OK. There are a few posts I have written and planned on placing on this blog today, but guess what? It won't work. There is nothing I'm doing different- it just won't paste onto here. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to retype them so they will have to wait.
As I sat here getting frustrated, I realized that the one I was trying to get posted for today was something the Devil might not want someone to think about. Not that I'm saying everything is against me, but it was a thought.
Pray that I have the understanding to fix the problem or at least time to type them in later. Thanks to all of you! Have a great weekend and let me know some things God has been telling you or that you might be interested in.
Give me some good topics!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Most Precious Gift
When my sons, Derek and Malachi, arrived the other day I received the most precious gift ever.
As they were unpacking, Malachi excitedly came up to me and said he had a Mother's Day present he bought for me. It was a little oyster in a shell with a pearl inside and a dolphin necklace which would hold the pearl. It was the first present ever bought for me from my children on their own accord and with their own money. He had held onto it, for me especially, for two months and made sure to pack it.
My heart melted. Malachi was so excited about it as well. He kept showing me different things about it and holding it. I think it was precious to him as well.
That's when it hit me. How much more precious is it to God when we do something, just for Him, at some cost to us, just to show our love for Him? Something that is not expected from us. Something that is purely from our heart?
What a most precious gift that is to Him.
As they were unpacking, Malachi excitedly came up to me and said he had a Mother's Day present he bought for me. It was a little oyster in a shell with a pearl inside and a dolphin necklace which would hold the pearl. It was the first present ever bought for me from my children on their own accord and with their own money. He had held onto it, for me especially, for two months and made sure to pack it.
My heart melted. Malachi was so excited about it as well. He kept showing me different things about it and holding it. I think it was precious to him as well.
That's when it hit me. How much more precious is it to God when we do something, just for Him, at some cost to us, just to show our love for Him? Something that is not expected from us. Something that is purely from our heart?
What a most precious gift that is to Him.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Eternal Life
You have eternal life. In fact, so does everyone you know.
Billy Graham has it.
Michael Jackson has it.
Mother Theresa has it.
Hitler has it.
The point is, where are you going to spend it?
I tend to cringe when I hear people say to someone who was just saved, “Now you have eternal life!” No, actually, they just now have it through Jesus' inheritance. They will no longer be judged by their works, but by the righteousness of Christ's blood that covers them.
Revelation 20:13-15; 21:6-8
“Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.... And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars – their share will be in the lake of sulfur, which is the second death.'”
One of the reasons I feel so strongly that it should worded this way is that it puts an extra pressure on us to share the Gospel. It's one thing if I think a person just doesn't have eternal life happily with Jesus; That perhaps they pass into oblivion. But to think that they will spend eternity in agony, in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30, Luke 13:28), wishing they had followed Jesus, spurs me to try harder and love deeper.
Billy Graham has it.
Michael Jackson has it.
Mother Theresa has it.
Hitler has it.
The point is, where are you going to spend it?
I tend to cringe when I hear people say to someone who was just saved, “Now you have eternal life!” No, actually, they just now have it through Jesus' inheritance. They will no longer be judged by their works, but by the righteousness of Christ's blood that covers them.
Revelation 20:13-15; 21:6-8
“Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.... And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars – their share will be in the lake of sulfur, which is the second death.'”
One of the reasons I feel so strongly that it should worded this way is that it puts an extra pressure on us to share the Gospel. It's one thing if I think a person just doesn't have eternal life happily with Jesus; That perhaps they pass into oblivion. But to think that they will spend eternity in agony, in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30, Luke 13:28), wishing they had followed Jesus, spurs me to try harder and love deeper.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
2 Samuel 22:7-20
“ I called to the Lord in my distress; I called to my God. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.
Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they shook because He burned with anger.
Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.
He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.
From the radiance of His presence, flaming coals were ignited.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice.
He shot arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightening bolts and routed them.
The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”
God loves you just as He loved David. He will do the same for you.
Will you have that kind of faith in Him?
Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they shook because He burned with anger.
Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.
He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.
From the radiance of His presence, flaming coals were ignited.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice.
He shot arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightening bolts and routed them.
The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”
God loves you just as He loved David. He will do the same for you.
Will you have that kind of faith in Him?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Not Who I Was, But Who I Am
There is a great line from a song by Christian artist Brandon Heath: “I'm not who I was.” I feel like that could be my life title in so many ways. Recently, it's hit me in a somewhat funny way. Those of you who didn't know me as a child or teen ager may have a difficult time believing this, but I was terribly shy unless I knew someone very well. I never spoke out in a group and seldom let my opinions be known. However, about the time I turned 25, that all changed. There were many events that happened at that time, but all I will say for now is that I woke up- for the first time.
The funny thing about it is that many times, I just can't keep silent! The other Sunday it was hitting me particularly hard. My poor Life Group (Sunday School) teacher hadn't had me in the room 2 minutes before I felt I had to interject something. After the third comment, I decided to try and keep silent.
I think that lasted about seven minutes. (And mostly because he was on a roll.)
I kept thinking of that verse in Psalms where David said , “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.” (Psalm 32:3) I know in that verse David was talking about unconfessed sins before the Lord, but that's how I felt! I just get so excited about the Word of the Lord and what He has been teaching and showing me, that if I try and keep it in, my bones hurt. The awful thing is that I annoy myself!
I was relieved to go to worship service to finally keep myself quiet. However, the worship leader for that day told us that he was going to ask the congregation to speak a word about what the Lord meant to them and that the choir was welcome to comment as well. I steeled my tongue. When the time came, I was chomping at the bit, but waited. When finally I could contain it no more, I told the Lord that if they asked for one more person, I would speak. Luckily, they didn't. However, later on when talking with my husband, he said he could tell I was about to burst. I just can't get away from it!
I am not saying that the Lord is speaking through me, but when I have managed to keep silent if something comes to mind, I often feel chastised later by God for not having spoke it. Over the last few years, I've tried to discern the times to speak and the times to keep silent, and I think I have found a healthy balance.
It just cracks me up to think about how different of a person I am. Inside I am shy, insecure, don't like to be noticed, and feel I have little to offer. I love to do little things where no one has to know who I am. Yet the Lord has me working with women at the church, singing in the choir, teaching Bible studies and now writing!
Praise to God that He has chosen me – this foolish, weak, insignificant, and despised thing – to glorify Him!
1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 31b
“Instead, God has chosen the world's foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world's weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world's insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are view as something, so that no one can boast in His presence.... The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.”
The funny thing about it is that many times, I just can't keep silent! The other Sunday it was hitting me particularly hard. My poor Life Group (Sunday School) teacher hadn't had me in the room 2 minutes before I felt I had to interject something. After the third comment, I decided to try and keep silent.
I think that lasted about seven minutes. (And mostly because he was on a roll.)
I kept thinking of that verse in Psalms where David said , “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.” (Psalm 32:3) I know in that verse David was talking about unconfessed sins before the Lord, but that's how I felt! I just get so excited about the Word of the Lord and what He has been teaching and showing me, that if I try and keep it in, my bones hurt. The awful thing is that I annoy myself!
I was relieved to go to worship service to finally keep myself quiet. However, the worship leader for that day told us that he was going to ask the congregation to speak a word about what the Lord meant to them and that the choir was welcome to comment as well. I steeled my tongue. When the time came, I was chomping at the bit, but waited. When finally I could contain it no more, I told the Lord that if they asked for one more person, I would speak. Luckily, they didn't. However, later on when talking with my husband, he said he could tell I was about to burst. I just can't get away from it!
I am not saying that the Lord is speaking through me, but when I have managed to keep silent if something comes to mind, I often feel chastised later by God for not having spoke it. Over the last few years, I've tried to discern the times to speak and the times to keep silent, and I think I have found a healthy balance.
It just cracks me up to think about how different of a person I am. Inside I am shy, insecure, don't like to be noticed, and feel I have little to offer. I love to do little things where no one has to know who I am. Yet the Lord has me working with women at the church, singing in the choir, teaching Bible studies and now writing!
Praise to God that He has chosen me – this foolish, weak, insignificant, and despised thing – to glorify Him!
1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 31b
“Instead, God has chosen the world's foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world's weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world's insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are view as something, so that no one can boast in His presence.... The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.”
Monday, July 6, 2009
Happy Day!
Our boys are coming today!!!
My two older children, Derek and Malachi, only live with us part of the year. Most of you know I was married once before, and their father has custody. It is a difficult situation, but I know the Lord can work it out for the best.
They will be here for a month, and I'm hoping to keep as current on this blog as I have been. While we tend to look at this time they are with us as total vacation, there are certain things I am trying to instill in them. First and foremost is a love for God. I want them to see that while I love them deeply, following what God has told me to do it utterly important. I believe the number one thing He has told me, for now, is to write this blog.
It is a very difficult thing to trust them completely to the Lord, and that is what I have had to do since they were three and one years old. I cling to Proverbs 22:6 “Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” I try to teach and train them in the Lord's way when I have them and then must trust God that they will not depart from it. Now, I know that it is not a guarantee for salvation. Each person must make their own decision for that, but I must strive to do what I can, when I can, and be at peace.
Samuel's mother, Hannah, is my role model. (1 Samuel 1-3) She gave Samuel over to the Lord, to be raised in the temple by the High Priest, Eli, when he was around three years old. She was only able to see him once a year as well. The other thing Hannah had to overcome was that Eli was already raising two sons who were wicked men and had no regard for the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:12) But look how Samuel turned out. Why? Because that was the Lord's desire. I also think Hannah's prayers, heart, and obedience had a lot to do with it.
Please pray for our family this month. While it is a wonderful month, it can also be difficult at times. It takes some adjusting to our rules when they are here. Then when they are about to go back, everyone is cranky and emotional. Pray that we all keep our eyes focused on the Lord and the children all develop a passion for the Lord.
My two older children, Derek and Malachi, only live with us part of the year. Most of you know I was married once before, and their father has custody. It is a difficult situation, but I know the Lord can work it out for the best.
They will be here for a month, and I'm hoping to keep as current on this blog as I have been. While we tend to look at this time they are with us as total vacation, there are certain things I am trying to instill in them. First and foremost is a love for God. I want them to see that while I love them deeply, following what God has told me to do it utterly important. I believe the number one thing He has told me, for now, is to write this blog.
It is a very difficult thing to trust them completely to the Lord, and that is what I have had to do since they were three and one years old. I cling to Proverbs 22:6 “Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” I try to teach and train them in the Lord's way when I have them and then must trust God that they will not depart from it. Now, I know that it is not a guarantee for salvation. Each person must make their own decision for that, but I must strive to do what I can, when I can, and be at peace.
Samuel's mother, Hannah, is my role model. (1 Samuel 1-3) She gave Samuel over to the Lord, to be raised in the temple by the High Priest, Eli, when he was around three years old. She was only able to see him once a year as well. The other thing Hannah had to overcome was that Eli was already raising two sons who were wicked men and had no regard for the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:12) But look how Samuel turned out. Why? Because that was the Lord's desire. I also think Hannah's prayers, heart, and obedience had a lot to do with it.
Please pray for our family this month. While it is a wonderful month, it can also be difficult at times. It takes some adjusting to our rules when they are here. Then when they are about to go back, everyone is cranky and emotional. Pray that we all keep our eyes focused on the Lord and the children all develop a passion for the Lord.
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