Does everybody have trouble getting ready for church on Sunday mornings? I have to admit it has definitely gotten better at our house, but, it is still not great. I think God is busy getting everybody (preachers, Sunday school teachers, servants, just general congregation attendees) prepared that day. I think the devil knows we are weak that day and time. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is with us all, we just have to call it in, call on Him, and rely on Him to help us fight the enemy and get ready.
The devil knows we are weak and Sunday mornings are prime time. We are running out of fuel from the last visit to church, which was probably Wednesday nite. And if you're like me, I was serving and not sitting in service being fed. I was fueling up pre-teen, jr. high youth. So anyway, my reserves are pretty low on Sunday morning. That's when I'm weak. So I get aggravated easy. Testy. And it takes until I get into worship and start fueling back up sometimes to get out of that "funk".
We fight amongst our families. We're not happy with what we're wearing, our make-up, hair, etc. And by the time we get to church...Broken.
Lord, I am so thankful for my church - my pastor - the Word - and WORSHIP. Thank you for allowing me to recognize, ask forgiveness, and heal.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Some Scriptures that have been repeated lately
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16
"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
"David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. 'I cannot go in these,' he said to Saul, 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off." (1 Samuel 17:39).
All these have different areas in point. But, they've all been repeated several times this past week. In church, in my devotionals, and in my Bible study. Even in my Jr high youth class. So I thought I should pass them along.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
New day
Isaiah 54: 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth...
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;...
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. 15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you...
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; 17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
Good stuff to me this morning.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
it's been a while
so, i've been super busy and haven't had time to blog. i guess i thought when i started this i would just casually jot notes and publish them. i might. that's more my style. the "leading and teaching" part of me screams and shrinks back when faced with the reality. i do love sharing my experiences in my walk with Jesus. i love testifying about what He does in my life. and that is how i teach and lead. not perfectly of course. always falling, stumbling, and having to pick myself up, dust off, ask forgiveness and start over. but if one person can learn something from me and my mistakes or my "good stuff", then i feel like i did my part in my walk with Jesus by trying to win souls for Him. so, i'm gonna be copying and pasting stuff, cuz when i read my devotionals and think that someone else should hear it ( not anyone in particular ) just that it's good stuff then i want to pass it along. i love the devotionals i get from Lysa TerKeurst. her blog always inspires and speaks to my heart. I have lots to say, just not enough time to sit in front of the computer to type it all out. so, i'm gonna forward along other's.
The Unsaved Christian
Lysa TerKeurst
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV)
Devotion:
God wants us to have a relationship with Him. But what does this really mean?
Recently, I met a woman about my age at a conference where I was speaking. I don't know many details about her life but I do know she's been going to church for a long time.
And she's been serving, giving, and doing all the right church stuff.
But, something was missing.
"I never could quite put my finger on it until I heard your message," she whispered. "I never knew what it really meant to have a relationship with Jesus. But hearing you explain it, something clicked. I walked forward today. I gave my heart to Jesus."
I wondered: what part of what I shared made this profound click happen in her soul?
Of course, it was the Holy Spirit moving... but somehow in the midst of me sharing the broken places of my life, things came together in hers.
It got me thinking about us doing life together here through this daily devotion. Each day we spend a few minutes together over the internet learning how to navigate life as Jesus girls. But all that we talk about is for nothing if our hearts stay far from Jesus.
It's not about momentary motivation to make it through today.
It's not about spiffy quotes to ponder and put into practice.
It's not about relationship tactics and turnkey solutions.
It's not about bite-size pieces of peace to make life a little more manageable.
It's not about making our lives look and feel a little better.
It has to be about Jesus. And drawing our hearts into His reality. His grace. His love. His hope. His forgiveness. And most of all the free gift of salvation because of Him.
Have you ever felt like this woman who couldn't put her finger on what was missing? Have you ever felt like you bounce from one religious activity to the next, but your heart feels far from God? Sweet sister, can we chat?
God doesn't want us to have a religion. A religion is where we follow rules hoping to do life right, and serve God out of duty because we think we have to.
God wants us to have a relationship. A relationship where we follow Him. And we serve God not out of duty but out of delight because of the realization of who we are in Him.
For years, I went to church to get a little "God goodness" in my life. But it was like putting fresh paint on rotting wood. I was living just like those talked about in Isaiah 29:13, "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'"
I realized I didn't need to be just following the rules; I needed to be following God Himself.
I didn't need a little "God goodness" to rub off on me... I needed God to invade the deepest parts in me.
So, I knelt down in the midst of my messy, chaotic, confused life... and started a relationship with Him by simply saying yes.
Yes, I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
Yes, I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent to die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day to save me from my sins.
Yes, I want Jesus to be the Lord and Master of my life.
Yes, I am now and forever will be a forgiven and saved child of the Almighty God.
Yes, I will follow Jesus today, tomorrow, and every other day I'm blessed with on this earth.
Oh sister, let me quiet the voice of Satan screaming to resist this process. He wants to trip you up by whispering how you won't be able to live this out perfectly. Jesus has never ever asked for us to be perfect. He simply wants us perfectly surrendered. I often pray, "Oh Jesus... I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me."
And He does.
And He always will.
My imperfections are safely tucked within the reality of His perfection.
And I simply press on by continuing to say YES moment by imperfect moment... day by imperfect day.
Dear Lord, I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
The Unsaved Christian
Lysa TerKeurst
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV)
Devotion:
God wants us to have a relationship with Him. But what does this really mean?
Recently, I met a woman about my age at a conference where I was speaking. I don't know many details about her life but I do know she's been going to church for a long time.
And she's been serving, giving, and doing all the right church stuff.
But, something was missing.
"I never could quite put my finger on it until I heard your message," she whispered. "I never knew what it really meant to have a relationship with Jesus. But hearing you explain it, something clicked. I walked forward today. I gave my heart to Jesus."
I wondered: what part of what I shared made this profound click happen in her soul?
Of course, it was the Holy Spirit moving... but somehow in the midst of me sharing the broken places of my life, things came together in hers.
It got me thinking about us doing life together here through this daily devotion. Each day we spend a few minutes together over the internet learning how to navigate life as Jesus girls. But all that we talk about is for nothing if our hearts stay far from Jesus.
It's not about momentary motivation to make it through today.
It's not about spiffy quotes to ponder and put into practice.
It's not about relationship tactics and turnkey solutions.
It's not about bite-size pieces of peace to make life a little more manageable.
It's not about making our lives look and feel a little better.
It has to be about Jesus. And drawing our hearts into His reality. His grace. His love. His hope. His forgiveness. And most of all the free gift of salvation because of Him.
Have you ever felt like this woman who couldn't put her finger on what was missing? Have you ever felt like you bounce from one religious activity to the next, but your heart feels far from God? Sweet sister, can we chat?
God doesn't want us to have a religion. A religion is where we follow rules hoping to do life right, and serve God out of duty because we think we have to.
God wants us to have a relationship. A relationship where we follow Him. And we serve God not out of duty but out of delight because of the realization of who we are in Him.
For years, I went to church to get a little "God goodness" in my life. But it was like putting fresh paint on rotting wood. I was living just like those talked about in Isaiah 29:13, "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'"
I realized I didn't need to be just following the rules; I needed to be following God Himself.
I didn't need a little "God goodness" to rub off on me... I needed God to invade the deepest parts in me.
So, I knelt down in the midst of my messy, chaotic, confused life... and started a relationship with Him by simply saying yes.
Yes, I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
Yes, I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent to die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day to save me from my sins.
Yes, I want Jesus to be the Lord and Master of my life.
Yes, I am now and forever will be a forgiven and saved child of the Almighty God.
Yes, I will follow Jesus today, tomorrow, and every other day I'm blessed with on this earth.
Oh sister, let me quiet the voice of Satan screaming to resist this process. He wants to trip you up by whispering how you won't be able to live this out perfectly. Jesus has never ever asked for us to be perfect. He simply wants us perfectly surrendered. I often pray, "Oh Jesus... I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me."
And He does.
And He always will.
My imperfections are safely tucked within the reality of His perfection.
And I simply press on by continuing to say YES moment by imperfect moment... day by imperfect day.
Dear Lord, I am such a mess, but I am Yours. Show me... help me... forgive me... reassure me... and pour Your tender mercy upon me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Good news
Jer. 29:11. I know the plans I have for
you,"declares the Lord," Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future....
He knows. He has a plan. Its in His book. PS. 139:16 Prosper in the future. Not harm but hope.
138:3 says When I pray, you answer me, and encourage me by giving me strength I need. ..8 says The Lord will work out his plans for my life...Then over in 139: 3. You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Also in verse 14 "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!" Wow!(He knows how complex I am) 16....scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Everyday is scheduled in ur book.
My eyes are seeing the truth of this.
In the dark his light shines. Lord, Thank you for the light.
No more mully-grubbin'.
Thank you for the fire in my heart.
Deuteronomy 28:13, "The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom."
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sin/consequences
While I was reading yesterday I came across this in my study bible. I thought I would share.
This morning's readings gave me insight into waiting. And reading the Word. And just being quiet and knowing God. Being comfortable in His presence is it.
Yesterday I attended a burial service of a great man. A wonderful christian with a beautiful family. A true legacy. In the midst of it I realized how small my trials are. How insignificant. To me they are a lot. But this family had been through hell. And they rejoiced, praised God, and ministered to others in the midst of their battle. How awesome is that. I am on the way up. I am seeing more every day.
In the Bible, David sinned many times. But he was quick to confess his sins. He never took God's forgiveness lightly or his blessings for granted. He experienced the joy of forgiveness even when he had to suffer the consequences of his sins.
We tend to get these two reversed. We would rather avoid the consequences than experience forgiveness. Even though David sinned greatly, he did not sin repeatedly. He learned from his mistakes because he accepted the suffering they brought. We don't seem to learn form our mistakes or the consequences that result from those mistakes.
This morning's readings gave me insight into waiting. And reading the Word. And just being quiet and knowing God. Being comfortable in His presence is it.
Yesterday I attended a burial service of a great man. A wonderful christian with a beautiful family. A true legacy. In the midst of it I realized how small my trials are. How insignificant. To me they are a lot. But this family had been through hell. And they rejoiced, praised God, and ministered to others in the midst of their battle. How awesome is that. I am on the way up. I am seeing more every day.
Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." (NIV)"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isaiah 43 v.2-3a, NIV).
Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (NIV)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
appearance
1 Samuel 16-17
As I'm reading this morning, I notice where Samuel (the prophet) goes to anoint David as king. Samuel has been mourning over Saul (the reigning king) for his disobedience to God. I love this: The Lord said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough..."
Samuel did as he was told and went to find David. When he got there Jesse (David's father) had 3 other sons. When Samuel saw Eliab, the first, he thought surely this was the one. (Saul was an impressive looking man) Judging by his appearance, Eliab was impressive looking too. But, the Lord says: "Don't judge a man's face or height,...I don't make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man's thoughts and intentions."(ch 16 verse 7)
Fortunately, God judges by character. Only God can see the inside. We spend hours maintaining our outward appearance. ( I spend hours maintaining appearances for people for my living.) We should do even more to develop our inner character. Everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like. Which is the more attractive?
This really spoke to me today because of the offenses I have faced recently. I have struggled with that. And have prayed God would show me more about this. And today I got it. I know God knows whats in my heart. Even when people get offended by me when I'm not aware. As Bro. Bo says "People who get offended choose to". I have no evil intentions in my heart. God knows that and I know that. Whether the rest of the world knows it does not matter. God is my only judge. I have to remember that.
As I'm reading this morning, I notice where Samuel (the prophet) goes to anoint David as king. Samuel has been mourning over Saul (the reigning king) for his disobedience to God. I love this: The Lord said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough..."
Samuel did as he was told and went to find David. When he got there Jesse (David's father) had 3 other sons. When Samuel saw Eliab, the first, he thought surely this was the one. (Saul was an impressive looking man) Judging by his appearance, Eliab was impressive looking too. But, the Lord says: "Don't judge a man's face or height,...I don't make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man's thoughts and intentions."(ch 16 verse 7)
Fortunately, God judges by character. Only God can see the inside. We spend hours maintaining our outward appearance. ( I spend hours maintaining appearances for people for my living.) We should do even more to develop our inner character. Everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like. Which is the more attractive?
This really spoke to me today because of the offenses I have faced recently. I have struggled with that. And have prayed God would show me more about this. And today I got it. I know God knows whats in my heart. Even when people get offended by me when I'm not aware. As Bro. Bo says "People who get offended choose to". I have no evil intentions in my heart. God knows that and I know that. Whether the rest of the world knows it does not matter. God is my only judge. I have to remember that.
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