I am on a big health kick right now. I am trying my best to eat right and exercise regularly. The funny part about eating right is that most of the foods I enjoy the most are not at all good for me. So what I have been trying to do is substitute some of my regular ingredients for healthier ingredients and still achieve the same taste that I have come to love. I tell you that more often than not, the food just doesn't taste the same. It doesn't fill me up. It doesn't meet my nutritional need.
The same holds true in my spiritual walk. I have read time and time again in the Bible that I am to lean and depend on God. Depend on Him for everything. Verses like, 'Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path'. Proverbs 3:5-6 And what about Deuteronomy 6:6 which says, 'And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.' There are many other verses that stress this point. Take some time to dig into your spiritual treasure chest and list the verses that come to mind. If you can't think of any take some time to pray and ask God to show you where to go in His Word.
As you think about those scriptures ask yourself if you are truly leaning and depending on God for everything or have you found yourself some convenient substitutions. Now what do I mean by substitutions? For security we depend on our job. For love we depend on our spouse or our boyfriend or girlfriend. For safety we depend on an alarm system or a weapon. We substitute temporary pleasure for joy. We substitute financial stability for peace. But do these things truly provide what we are looking for in life? Do they afford us the peace and joy and love and security that we really need. I think not! All these things are temporary and the longer you live you will come to find out that all these things will come and go and you will be left empty. And as a result of your emptiness then you will turn to the Lord. So I ask you, why settle for substitutions when you can have the God of everything. The one that will provide you with a peace that surpasses all understanding. A Comforter that will hold you when the one you were depending on to love you turns his/her back on you. The one that says, 'He is your Shepherd and you shall not want'. The one who says, 'Seek Him first and ALL these things will be added unto you'. I will let you fill in the blank for what ALL is to you. The one who sees your past and forgives you. The one who sees you in your present and doesn't give up on you. The one who sees your future and prophesies that you will be great if you only trust Him.
So why do we choose substitutes over such a great and powerful, Almighty God? I cannot answer that for you. But I will challenge you to take inventory and look at all the imperfect things you substitute for a perfect God and ask yourself does it make sense? The more you rely on them, the more devastating it will be when God has to take them away from you. But when you rely on God first and those things are taken away (jobs, husbands, wives, houses, 401K's) you are not devastated because you know that God has something better. He is working it out for your good. Why not choose the real thing?!
Dear Lord,
I surrender to you. I surrender my need to be in control of everything. My need to know how everything is going to turn out. I admit that I have substituted things of this world to meet my needs instead of trusting completely on you. I want to be able to truly lean and depend on you so that I am not shaken by every little thing that comes my way. I need your help. Thank you for believing in me. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Do You Know Him?
I absolutely love to read! I have even passed my love of reading down to my oldest daughter. Right now I am reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Charles Swindoll. The book is called Growing Deep in the Christian Life. The book is excellent. Most people who love to read would not classify this book as excellent. In fact most would call it boring but I love it. Why because it is helping me with a goal of mine - to know God better, to be more obedient, to not just put Him first but keep Him first. The book is about doctrine and whenever you think of doctrine you think boring. That is why preachers preach on Sunday morning and not teach. They know that we want to hear something that makes us feel good and gives us hope. Makes us shout! But whenever you have a goal of getting to know God better - you have to know what you believe. Today as I was reading the chapter on God the Father, I came across a series of questions that I want to share with you today. Remember the reason I write is to encourage you to continue on in your walk with God. My prayer is that my words make you think. That the encourage you to do better.
Here are the questions:
1. Are you really growing in your knowledge of God as the days and weeks slip by?
2. Are you honestly walking more closely with Jesus Christ? If not, why not?
3. What might be keeping you from making this goal number one?
4. What would you have to change in your life and schedule to shift your focus and perspective in the coming months?
I absolutely love the way God works! Last week I was having a hard time prioritizing and was trying to think of what I was going to have to give up in order to keep my sanity. Family, school, writing...all these things pulling me in different directions. After prayer and through tears, I concluded that all I needed to do was Put God First! Then I went on to say on yesterday that 'unless the Lord builds a house....all your work is in vain'. So once again I am reading and studying and meditating on God's Word and I come to these four questions. Now let me start by saying that if you are not ready to answer these questions honestly then don't because God knows. I really don't even have anything profound to say but I must be obedient to the Holy Spirit.
We all can come up with a list of excuses as to why knowing God is not our top priority. Go ahead and take some time and make that list. Then after you make that list, take a moment and list all the things you worry about. All the things that keep you up at night. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to tear up that list of worries? I think so. And you can tear up that list of worries when you make God number one. I might sound like a broken record to you but let me share with you how many times I have started and stopped my journey to get to know the Lord better and walk completely in His ways. Reading His Word daily. Praying daily. Placing everything in His hands. Too many times to count. There was always some distraction that kept me away from it. Something that took up my time. Sometimes I was just too tired. But things are different now and the reward is so much greater. And I'm the type of person that if I find something that works and makes life a little bit easier for me then I want to share it with others.
God doesn't want you to get to know Him better so he can brag. He wants you to get to know Him better to help you. He sees your stress, doubt, depression, fear, worries. He wants you to turn them all over to Him. He sees through that mask that you put on at work, at home and even at church. He wants so badly to provide for you that inner peace. But you have to do your part. How do you do your part ? By getting to know Him, that is, everything about Him. Being prepared for whatever life may throw your way. Like when the weatherman says that there is rain in the forecast. What do you do? You take an umbrella with you. Most of you keep an umbrella in your car or at your desk at work. Why? Because you never know when it's going to rain. You are prepared. And that's exactly what getting to know God better does for us. It prepares us so that we are not bothered by every storm that comes our way. When the rain comes you have your umbrella, safety in the arms of Jesus. We have faith in the God that we serve. We accept the fact that we are victorious. God has already won the battle. All we have to do is trust Him to do what He says. And He will!
I encourage whoever is reading this today to take a moment and answer the questions above. Be honest. What do you need to change in your life in order to make knowing God a priority? I cannot answer that for you. One thing I can tell you is that the day you make that decision you won't regret it.
Dear Lord,
Every day I am striving to do better. Today I surrender my daily schedule to you. I need your help in rearranging it so that I have time for you. I have been having a hard time doing this one my own so I am coming to you for help. I no longer want to just squeeze you into my day. I want you to be intermingled throughout my day. Thank you Lord for doing this for me. It has been an impossible task up until now. But I know that you are a God who specializes in the impossible. Today I begin anew and I will follow you forward. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
Here are the questions:
1. Are you really growing in your knowledge of God as the days and weeks slip by?
2. Are you honestly walking more closely with Jesus Christ? If not, why not?
3. What might be keeping you from making this goal number one?
4. What would you have to change in your life and schedule to shift your focus and perspective in the coming months?
I absolutely love the way God works! Last week I was having a hard time prioritizing and was trying to think of what I was going to have to give up in order to keep my sanity. Family, school, writing...all these things pulling me in different directions. After prayer and through tears, I concluded that all I needed to do was Put God First! Then I went on to say on yesterday that 'unless the Lord builds a house....all your work is in vain'. So once again I am reading and studying and meditating on God's Word and I come to these four questions. Now let me start by saying that if you are not ready to answer these questions honestly then don't because God knows. I really don't even have anything profound to say but I must be obedient to the Holy Spirit.
We all can come up with a list of excuses as to why knowing God is not our top priority. Go ahead and take some time and make that list. Then after you make that list, take a moment and list all the things you worry about. All the things that keep you up at night. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to tear up that list of worries? I think so. And you can tear up that list of worries when you make God number one. I might sound like a broken record to you but let me share with you how many times I have started and stopped my journey to get to know the Lord better and walk completely in His ways. Reading His Word daily. Praying daily. Placing everything in His hands. Too many times to count. There was always some distraction that kept me away from it. Something that took up my time. Sometimes I was just too tired. But things are different now and the reward is so much greater. And I'm the type of person that if I find something that works and makes life a little bit easier for me then I want to share it with others.
God doesn't want you to get to know Him better so he can brag. He wants you to get to know Him better to help you. He sees your stress, doubt, depression, fear, worries. He wants you to turn them all over to Him. He sees through that mask that you put on at work, at home and even at church. He wants so badly to provide for you that inner peace. But you have to do your part. How do you do your part ? By getting to know Him, that is, everything about Him. Being prepared for whatever life may throw your way. Like when the weatherman says that there is rain in the forecast. What do you do? You take an umbrella with you. Most of you keep an umbrella in your car or at your desk at work. Why? Because you never know when it's going to rain. You are prepared. And that's exactly what getting to know God better does for us. It prepares us so that we are not bothered by every storm that comes our way. When the rain comes you have your umbrella, safety in the arms of Jesus. We have faith in the God that we serve. We accept the fact that we are victorious. God has already won the battle. All we have to do is trust Him to do what He says. And He will!
I encourage whoever is reading this today to take a moment and answer the questions above. Be honest. What do you need to change in your life in order to make knowing God a priority? I cannot answer that for you. One thing I can tell you is that the day you make that decision you won't regret it.
Dear Lord,
Every day I am striving to do better. Today I surrender my daily schedule to you. I need your help in rearranging it so that I have time for you. I have been having a hard time doing this one my own so I am coming to you for help. I no longer want to just squeeze you into my day. I want you to be intermingled throughout my day. Thank you Lord for doing this for me. It has been an impossible task up until now. But I know that you are a God who specializes in the impossible. Today I begin anew and I will follow you forward. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Unless The Lord Builds A House
Why do we work? That's a simple enough question with a simple enough answer. We work to take care of our families. We work to buy a house. We work to take vacations. We work to eat. We work to drive a nice car. The list goes on and on. Last week I wrote about putting God first and that when you do everything else will fall into place. Matthew 6:33.
It amazes me that when the Lord has something to show you, He shows you over and over again. As I was meditating and spending some quiet time with the Lord I was directed to Psalms 127:1-2.
'Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves'.
Society has set up a system such that we must work in order to have what we want. Every week, Monday through Friday, many of us get up in the morning and head off to a job that we don't enjoy and spend more time there then we do at home. There are a few of us that actually work in a job we enjoy but at what expense. We make all kinds of sacrifices for a monetary reward. All the while our families are suffering. Our very well-being is suffering. Yet we continue on with our routine because that is what people do if they want to survive. So why are we still unhappy?
I have often times sat and thought about how my parents made it with so much less than I have and with a much larger family. My dad worked and my mother stayed at home. After all there was not much benefit in her working outside of the the home with seven children to take care of. Her paycheck would have been eaten up by daycare costs. With all that being said I still have very fond childhood memories of family time. We all went to church together. We ate dinner together and most importantly we prayed together as a family. I remember my dad would read from the Bible and then lead off in family prayer and then we would all pray. Times were not perfect but they were good. You see, my father was allowing the Lord to build his house. It was the very foundation on which we stood.
Today we spend countless hours working and participating in outside activities, neglecting our relationship with the Lord. We receive our paycheck and yet we worry about what we will eat, where we will sleep, what we will wear. We watch the news and hear about all sorts of crime and worry about someone invading our home. We worry about what might happen. We are not confident enough to say as David said, 'I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread'. (Psalms 37:25)
My purpose today is not to encourage you to stop working. Working has been a part of life since the beginning of time. Remember Adam in the garden, before he was given a wife he was given a job or caring for all the animals. What I am trying to tell you is that instead of putting all your faith in a nine to five job and giving that job one hundred percent, why not give God one hundred percent and allow Him to manage the rest of your affairs. Build your house on a firm foundation. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Let God be God. The reward will be so much better than that monetary paycheck. You will have rest. For the last week I have been up late studying and have not been getting my regular five hours of sleep. (I've never slept eight hours.) Even though making good grades in these courses is my focus, I choose not to neglect my spiritual life. Because of this the sleep that I do receive is a peaceful sleep. One where I still full completely rested. Right now there are a million other things going on in my life but I do not worry, because God has it all under control. I am standing on His Word. My house is built on a firm foundation. As I read and study His Word and become more like Him I am adding bricks to my foundation. Not sand. Not straw. Take a moment and look at your life. Are you allowing the Lord to set you on a firm foundation? Are you allowing Him to lead, guide and direct you? If you are not then your work is in vain? I don't know about you but I would hate to spend my life working for nothing.
Dear Lord,
I admit that sometimes I am frustrated with the working thing. I work and I work and it seems that I still struggle. I want to be able to provide for my family. Help me to see the importance of putting you first and not neglecting my relationship with you as I go about my daily routine. Help me not to worry. Let me be assured that you will provide rest as my reward. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
It amazes me that when the Lord has something to show you, He shows you over and over again. As I was meditating and spending some quiet time with the Lord I was directed to Psalms 127:1-2.
'Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves'.
Society has set up a system such that we must work in order to have what we want. Every week, Monday through Friday, many of us get up in the morning and head off to a job that we don't enjoy and spend more time there then we do at home. There are a few of us that actually work in a job we enjoy but at what expense. We make all kinds of sacrifices for a monetary reward. All the while our families are suffering. Our very well-being is suffering. Yet we continue on with our routine because that is what people do if they want to survive. So why are we still unhappy?
I have often times sat and thought about how my parents made it with so much less than I have and with a much larger family. My dad worked and my mother stayed at home. After all there was not much benefit in her working outside of the the home with seven children to take care of. Her paycheck would have been eaten up by daycare costs. With all that being said I still have very fond childhood memories of family time. We all went to church together. We ate dinner together and most importantly we prayed together as a family. I remember my dad would read from the Bible and then lead off in family prayer and then we would all pray. Times were not perfect but they were good. You see, my father was allowing the Lord to build his house. It was the very foundation on which we stood.
Today we spend countless hours working and participating in outside activities, neglecting our relationship with the Lord. We receive our paycheck and yet we worry about what we will eat, where we will sleep, what we will wear. We watch the news and hear about all sorts of crime and worry about someone invading our home. We worry about what might happen. We are not confident enough to say as David said, 'I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread'. (Psalms 37:25)
My purpose today is not to encourage you to stop working. Working has been a part of life since the beginning of time. Remember Adam in the garden, before he was given a wife he was given a job or caring for all the animals. What I am trying to tell you is that instead of putting all your faith in a nine to five job and giving that job one hundred percent, why not give God one hundred percent and allow Him to manage the rest of your affairs. Build your house on a firm foundation. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Let God be God. The reward will be so much better than that monetary paycheck. You will have rest. For the last week I have been up late studying and have not been getting my regular five hours of sleep. (I've never slept eight hours.) Even though making good grades in these courses is my focus, I choose not to neglect my spiritual life. Because of this the sleep that I do receive is a peaceful sleep. One where I still full completely rested. Right now there are a million other things going on in my life but I do not worry, because God has it all under control. I am standing on His Word. My house is built on a firm foundation. As I read and study His Word and become more like Him I am adding bricks to my foundation. Not sand. Not straw. Take a moment and look at your life. Are you allowing the Lord to set you on a firm foundation? Are you allowing Him to lead, guide and direct you? If you are not then your work is in vain? I don't know about you but I would hate to spend my life working for nothing.
Dear Lord,
I admit that sometimes I am frustrated with the working thing. I work and I work and it seems that I still struggle. I want to be able to provide for my family. Help me to see the importance of putting you first and not neglecting my relationship with you as I go about my daily routine. Help me not to worry. Let me be assured that you will provide rest as my reward. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Put God First!
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
I actually love the way it reads in the New Living Translation: And He will give you all that you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Boy did I need to hear this today. Call me crazy but here I am with nine hours of college credit in four weeks. I am a wife and a mother of four. I also write this blog everyday. I exercise in the morning and I walk two and a half miles in the evening. Today I don't feel like I have enough. Something is going to go without. I don't have enough energy to give everything a hundred percent. I woke up this morning thinking maybe I need to drop one of these classes. All this reading. My husband already told me that he was prepared for me to be cranky. Not good for my relationship. Of course children require a lot of attention. And I just started writing and I don't want to give it up.
So up from my storage bank popped this verse. I paused and thanked God. This one verse put it all in perspective for me. I needed to prioritize. Put God first. I could not stop my quiet time with God. My bible study. My prayer life. My ministry - which is my writing. It had to continue. And as I honored God through obedience, I had no doubt that He would honor me by honoring His Word. In the earlier paragraph I listed several things that could easily take first place on my priority list. And each of them have in times past. But I had to make a choice not to make that mistake again. The Kingdom of God had to be my primary concern. In all the hustle and bustle of my daily routine I needed to fill my thoughts with that of Christ. I needed to pray without ceasing. I needed to focus on Him. And when I do these things He will take care of the rest.
That's the best news I have heard in a long time. It settled my anxiety. I am confident that every thing will be alright. God is not a man that He should lie and these words were written in red which means Jesus spoke them himself. He said these words after telling them not to worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. And man, is it easy to worry. But not anymore. I'm standing on His promises. I'm trusting Him. I'm setting my priorities in order. I'm putting God first!
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Word which has given me hope. Through my tears I know that every thing is going to be alright. I don't have to worry. I know that when I put you first everything else will fall into place. I will be able to take care of my family, continue with school, my job, my health. (personalize for you) I admit that the first thing I am tempted to give up is my time spent with you. I have often said, God knows my heart. And yes you do. But I don't want to make it hard on myself anymore. I am making you number one. And when I am tempted to forget please remind me. I pray this prayer in your wonderful name. Amen.
I actually love the way it reads in the New Living Translation: And He will give you all that you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Boy did I need to hear this today. Call me crazy but here I am with nine hours of college credit in four weeks. I am a wife and a mother of four. I also write this blog everyday. I exercise in the morning and I walk two and a half miles in the evening. Today I don't feel like I have enough. Something is going to go without. I don't have enough energy to give everything a hundred percent. I woke up this morning thinking maybe I need to drop one of these classes. All this reading. My husband already told me that he was prepared for me to be cranky. Not good for my relationship. Of course children require a lot of attention. And I just started writing and I don't want to give it up.
So up from my storage bank popped this verse. I paused and thanked God. This one verse put it all in perspective for me. I needed to prioritize. Put God first. I could not stop my quiet time with God. My bible study. My prayer life. My ministry - which is my writing. It had to continue. And as I honored God through obedience, I had no doubt that He would honor me by honoring His Word. In the earlier paragraph I listed several things that could easily take first place on my priority list. And each of them have in times past. But I had to make a choice not to make that mistake again. The Kingdom of God had to be my primary concern. In all the hustle and bustle of my daily routine I needed to fill my thoughts with that of Christ. I needed to pray without ceasing. I needed to focus on Him. And when I do these things He will take care of the rest.
That's the best news I have heard in a long time. It settled my anxiety. I am confident that every thing will be alright. God is not a man that He should lie and these words were written in red which means Jesus spoke them himself. He said these words after telling them not to worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. And man, is it easy to worry. But not anymore. I'm standing on His promises. I'm trusting Him. I'm setting my priorities in order. I'm putting God first!
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Word which has given me hope. Through my tears I know that every thing is going to be alright. I don't have to worry. I know that when I put you first everything else will fall into place. I will be able to take care of my family, continue with school, my job, my health. (personalize for you) I admit that the first thing I am tempted to give up is my time spent with you. I have often said, God knows my heart. And yes you do. But I don't want to make it hard on myself anymore. I am making you number one. And when I am tempted to forget please remind me. I pray this prayer in your wonderful name. Amen.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
In Line With His Will
How is your prayer life? Do you pray daily? What do you ask for when you pray? Are your prayers getting answered? If not, do you know why? These are all the questions I asked myself. The questions were brought about during my study time. I was reading in I John. I John Chapter 5 to be exact. I came across verses 14 and 15.
'And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for'. (NLT)
I stopped reading and started thinking about my prayer life. I had to say that it is okay. (can be better) Then I started thinking about what I pray for. I'm not asking to be a millionaire. My requests are pretty level-headed. Most of my prayers are for someone else. So I'm not even praying selfishly. Then I thought about whether or not my prayers are being answered. I just read a verse that says that I can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything and we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. So yes my prayers are being answered. My problem is I don't always like the answer.
Now go back three sentences and read what I wrote. Notice anything? Some thing is missing. Five very important words. 'In line with his will'. See how easy it was for me to see 'What was in it for me'. It was so easy that I omitted the part that was probably the reason I wasn't getting the answer I expected. This was my Ah-hah moment. You see I was praying, every day in fact. But the part I really had to think about was if I was praying in line with His will. Which led me to another question. How do I know the will of God? By getting to know Him better. By talking to Him. By reading His Word. And if we really don't know we be sure to include the words, 'Thy Will Be Done", which sometimes cancels out everything we just prayed for. You see often times we become frustrated either with unanswered prayer or 'wrong' answered prayer. At least we think the answer is wrong. Especially if it's not the one we wanted. This one simple detail was a big challenge for me. For some reason I could understand it better if I was praying some crazy prayer - like becoming a millionaire. But I was praying for someone's health, to find a job, etc. Simple, reasonable things. And you know what happened, the loved one passed on and I remained unemployed. My logical conclusion was God didn't answer me. He most certainly didn't give me what I asked for. I specifically asked Him to heal my grandmother and to help me find a job within three months. My family could survive at least that long.
I am not going to take a deep dive at this time into the will of God. Maybe at a later date. It is important to understand the will of God. And if you are really unsure about it, what a great opportunity for you to spend in the Word and talking to God. You can never go wrong to praying the scriptures. I do it quite often. (Not because God needs a reminder of what He said but because I know it is in line with His will. After all, it was God-breathed.) But I want to share with you how I learned to accept the answers I received. I accepted that God is Sovereign. He can do what He wants to do when He wants to do it. When you accept this concept there is a peace that comes over you like no other. I'm telling you what I know. I experienced it. God is a good God but he allows evil. The Murrah building bombing. The World Trade Center. God is a loving God, yet He allows us to experience hurt and pain. Death. Divorce. Disease. And even with all of this I would so much rather be in His hands than anyone else's.
The other thing I came to grips with was God's timing. What we consider an eternity is like a second to our God. We must learn to accept that He knows when we are ready to receive whatever it is He has in store for us. If you set God on a time schedule, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. And I know you don't like to be disappointed. So sometimes we must wait. But it is not a hopeless wait. It is a hopeful wait. A wait that we are excited about because we know that God Almighty is in control. That is why we trust Him. We exercise our faith - our internal engine. We are confident that He will answer us. And we don't walk around with our lip stuck out when we don't like the answer.
Today I asked lots of questions. God's word and those who write about God's word should make you think. It should bring about change. Just when I have determined in my mind to give up on God or determine that He must not want something for me, that's when He shows up. And there has never been a time that it was not on time. So I continue to pray. I pray with an expectant heart. I have no doubt that He will answer. I know that He is Sovereign. His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. But just like the painter who sees the big picture when starting off with a blank canvas and the architect who draws a few lines that becomes a giant skyscraper, I know that as I pray in line with God's will and accept His answer, I too will become a great masterpiece.
Our Father, which art in heaven. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
'And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for'. (NLT)
I stopped reading and started thinking about my prayer life. I had to say that it is okay. (can be better) Then I started thinking about what I pray for. I'm not asking to be a millionaire. My requests are pretty level-headed. Most of my prayers are for someone else. So I'm not even praying selfishly. Then I thought about whether or not my prayers are being answered. I just read a verse that says that I can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything and we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. So yes my prayers are being answered. My problem is I don't always like the answer.
Now go back three sentences and read what I wrote. Notice anything? Some thing is missing. Five very important words. 'In line with his will'. See how easy it was for me to see 'What was in it for me'. It was so easy that I omitted the part that was probably the reason I wasn't getting the answer I expected. This was my Ah-hah moment. You see I was praying, every day in fact. But the part I really had to think about was if I was praying in line with His will. Which led me to another question. How do I know the will of God? By getting to know Him better. By talking to Him. By reading His Word. And if we really don't know we be sure to include the words, 'Thy Will Be Done", which sometimes cancels out everything we just prayed for. You see often times we become frustrated either with unanswered prayer or 'wrong' answered prayer. At least we think the answer is wrong. Especially if it's not the one we wanted. This one simple detail was a big challenge for me. For some reason I could understand it better if I was praying some crazy prayer - like becoming a millionaire. But I was praying for someone's health, to find a job, etc. Simple, reasonable things. And you know what happened, the loved one passed on and I remained unemployed. My logical conclusion was God didn't answer me. He most certainly didn't give me what I asked for. I specifically asked Him to heal my grandmother and to help me find a job within three months. My family could survive at least that long.
I am not going to take a deep dive at this time into the will of God. Maybe at a later date. It is important to understand the will of God. And if you are really unsure about it, what a great opportunity for you to spend in the Word and talking to God. You can never go wrong to praying the scriptures. I do it quite often. (Not because God needs a reminder of what He said but because I know it is in line with His will. After all, it was God-breathed.) But I want to share with you how I learned to accept the answers I received. I accepted that God is Sovereign. He can do what He wants to do when He wants to do it. When you accept this concept there is a peace that comes over you like no other. I'm telling you what I know. I experienced it. God is a good God but he allows evil. The Murrah building bombing. The World Trade Center. God is a loving God, yet He allows us to experience hurt and pain. Death. Divorce. Disease. And even with all of this I would so much rather be in His hands than anyone else's.
The other thing I came to grips with was God's timing. What we consider an eternity is like a second to our God. We must learn to accept that He knows when we are ready to receive whatever it is He has in store for us. If you set God on a time schedule, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. And I know you don't like to be disappointed. So sometimes we must wait. But it is not a hopeless wait. It is a hopeful wait. A wait that we are excited about because we know that God Almighty is in control. That is why we trust Him. We exercise our faith - our internal engine. We are confident that He will answer us. And we don't walk around with our lip stuck out when we don't like the answer.
Today I asked lots of questions. God's word and those who write about God's word should make you think. It should bring about change. Just when I have determined in my mind to give up on God or determine that He must not want something for me, that's when He shows up. And there has never been a time that it was not on time. So I continue to pray. I pray with an expectant heart. I have no doubt that He will answer. I know that He is Sovereign. His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. But just like the painter who sees the big picture when starting off with a blank canvas and the architect who draws a few lines that becomes a giant skyscraper, I know that as I pray in line with God's will and accept His answer, I too will become a great masterpiece.
Our Father, which art in heaven. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Grow In Grace and In Knowledge
'Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'. II Peter 3:18a
Sometimes when I am studying the Word the weirdest things pop out at me. Today was one of those days. I was reading II Peter and when I got to Chapter 3 verse 18 I stopped. The Holy Spirit arrested my mind. I couldn't get out of my head why the word grace came before knowledge. Shouldn't knowledge have been first? After all, we are always told to read the Bible. Study the Word. So it has to be important. I also took note of the word 'and' which led me to believe that grace and knowledge go hand in hand. You can't grow in one without the other. But I kept going back to the word grace before knowledge. One thing I have learned though about the scripture is that there are no mistakes and things are written that way for a reason.
What is grace? God's unmerited favor. God giving us what we don't deserve. We can't buy it. We can't earn it. Grace is given by God.
What is knowledge? Familiarity, awareness or understanding gained through experience or study. Acquiring knowledge involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association and reasoning.
Why are we as believers told to grow in grace and knowledge? And furthermore, why are we told to grow in grace first. Here is my theory. The Bible is full of valuable information. It is 'sharper than any two-edged sword'. It is 'God-inspired and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness'. In the Bible we are able to take a close look into the mind of Christ. A personal transformation process should take place as we read the Word. Unfortunately this is not always what takes place. Did you know that there are people who read the Word for no other reason than to tell you what is wrong in your life. What you should be doing better. They read the Word to point out the flaws of the preacher, the teacher, the deacon, the deaconess, the choir member. Stop me when I get to your street. They may start studying the Word because they want to grow closer to God. They want a better relationship. But something strange happens on the inside and instead of growing closer, their eyes seem to open up into the lives of those around them. Their husbands. Their wives. Their friends. Their co-workers. All of a sudden they are better than those around them. They become prideful and judgmental. They tend to forget that just yesterday they were in the same place. Actually, if they tell the truth and shame the devil, they really never left that place. They just keep it within the four walls of their own home. And let me say something right here, the very person looking down on the young lady who had a baby out of wedlock is just as much a sinner for gossiping with Sister Sally. The person who is looking down on the young man who went to prison for whatever reason is just as much a sinner for participating in premarital sex. A sin is a sin. And it is not our place to judge.
How many of you reading this already know where I am going? It didn't take me long to figure out why we are told to 'grow in grace and in knowledge'. Lest we forget where we came from. We are all sinners saved by grace. We experience God's grace through His saving power. It leads us to want to know more about Him. So who are we to judge or look down on anyone? That was one of the fights I had with myself before I submitted to God and the ministry He called me to do. I didn't want to think of myself more highly than I should. As a matter of fact I pray daily that God keep me humble. That He gives me the right words to say when I speak and when I teach and when I write.
God has given us grace but we aren't so quick to return the favor to others. We have a memory like an elephant. We remember every wrong thing a person has every done. If we find out something about someone's past that we didn't know, we are quick to turn up our nose at them. There was only one perfect person whoever walked the face of the earth and his name was Jesus Christ. And I hate to tell you this but we all have a past. Whether you were raised in the church and saved at an early age or you became a Christian as an adult, you are not better than anyone. And here's another bit of information I want to share with you, the more Word you come to know and understand, the more you are held accountable for. We are Christ's ambassadors. We are here to help bring others to Christ. We should want to share with others the grace we were extended. I don't know about you but when I think of the things I've done, the words I've said, the bad thoughts I've had yet God still saved me. In fact he continues to extend grace to me by forgiving me every day and I have the nerve to think of myself as better than someone else. Shame on me!
I'm reminded of a Walter Hawkins song on his Love Alive album. The song is entitled "I'm Not The Same". The lyrics are as follows: I came to Christ, just as I was. I was lost deep in sin. I had no peace of mind within. And I'm not the same. Everything has changed. Because of Christ. Here is the one thing I want you to keep in mind. You know your story. Only you can write the lyrics to your song. It may sound similar to the words of the Walter Hawkins song I just mentioned. Whatever the case may be, God saved you. By His grace. And your life is not the same. As you grow in knowledge and you get to know God better and he changes you to be more like him, you should be more willing to extend grace to others. In and of ourselves it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
I am a strong advocate of studying the Word of God. I believe that everyone should know the Word for themselves so that at any time you can give an account for the hope that is in you. But I challenge you that you should also grow in grace. After all, grace is what started you on your journey. As you learn more about Christ, you should become more like Him. Have you ever stopped to think where you would be if God looked at your past and instead of extending grace and saving you, He turned his back and said, 'You're just not good enough'. Forget about the past before you were saved, let's rewind to just yesterday. What if God said, "I'm not going to forgive you. I've given you enough chances." I don't know about you but I would be in horrible shape. I encourage you to live your life as though you are the only Jesus the people you encounter will see. Are you a good representative?
Dear Lord,
I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I have been guilty of judging my sister, my brother in Christ. Instead of extending grace, I've made the decision that they don't deserve it. After all you have done for me. You saved me and you continue to forgive me. With your help I know I can do better. Help me not to become haughty or prideful. Thank you Lord for your grace. In Jesus' Name Amen.
Sometimes when I am studying the Word the weirdest things pop out at me. Today was one of those days. I was reading II Peter and when I got to Chapter 3 verse 18 I stopped. The Holy Spirit arrested my mind. I couldn't get out of my head why the word grace came before knowledge. Shouldn't knowledge have been first? After all, we are always told to read the Bible. Study the Word. So it has to be important. I also took note of the word 'and' which led me to believe that grace and knowledge go hand in hand. You can't grow in one without the other. But I kept going back to the word grace before knowledge. One thing I have learned though about the scripture is that there are no mistakes and things are written that way for a reason.
What is grace? God's unmerited favor. God giving us what we don't deserve. We can't buy it. We can't earn it. Grace is given by God.
What is knowledge? Familiarity, awareness or understanding gained through experience or study. Acquiring knowledge involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association and reasoning.
Why are we as believers told to grow in grace and knowledge? And furthermore, why are we told to grow in grace first. Here is my theory. The Bible is full of valuable information. It is 'sharper than any two-edged sword'. It is 'God-inspired and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness'. In the Bible we are able to take a close look into the mind of Christ. A personal transformation process should take place as we read the Word. Unfortunately this is not always what takes place. Did you know that there are people who read the Word for no other reason than to tell you what is wrong in your life. What you should be doing better. They read the Word to point out the flaws of the preacher, the teacher, the deacon, the deaconess, the choir member. Stop me when I get to your street. They may start studying the Word because they want to grow closer to God. They want a better relationship. But something strange happens on the inside and instead of growing closer, their eyes seem to open up into the lives of those around them. Their husbands. Their wives. Their friends. Their co-workers. All of a sudden they are better than those around them. They become prideful and judgmental. They tend to forget that just yesterday they were in the same place. Actually, if they tell the truth and shame the devil, they really never left that place. They just keep it within the four walls of their own home. And let me say something right here, the very person looking down on the young lady who had a baby out of wedlock is just as much a sinner for gossiping with Sister Sally. The person who is looking down on the young man who went to prison for whatever reason is just as much a sinner for participating in premarital sex. A sin is a sin. And it is not our place to judge.
How many of you reading this already know where I am going? It didn't take me long to figure out why we are told to 'grow in grace and in knowledge'. Lest we forget where we came from. We are all sinners saved by grace. We experience God's grace through His saving power. It leads us to want to know more about Him. So who are we to judge or look down on anyone? That was one of the fights I had with myself before I submitted to God and the ministry He called me to do. I didn't want to think of myself more highly than I should. As a matter of fact I pray daily that God keep me humble. That He gives me the right words to say when I speak and when I teach and when I write.
God has given us grace but we aren't so quick to return the favor to others. We have a memory like an elephant. We remember every wrong thing a person has every done. If we find out something about someone's past that we didn't know, we are quick to turn up our nose at them. There was only one perfect person whoever walked the face of the earth and his name was Jesus Christ. And I hate to tell you this but we all have a past. Whether you were raised in the church and saved at an early age or you became a Christian as an adult, you are not better than anyone. And here's another bit of information I want to share with you, the more Word you come to know and understand, the more you are held accountable for. We are Christ's ambassadors. We are here to help bring others to Christ. We should want to share with others the grace we were extended. I don't know about you but when I think of the things I've done, the words I've said, the bad thoughts I've had yet God still saved me. In fact he continues to extend grace to me by forgiving me every day and I have the nerve to think of myself as better than someone else. Shame on me!
I'm reminded of a Walter Hawkins song on his Love Alive album. The song is entitled "I'm Not The Same". The lyrics are as follows: I came to Christ, just as I was. I was lost deep in sin. I had no peace of mind within. And I'm not the same. Everything has changed. Because of Christ. Here is the one thing I want you to keep in mind. You know your story. Only you can write the lyrics to your song. It may sound similar to the words of the Walter Hawkins song I just mentioned. Whatever the case may be, God saved you. By His grace. And your life is not the same. As you grow in knowledge and you get to know God better and he changes you to be more like him, you should be more willing to extend grace to others. In and of ourselves it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
I am a strong advocate of studying the Word of God. I believe that everyone should know the Word for themselves so that at any time you can give an account for the hope that is in you. But I challenge you that you should also grow in grace. After all, grace is what started you on your journey. As you learn more about Christ, you should become more like Him. Have you ever stopped to think where you would be if God looked at your past and instead of extending grace and saving you, He turned his back and said, 'You're just not good enough'. Forget about the past before you were saved, let's rewind to just yesterday. What if God said, "I'm not going to forgive you. I've given you enough chances." I don't know about you but I would be in horrible shape. I encourage you to live your life as though you are the only Jesus the people you encounter will see. Are you a good representative?
Dear Lord,
I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I have been guilty of judging my sister, my brother in Christ. Instead of extending grace, I've made the decision that they don't deserve it. After all you have done for me. You saved me and you continue to forgive me. With your help I know I can do better. Help me not to become haughty or prideful. Thank you Lord for your grace. In Jesus' Name Amen.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Stand
Standing on the promises of Christ my King. Thru eternal ages let his praises ring. Glory in the highest I will should and sing. Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fail. When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail. By the living Word of God I shall prevail. Standing on the promises of God.
God cannot lie. Whatever He has promised me, it will come to pass. I tell myself these very words all the time. Sometimes several times a day. Why? Because some days I become discouraged. Things are not turning out as I thought they would. I've grown tired of seeing others prosper. They are happy. They're married, why aren't I? They have children. I want a child. They have nice things. I deserve them to. I'm living right. I'm studying the Word. I'm praying more. I even started going to Sunday school and Bible study. Yet it seems as though God has forgotten about me.
Read Hebrew 6: 8-20. Let me begin by saying God knows exactly what He is doing. Right at a moment of discouragement, I read these verses. This is not something that I did not know. I just needed a reminder. And today I don't have any profound thoughts for you. I am simply going to let the Word speak for itself.
God sees everything. And because He sees everything you don't have to tell Him the things you do as His representative. But God doesn't honor His promises because of what you do. He honors them because of who He is. God does not change. If He has told you something it will come to pass. We all know the story of Abraham. Did you know that it took twenty-five years before God made good on that promise to Abraham to give him a son? Some of you may look at this in the negative. Twenty-five years. I may not even have twenty-five years left in my life. I want to try and help change your way of thinking. In an earlier post I shared with you that God's timing is perfect timing. I still believe that. The truth that you must look at and hold on to is that God kept his promise. The time frame should not be your focus. You must continue to have hope.
"When people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it." (verse 16) Like in the U.S. court system where the witness places his hand on the Bible and swears to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth 'so help me God'. When God makes a promise you can take it to the bank. There is no need to think the check might bounce. There is none greater than the living God. So the next time Satan tries to sneak into your mind that spirit of discouragement or defeat, fight back with the Word.
At the beginning of this post I wrote the words to a hymn we used to sing at church, Standing on the Promises. This hymn says exactly what I am talking about. God's promises are secure ground to stand on. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this hymn, I'll quote one of my favorite songs performed by Donnie McClurkin. This song does something to me every time I hear it. The song is called 'Stand'. Now Donnie doesn't say that anything about standing on God's promises, but it does say this:
What do you do when you've done all you can and it seems like it's never enough. And what do you say when your friends turn away, you're all alone. What do you give? When you've given your all and seems like you can't make it thru. Well you just stand. Stand. When there's nothing left to do. You just stand. Watch the Lord see you thru. After you've done all you can. You just stand.
So let me paint a picture of what is playing in my mind when I am listening to or singing this song. God's promises to me. This song is talking to the discouraged, disheartened believer. The one who is trying his/her best to live life the way God wants them to. This song is talking to the believer who may have just hit a rough patch and is thinking what's the point of all this Christianity anyway. The believer who made a mistake and even the people in the church have turned their backs on him. Ever been this believer that I am talking about. I have? And God's Word pulled me up out of my own pity party every time. I picked up my head and stuck out my chest and planted my feet. I stood firmly on the Word of God.
Dear Lord:
Today I don't feel much like praying. Today I am just thankful that you already know what I am going thru. Today I just want to say thank you for your Word. Thank you for the promises made to me. I am now standing on those promises. Satan can't steal my joy. I will not be defeated. I will no longer be discouraged. I will trust you. Thank you Lord for your Word that cannot and will not return void. In you, Oh Lord, I have hope. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
Standing on the promises I cannot fail. When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail. By the living Word of God I shall prevail. Standing on the promises of God.
God cannot lie. Whatever He has promised me, it will come to pass. I tell myself these very words all the time. Sometimes several times a day. Why? Because some days I become discouraged. Things are not turning out as I thought they would. I've grown tired of seeing others prosper. They are happy. They're married, why aren't I? They have children. I want a child. They have nice things. I deserve them to. I'm living right. I'm studying the Word. I'm praying more. I even started going to Sunday school and Bible study. Yet it seems as though God has forgotten about me.
Read Hebrew 6: 8-20. Let me begin by saying God knows exactly what He is doing. Right at a moment of discouragement, I read these verses. This is not something that I did not know. I just needed a reminder. And today I don't have any profound thoughts for you. I am simply going to let the Word speak for itself.
God sees everything. And because He sees everything you don't have to tell Him the things you do as His representative. But God doesn't honor His promises because of what you do. He honors them because of who He is. God does not change. If He has told you something it will come to pass. We all know the story of Abraham. Did you know that it took twenty-five years before God made good on that promise to Abraham to give him a son? Some of you may look at this in the negative. Twenty-five years. I may not even have twenty-five years left in my life. I want to try and help change your way of thinking. In an earlier post I shared with you that God's timing is perfect timing. I still believe that. The truth that you must look at and hold on to is that God kept his promise. The time frame should not be your focus. You must continue to have hope.
"When people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it." (verse 16) Like in the U.S. court system where the witness places his hand on the Bible and swears to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth 'so help me God'. When God makes a promise you can take it to the bank. There is no need to think the check might bounce. There is none greater than the living God. So the next time Satan tries to sneak into your mind that spirit of discouragement or defeat, fight back with the Word.
At the beginning of this post I wrote the words to a hymn we used to sing at church, Standing on the Promises. This hymn says exactly what I am talking about. God's promises are secure ground to stand on. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this hymn, I'll quote one of my favorite songs performed by Donnie McClurkin. This song does something to me every time I hear it. The song is called 'Stand'. Now Donnie doesn't say that anything about standing on God's promises, but it does say this:
What do you do when you've done all you can and it seems like it's never enough. And what do you say when your friends turn away, you're all alone. What do you give? When you've given your all and seems like you can't make it thru. Well you just stand. Stand. When there's nothing left to do. You just stand. Watch the Lord see you thru. After you've done all you can. You just stand.
So let me paint a picture of what is playing in my mind when I am listening to or singing this song. God's promises to me. This song is talking to the discouraged, disheartened believer. The one who is trying his/her best to live life the way God wants them to. This song is talking to the believer who may have just hit a rough patch and is thinking what's the point of all this Christianity anyway. The believer who made a mistake and even the people in the church have turned their backs on him. Ever been this believer that I am talking about. I have? And God's Word pulled me up out of my own pity party every time. I picked up my head and stuck out my chest and planted my feet. I stood firmly on the Word of God.
Dear Lord:
Today I don't feel much like praying. Today I am just thankful that you already know what I am going thru. Today I just want to say thank you for your Word. Thank you for the promises made to me. I am now standing on those promises. Satan can't steal my joy. I will not be defeated. I will no longer be discouraged. I will trust you. Thank you Lord for your Word that cannot and will not return void. In you, Oh Lord, I have hope. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
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