from glory unto glory like Moses who descended the mount of God with face radiant. You may not see it, but others do. That's God's way. May our lives be obscured by the glory of Christ, hidden in the shadow of His cross. And when all is said and done, may your tenure on this planet be characterized by one simple word - Jesus."
- Beth Moore
Jesus, The One And Only
"....he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
"As God predicted at the fall, the ancient serpent struck Christ's heel, but on the day He ascended, all things were under Christ's feet. Jesus Christ walked the way of humanity so humanity could walk the way of God. How beautiful the feet that brought good news.
The question is not, "Is Jesus the One and Only?" Our vote cannot elect Him to a position He already occupies. The question is this: Has Jesus become your One and Only? Is He transcending all else in your life? Is He beyond compare? Your one and only Savior? Your one and only Deliverer? The one and only Lover of your soul? If so, my dear friend, you are being transformed from glory unto glory like Moses who descended the mount of God with face radiant. You may not see it, but others do. That's God's way. May our lives be obscured by the glory of Christ, hidden in the shadow of His cross. And when all is said and done, may your tenure on this planet be characterized by one simple word - Jesus."
- Beth Moore
Jesus, The One And Only
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
He Holds Our Hand
He holds our hand
My 3-year old son, Luke and I were enjoying ourselves recently, hiking in the dry creek bed near our house. Hiking is one of the many outdoor activities my husband and children and I often enjoy together, living in the “woods” of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. What a blessing this place is! In the creek bed, there is one area covered mostly with small, smooth rocks that is easy to navigate over. As the hike progresses, however, the terrain suddenly changes into very large, rough boulders. Once we come to this stretch of the hike, mommy must hold little Luke’s little hand as we climb over them, to avoid him slipping and injuring a knee, an elbow, or even worse, his head!
Luke loves to pick every flower he sees, for me. He thinks they are all beautiful and that his mommy should have all of them. On this particular day, he was cherishing a dandelion he had picked and was holding it tightly in his hand. Upon reaching the rough boulders, I reached down to grab his hand but I could not get a tight grip on it. Luke had his little hand closed, like a ball around this “weed” he called a flower. I explained to him that in order for mommy to protect him from slipping on the rocks and getting hurt, he must drop the flower and allow me to hold his hand the right way, tightly and securely. So, with some hesitation, he did what I asked and let go of what he thought was important and slipped his small hand into mine. As he watched the flower drop to the ground, in that moment, he realized it was not worth holding onto if it meant risk of injury. It was also in that moment when the Holy Spirit spoke so clearly to my heart. He said, “This is how it is with you. You try to hold onto things that you think are beautiful and important, but I am saying, let go of those things so that I can grab your hand, tightly and securely. The path of life is full of bumpy rocks and boulders and you must allow me to hold onto you as we cross over them, together. Don’t hold so tightly to the things of this world that can get in the way of what I have for you. They are not worth it. My plan is so much better. Drop those things so you can grab onto me!”
Father knows best, doesn’t He? He is standing there, arms outstretched, in our direction. He wants us to grab on and live our life in Him, safely resting in the palm of His hand.
Psalm 73:23-28
"Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Open the book!
Psalm 73:23-28
23 Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27 Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
This passage of scripture was exactly what I needed today. I needed God's glorious reassurance in the face of condemnation, His comforting in an often-times uncomfortable world, His strength when I felt defeated. He gave it to me, right here in His word. Amazing how He speaks to us!! What is He trying to say to you? Open the book and you will find out! God only knows what is waiting in there for you!
23 Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27 Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
This passage of scripture was exactly what I needed today. I needed God's glorious reassurance in the face of condemnation, His comforting in an often-times uncomfortable world, His strength when I felt defeated. He gave it to me, right here in His word. Amazing how He speaks to us!! What is He trying to say to you? Open the book and you will find out! God only knows what is waiting in there for you!
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