Are you a spiritual 'girly man' and by this I mean do you just give lip service to the word and walking with Christ or are you serious about getting closer to God and knowing him better? People can say that they want to get in shape and lose weight but talking about it will not make it happen. They have to get serious and get committed to making it part of their daily life in order to tone their muscles and lose flab. Thinking about it will not make them in shape. 2 Peter 3:18 says "But grow in spiritual strength and become better acquainted with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be all the glory and splendid honor both now and forever more." To grow in Christ we do not just lay the Bible down on a table and let it gather dust or maybe put it on our pillow at night and sleep on it as maybe some of it will soak into our brain. It takes desire, discipline and commitment just like when you work your physical body to get it in better shape.
Where do you spend your time? Those who need to lose weight and tone up should make it a daily point to spend time on a treadmill or sidewalk outside or at a gym. For those wanting to be closer to God they need to spend time in prayer and reading the Bible. Do you spend time ever reading the Bible or if you have a choice between a Christian book or a secular book do you always lean towards the secular book? Does 'People' magazine excite you more than reading the Bible and learning how to be more like Jesus? Why does it matter what actor Charlie Sheen is doing this week? Or teen idol Justin Bieber, I am sure he is nice, but do you think more of him every day than you do things of the spirit?You get the point. 'Oprah' may be your thing or 'soap operas' and for sure neither of these will help you grow closer to the Lord and more than likely will pull you the opposite direction and become major time wasters in your day. Maybe turn off the morning shows which have just wasted two hours of your day and have added nothing of value to your life.
Just like we have muscles in our body that if we neglect them over time they become weak, unattractive and flabby so to we need to exercise our 'spiritual muscle' to we do not become weak ineffective Christians. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to "Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth."
You have to develop good habits to get physically in shape and it has to be a priority if you expect to tone up. If it is not important then you stay flabby. If you are serious about having a closer walk with the Lord then you will do what it takes to get closer. Get up earlier to read a devotion. Tune in a Christian station on your radio to get some uplifting praise music instead of always listening to pop music or talk radio or find some good Christian teaching. The things of the world are not bad in and of themselves, but your life as a Christian has to be different and set apart and you have to discipline yourself to doing things that give you a desire for the Lord and less desire for the world. This world is not our home. We are temporarily here.1 Peter 2:11 tells us "Dear friends, I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls." This does not mean you can never go to a regular movie like 'Toy Story III' or '127 Hours' or go do something like enjoy a play or an 'open mike night' at a local coffee house. It simply means to 'order' your day to make you think of the 'things of the spirit' more. If you are trying to lose weight and get in shape you need to discipline yourself to stay away from pasta houses, fried chicken joints, donut shops, ice cream stores, and yes places with whipped iced coffee drinks.
So in order to not be spiritually flabby you need to make it a daily priority to spend time in his word. Start today and each morning to get started since there are 31 days in a normal month, whatever day this is pick the corresponding chapter in say the book of Proverbs since it has 31 chapters and before reading stop and pray and say "Lord open my eyes to the truth you would have me to learn today from your word." The enemy, Satan , does not want you to grow closer to Christ so he will throw distractions at you. You need to resist him. James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
PRAYER: I want to strengthen my 'spiritaul muscles' each day Lord. Forgive me for when I put you last in my day and sometimes forget you all together. Give me the ability to say no to things in my day that take me away from you and help me find a quiet place each day I can go be with you and hear your voice. In Jesus Name. Amen.
(NOTE: I include an appropriate praise and worship song with some of my devotions. Some of you have not realized this and have not been blessed by this music. I urge you to go where you can turn up speakers and perhaps for some you have to wait til you are home from work and do it on your own computer but do not miss the blessing of the attached song of praise which will lift your spirit.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUXGxtYxjyg
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE GREAT SHEPHERD
What exactly is a shepherd and what are his duties? Back in 1984-85 the first time I lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area we lived at Williams AFB which at that time was in the country a few miles drive from the city down a long road. There was the season of the year when you would see actual shepherds out herding sheep up into the mountains getting them out of the oppressive heat of the desert summer which would be coming soon. It was neat in this modern age to see actually sheep herders, also known as shepherds, tending to their flocks in America. When I moved back to Phoenix in 1996 this area had been developed, Williams AFB was no longer open due to base closures and I did not see any more shepherds. Perhaps the development of the city had squeezed out the livelihood of the sheep farmers and shepherds.
A shepherd is defined as somebody tending sheep or somebody who is responsible for caring for and guiding a group of people, especially a Christian minister. Psalm 23 is a familiar passage often associated with funeral services that speaks of the Lord being your shepherd. In this passage it says that 'he makes us lie down in green pastures'. When a shepherd gathers up his sheep he counts them and makes sure they are all there and probably has them lying in the pasture as well. The Lord cares for us like we are his sheep. Each of us is valuable to him. He tends to us and wants what is best for us.
Matthew 18:12-14 tells us "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish." The meaning of this is two fold in that he looks after all of us and secondly it is not his desire that any of us not go to heaven. But we have free will. We can choose to follow Jesus or reject him. In Isaiah 53:6 it says "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all."
Sheep need a shepherd to guide them. The shepherd loves his sheep and cares for them. He does not lord over them but is gentle and loving. John 10:11 refers to Jesus as the 'good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep." In the Bible we humans are referred to or compared to sheep because we can not do things on our own either. We may think we can but then we get caught in the 'briarpatches' of life and need the shepherd to cut us out and rescue us.
We humans serve as shepherds to those the Lord has entrusted to us as well. Parents guide and 'shepherd' their children into adulthood til they are released to lead a life on their own without mom and dad. The parent 'shepherds' them through the thorny areas of life and through valleys and over mountains to help them grow to be strong in the Lord and a great member of society. 1 Peter 5:2-4 says in relation to this "Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." I often think of this when leading a Bible study or prayer group that I am like a shepherd leading and guiding but not lording over them.
So are you letting the great shepherd lead and guide you? Are you following him or fighting him. He, the Lord, the great shepherd is here to tend to you and help you if only you will let him.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord for leading us and guiding us and keeping us from falling over the 'clifts' of life. It is awesome to think about how much you love us and care for us. Forgive me when I have tried to do it my own way and not seek your guidance. In Jesus Name. Amen.
A shepherd is defined as somebody tending sheep or somebody who is responsible for caring for and guiding a group of people, especially a Christian minister. Psalm 23 is a familiar passage often associated with funeral services that speaks of the Lord being your shepherd. In this passage it says that 'he makes us lie down in green pastures'. When a shepherd gathers up his sheep he counts them and makes sure they are all there and probably has them lying in the pasture as well. The Lord cares for us like we are his sheep. Each of us is valuable to him. He tends to us and wants what is best for us.
Matthew 18:12-14 tells us "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish." The meaning of this is two fold in that he looks after all of us and secondly it is not his desire that any of us not go to heaven. But we have free will. We can choose to follow Jesus or reject him. In Isaiah 53:6 it says "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all."
Sheep need a shepherd to guide them. The shepherd loves his sheep and cares for them. He does not lord over them but is gentle and loving. John 10:11 refers to Jesus as the 'good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep." In the Bible we humans are referred to or compared to sheep because we can not do things on our own either. We may think we can but then we get caught in the 'briarpatches' of life and need the shepherd to cut us out and rescue us.
We humans serve as shepherds to those the Lord has entrusted to us as well. Parents guide and 'shepherd' their children into adulthood til they are released to lead a life on their own without mom and dad. The parent 'shepherds' them through the thorny areas of life and through valleys and over mountains to help them grow to be strong in the Lord and a great member of society. 1 Peter 5:2-4 says in relation to this "Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." I often think of this when leading a Bible study or prayer group that I am like a shepherd leading and guiding but not lording over them.
So are you letting the great shepherd lead and guide you? Are you following him or fighting him. He, the Lord, the great shepherd is here to tend to you and help you if only you will let him.
PRAYER: Thank you Lord for leading us and guiding us and keeping us from falling over the 'clifts' of life. It is awesome to think about how much you love us and care for us. Forgive me when I have tried to do it my own way and not seek your guidance. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
SHHHH! ! WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!!
It is no surprise that words can bless, build up, motivate and encourage or they can aggravate, hurt people, and start fights and wars. We need to be careful the choice of our words and when to speak. It is not necessary to always be talking. When you open your mouth at the wrong time and say something stupid and it is too late to take it back. Sometimes just talking for the sake of talking can backfire on us. Speaking out of nervousness or because there is too much silence is another problem where meaningless words can get you into trouble or make you look silly. Sometimes is it OK to just be quiet and be still. Psalm 46:10 says,"Be still, and know that I am God." It is OK to just sit quietly sometimes. It is OK not to talk.
In Christian circles it is widely known that James Chapter 3 is about the dangers of the tongue but there is so much more in God's word about the way we talk and the words we use. Proverbs 10:8 says, "The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall." Wow a chattering fool!! I do not want that to be me. No one wants to be called a 'chattering fool". Proverbs 15:28 says "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things." It is wise to think before you speak and requires discipline in order to do that. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose." This really hits the nail on the head when it comes to a word picture. Sometimes in trying to make a good impression on people we may worry about what we are going to say. It is better to relax and ask God to 'order' the conversation and let you say and do the right things. Luke 12:12 tells us that "for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said." If your mouth causes you to stumble then pray and ask God to help you to say the right things and to let your mouth be a source of joy and blessing to others.
One of the fruits of the spirit is 'self control' and that would be controlling your tongue and what you say as well. Proverbs 13:17 tells us "An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing." Once again you see the value of a good word or a bad word. Our conversation can make us or break us." A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11).In Proverbs 18:4 it says ,"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
Proverbs 10:19 is one of the best word pictures yet and it says "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.". Wow there you have it. Just keep quiet! Simple as that. It is easy to talk too much and say things we do not mean and then have to spend lots of time apologizing and asking forgiveness. The "Life is Good' company has a motto which says "Do what you like and like what you do". Well I say that we should 'say what you mean, mean what you say.' Be careful with that mouth. It can be a weapon and really hurt or it can be an instrument of blessing. Lets' choose to be wise and practice using it for blessing.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Start this weekend off by trying to make and effort to be aware of what you are saying and whether it is necessary or not. God can help you. Choose your words wisely. Go out and bless someone today by what you say.
PRAYER: Dear Lord give me the ability to choose my words wisely. Help me never hurt anyone by what I say. Help me be kind and loving with my words and cause pain by what I say. Help me not be a 'chattering fool." In Jesus Name. Amen.
In Christian circles it is widely known that James Chapter 3 is about the dangers of the tongue but there is so much more in God's word about the way we talk and the words we use. Proverbs 10:8 says, "The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall." Wow a chattering fool!! I do not want that to be me. No one wants to be called a 'chattering fool". Proverbs 15:28 says "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things." It is wise to think before you speak and requires discipline in order to do that. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose." This really hits the nail on the head when it comes to a word picture. Sometimes in trying to make a good impression on people we may worry about what we are going to say. It is better to relax and ask God to 'order' the conversation and let you say and do the right things. Luke 12:12 tells us that "for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said." If your mouth causes you to stumble then pray and ask God to help you to say the right things and to let your mouth be a source of joy and blessing to others.
One of the fruits of the spirit is 'self control' and that would be controlling your tongue and what you say as well. Proverbs 13:17 tells us "An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing." Once again you see the value of a good word or a bad word. Our conversation can make us or break us." A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11).In Proverbs 18:4 it says ,"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
Proverbs 10:19 is one of the best word pictures yet and it says "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.". Wow there you have it. Just keep quiet! Simple as that. It is easy to talk too much and say things we do not mean and then have to spend lots of time apologizing and asking forgiveness. The "Life is Good' company has a motto which says "Do what you like and like what you do". Well I say that we should 'say what you mean, mean what you say.' Be careful with that mouth. It can be a weapon and really hurt or it can be an instrument of blessing. Lets' choose to be wise and practice using it for blessing.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Start this weekend off by trying to make and effort to be aware of what you are saying and whether it is necessary or not. God can help you. Choose your words wisely. Go out and bless someone today by what you say.
PRAYER: Dear Lord give me the ability to choose my words wisely. Help me never hurt anyone by what I say. Help me be kind and loving with my words and cause pain by what I say. Help me not be a 'chattering fool." In Jesus Name. Amen.
Friday, March 18, 2011
I'M SCARED
If you dwell on the news too long you can become entirely indwelt with a spirit of fear for everything that is going on in the world. It seems there is never any good news. A television network needs to be created that will only report happy things. Why do people get excited hearing about awful stuff and then dwell on it and get scared and paralyzed with fear? Take the latest thing with the disastrous earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant disaster in Japan.
The news is making people scared in the United States that maybe we should be worried about radiation. First it was the fear that California was going to be washed away by huge ocean waves. But if it is not that news story it is something else. Daily we are bombarded by fear. If a plane crash occurs then perhaps we should not fly. If a building falls down perhaps we should never go in the top floor of a skyscraper or ride on an elevator. A roller coaster jumps the track at an amusement park so I guess maybe my love of coasters needs to stop since that could happen to me.
Now some fears may be normal when you are talking about wanting to jump from an airplane, which in fact I am pondering and have pondered since 1978. I mean you jump from a plane at thousands of feet, what if your parachute does not open? But the point is you can not live your life paralyzed and incapacitated by the fear of the unknown or what ifs. Your life would be lived in a bubble if you worried that something bad was going to happen all the time. You may as well get in a secluded sound proof room and just sit in there for the rest of your life. Keep the TV off as if you watch it then more fear will be put out over the nightly news.
I am copying the entire Psalm 91 for you to read and meditate upon in your quiet time. Do not sit around and worry and fret and think the sky is always falling. God is in control and he will take care of you. This is not to say nothing bad ever will happen cause it will and it does. But God does not want us fixated on the horrible tragedies of life. He wants you to live your life free from fear. Perhaps a good thing to do would be to not watch the news and take a 'fear break'.
Psalm 91:1-16 reads as follows " Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
PRAYER: Lord calm my heart. Day after day we are bombarded by terror in our world. It is enough to make us crazy if we dwell on it. Help me Lord know you are watching over me and help me to lean on you and trust you. In Jesus Name. Amen.
The news is making people scared in the United States that maybe we should be worried about radiation. First it was the fear that California was going to be washed away by huge ocean waves. But if it is not that news story it is something else. Daily we are bombarded by fear. If a plane crash occurs then perhaps we should not fly. If a building falls down perhaps we should never go in the top floor of a skyscraper or ride on an elevator. A roller coaster jumps the track at an amusement park so I guess maybe my love of coasters needs to stop since that could happen to me.
Now some fears may be normal when you are talking about wanting to jump from an airplane, which in fact I am pondering and have pondered since 1978. I mean you jump from a plane at thousands of feet, what if your parachute does not open? But the point is you can not live your life paralyzed and incapacitated by the fear of the unknown or what ifs. Your life would be lived in a bubble if you worried that something bad was going to happen all the time. You may as well get in a secluded sound proof room and just sit in there for the rest of your life. Keep the TV off as if you watch it then more fear will be put out over the nightly news.
I am copying the entire Psalm 91 for you to read and meditate upon in your quiet time. Do not sit around and worry and fret and think the sky is always falling. God is in control and he will take care of you. This is not to say nothing bad ever will happen cause it will and it does. But God does not want us fixated on the horrible tragedies of life. He wants you to live your life free from fear. Perhaps a good thing to do would be to not watch the news and take a 'fear break'.
Psalm 91:1-16 reads as follows " Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
PRAYER: Lord calm my heart. Day after day we are bombarded by terror in our world. It is enough to make us crazy if we dwell on it. Help me Lord know you are watching over me and help me to lean on you and trust you. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
PLANS, PLANS, AND MORE PLANS
Most people have goals, purposes and dreams in life. As a Christian we know that God has a plan for us and wherever we go it is ultimately because that is where he wants us to serve him. If we forget that, we can become discouraged and depressed over the outcome of a job, move or any thing to do with or career. The Lord has a plan and purpose for his followers to do his kingdom work and he will use you where he places you. You only need to trust him. Let him be in the drivers seat.
Today my younger son will find out where he will be spending the next four years of his life in medical residency in an ER program so it is a nerve racking day waiting for 'the envelope please' at the 'Match Day' ceremony at the Medical School he attends. Medical schools throughout the country today have the same ceremony and it is a big deal. This is the time he finds out if he made a 'match' with one of his top choices of schools somewhere in the United States he has interviewed with the past 5 months. Hopefully and prayerfully it will be one of his top four choices, but if not, then there must a reason. It is sometimes hard to not see that at first. As his parents of course, my husband and I want him to get his favorite place so we pray for him to get one of his top four also but also pray for Gods' will and for the Lord to prepare a place for him and use him where he sends him.
Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Proverbs 16:33 says "We toss the dice, but it is the Lord who controls its decision." We know that he is working out all things for our good ultimately as it says in Romans 8:28.
There may be a few desert experiences but if so then he is training you and preparing you for something greater and eventually you will be back on the 'mountaintop." Know too that he will take care of your needs. (See Philippians 4:19). Thank him for good and thank him for the other not so good stuff too.
When I was a single 2nd Lieutenant in the Army living in Pacific Grove, California I had a poster on my apartment wall that had Ephesians 3:20 on it. It reads, "Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of- infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." What that says to me is that God is in control and he knows what he is doing. Sometimes you may not understand why things happen the way they do but you look back and see the reason and at times may refer to these detours,setbacks or disappointments as 'God things" because he knew best. Philippians 1:6 says that "I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns."
We are not here on earth simply to take up space and buy and sell and exist but we are here to be a representative for the Lord and work to help others know him too. Once you have asked Christ to be Lord of your life your desires change and you want to serve him. Disappointments may come but God can get you through them. Commit your life to the Lord and just say "Lord Jesus you place me where I can best be used to serve you' and then trust him with the outcome.
Exodus 23:20 says "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared."
Proverbs 3:5-6 are two of my favorite Bible verses which say "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths." In Psalm 37:4 it reads "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". Do you delight in the Lord? Do you say 'here I am Lord send me?"(See Isaiah 6:8). God can perform a miracle and he can put you in some great places in life. Just know he holds the future in his hand.
PRAYER: Lord help me to trust you each and every day. There may be times I do not understand why something is the way it is so help me Lord to not gripe and complain when things seemingly do not turn out a certain way. Lord I want to yield to you and your purposes in my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.
(NOTE: Song below sort of goes hand in hand with my devotion. Be blessed as you listen to it. )
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
LET IT GO ALREADY,OK?
Is there something or someone troubling you to the point you are almost fixated on it and can not move on? Constant thoughts swirl in your head almost making you feel obsessed and out of control. Maybe you do not understand the 'whys' and just keep tossing stuff over and over in your brain trying to figure it out.
Jesus wants you to be set free from this. You can not have victory in your life if you are tormented by 'what if' type thoughts and wondering why someone has reacted to you in a certain way or is rejecting you. You must get out of that tormented rut and live for the Lord and throw off any weight that holds you back. Bad thoughts can eat away at us making us reason things through and dwell on them. This does nothing but cause mental anguish and torment and keeps you from being peaceful or having a victorious Christian life. In Hebrews 12:1 is says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." I am a runner and it certainly would be difficult to run for training or in a race with a sack of flour or rocks on my back. That is what we do in our Christian walk when we hang on to things we can do nothing about. The enemy knows our weak points and will keep us in torment by wanting us to figure things out on our own and not trust in Jesus.
You will be disabled spiritually if you keep dragging around a load of worry, hurt, confusion, pain and constantly mull and fret over things in your past. Release these past things to the Lord. They are gone and over. Learn from them. It is time to pick up and move on. Forget the past and its' troubles and look forward to the joys of tomorrow. In Philippians 3:13-14 it tells us "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Do what it says, forget it and 'strain' or move forward to tomorrow with it hopes and dreams. You can not change the past but can learn from it. God has many good things in store for you! Release that burden to the Lord and bury it if it is holding you back.
Perhaps a friend offended you and hurt you and you do not understand why. Maybe you are the one who messed up. Whatever it was, thinking about it only makes the wound fester and not heal. It is like picking a scab over and over. Put the 'band aid of forgiveness' on it and let it heal. Reasoning about it over and over is Satans' plan, not Gods' so give it to the Lord and bury it in his sea of forgetfulness and put up a 'no fishing' sign. End of story.
You have to choose to move on to have victory. The thoughts may come back but you take them captive. Isaiah 43:2 says "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." Do not allow wrong thoughts and wrong thinking to come into your head. It takes discipline to do this. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." So you see the battle in your mind is caused by the enemy who wants to keep you defeated and pitifully powerless. Break this stronghold in your life with the power from the Holy Spirit. Satan will be the one to continually want you to 'stew' over things and obsess. This is a stronghold over you and you can defeat it with Jesus help and thinking on the right things. Philippians 4:8 tells us to 'think on good things". Read the entire verse in your quiet time today.
Healing in this area will not come overnight. It takes practice to defeat the enemy who is causing you to continually not be able to let things go. Ask God to help you discipline your mind and thoughts. Stay in the word of God and pray. You are powerless without Jesus healing power to get you through this. Just audibly tell Satan to get his lousy stinking hands off of you because you are a child of the living king and are victorious in him!
There is victory in Jesus!
PRAYER: This is the day the Lord has made. I thank you for all the blessings in my life Lord. Help me Lord as I seek to let go of hurts and wounds and focus on you. I know my redeemer lives and I know I can defeat this stronghold in my life. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!
Jesus wants you to be set free from this. You can not have victory in your life if you are tormented by 'what if' type thoughts and wondering why someone has reacted to you in a certain way or is rejecting you. You must get out of that tormented rut and live for the Lord and throw off any weight that holds you back. Bad thoughts can eat away at us making us reason things through and dwell on them. This does nothing but cause mental anguish and torment and keeps you from being peaceful or having a victorious Christian life. In Hebrews 12:1 is says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." I am a runner and it certainly would be difficult to run for training or in a race with a sack of flour or rocks on my back. That is what we do in our Christian walk when we hang on to things we can do nothing about. The enemy knows our weak points and will keep us in torment by wanting us to figure things out on our own and not trust in Jesus.
You will be disabled spiritually if you keep dragging around a load of worry, hurt, confusion, pain and constantly mull and fret over things in your past. Release these past things to the Lord. They are gone and over. Learn from them. It is time to pick up and move on. Forget the past and its' troubles and look forward to the joys of tomorrow. In Philippians 3:13-14 it tells us "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Do what it says, forget it and 'strain' or move forward to tomorrow with it hopes and dreams. You can not change the past but can learn from it. God has many good things in store for you! Release that burden to the Lord and bury it if it is holding you back.
Perhaps a friend offended you and hurt you and you do not understand why. Maybe you are the one who messed up. Whatever it was, thinking about it only makes the wound fester and not heal. It is like picking a scab over and over. Put the 'band aid of forgiveness' on it and let it heal. Reasoning about it over and over is Satans' plan, not Gods' so give it to the Lord and bury it in his sea of forgetfulness and put up a 'no fishing' sign. End of story.
You have to choose to move on to have victory. The thoughts may come back but you take them captive. Isaiah 43:2 says "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." Do not allow wrong thoughts and wrong thinking to come into your head. It takes discipline to do this. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." So you see the battle in your mind is caused by the enemy who wants to keep you defeated and pitifully powerless. Break this stronghold in your life with the power from the Holy Spirit. Satan will be the one to continually want you to 'stew' over things and obsess. This is a stronghold over you and you can defeat it with Jesus help and thinking on the right things. Philippians 4:8 tells us to 'think on good things". Read the entire verse in your quiet time today.
Healing in this area will not come overnight. It takes practice to defeat the enemy who is causing you to continually not be able to let things go. Ask God to help you discipline your mind and thoughts. Stay in the word of God and pray. You are powerless without Jesus healing power to get you through this. Just audibly tell Satan to get his lousy stinking hands off of you because you are a child of the living king and are victorious in him!
There is victory in Jesus!
PRAYER: This is the day the Lord has made. I thank you for all the blessings in my life Lord. Help me Lord as I seek to let go of hurts and wounds and focus on you. I know my redeemer lives and I know I can defeat this stronghold in my life. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!
Monday, March 14, 2011
THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
We all know about the Ten Commandments found in Exodus Chapter 20 but do you know what the greatest commandment is? In Matthew 22:36-40 it says "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” So that about puts it in a concise little nutshell.
Many verses dealing with love also say things like 'how can you say you love God and hate your brother?' 1 John 4:20 tells us "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." Oh my gosh when we are angry at someone then what? We have to ask God to change our hearts and try to love people like God loves them no matter how mean or evil they are. It is only through the 'love of Jesus' that some are even capable of being able to love. Hate is a pretty strong word but if you are treating someone poorly and not in a Christlike manner that may not exactly be hate but it is sure not love is it?
It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that we can love certain people. Take rulers who are evil and hurting the people of their land for instance. It is hard when a tyrant tries to bully and control the people with a corrupt government. Another example is someone who has hurt you either emotionally or physically. Yes another situation would be someone trying to sue you over something. How are you possibly able to love these people? Proverbs 24:17 says "Do not rejoice when your enemy meets trouble. Let there be no gladness when he falls-for the Lord may be displeased with you and stop punishing him." Let God handle the judgment of others. Even many marriages could have been saved it God's love would have been practiced on a regular basis.
In the recent motion picture release of 'The Grace Card' the ultimate show of forgiveness and love was displayed when a man was able to forgive someone who years before had struck and killed his young son with a car during a police chase. How much better off we would be if we could truly forgive and love. We may put some trial lawyers out of business. Proverbs 25:21-22 tells us "if our enemy is hungry, give him food! If he is thirsty, give him something to drink! This will make him feel ashamed of himself, and God will reward you." http://www.thegracecardmovie.com/
John 13:35 says "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Do you have the love of God in your heart? Is there anyone you hold a grudge against or harbor resentment or ill feelings? I know in taking communion you do not hear the scripture read very much but it tells us we are not to be taking communion if we have divisions among us. (See 1 Corinthian 11:17-33).I interpret this to mean by a division any ill will towards someone. How many take communion and do not even know these verses about the Lords' Supper even exist?
Love is opposite of what Satan wants. The enemy wants division, hatred, anger, bitterness, wrath, destruction and lies. Pretty much all people have heard of the 'love chapter' in the Bible that being 1 Corinthians 13. It is read at lots of weddings. But do we do what it says?An excerpt in verses 4-7 says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
The challenge is to live like Christ lives and love like Christ loves. Sometimes you may not feel like loving but you have to choose to love. Some marriages break up because someone says they do not 'feel' in love. It is not all about feelings. It is about a decision to 'just do it", love that is.Sometimes when you do not feel like loving and do it anyway the true love feelings will happen. Why not give it a try?
Is there someone you need to practice loving and being kind too? Ask God to show you who that is and pray for having an attitude like the Lord towards these people who humanly you may be having a hard time showing love to. If you do it long enough you may just find the love will be there when you least expect it.
PRAYER: Lord I thank you for your supernatural love. Help me to have love in my heart for the unlovable. I know you do not want us to harbor bad feelings in our heart. You are love and we are to be like you. Sometimes it is really hard so I need your help. In Jesus Name. Amen.
(NOTE:I sent 15 March devotion out early since I have an early flight in the morning and will not be on the computer. Blessings to all who read this. )
This devotion is also found on http://www.godslemonadestand.blogspot.com/
Many verses dealing with love also say things like 'how can you say you love God and hate your brother?' 1 John 4:20 tells us "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." Oh my gosh when we are angry at someone then what? We have to ask God to change our hearts and try to love people like God loves them no matter how mean or evil they are. It is only through the 'love of Jesus' that some are even capable of being able to love. Hate is a pretty strong word but if you are treating someone poorly and not in a Christlike manner that may not exactly be hate but it is sure not love is it?
It is only with the power of the Holy Spirit that we can love certain people. Take rulers who are evil and hurting the people of their land for instance. It is hard when a tyrant tries to bully and control the people with a corrupt government. Another example is someone who has hurt you either emotionally or physically. Yes another situation would be someone trying to sue you over something. How are you possibly able to love these people? Proverbs 24:17 says "Do not rejoice when your enemy meets trouble. Let there be no gladness when he falls-for the Lord may be displeased with you and stop punishing him." Let God handle the judgment of others. Even many marriages could have been saved it God's love would have been practiced on a regular basis.
In the recent motion picture release of 'The Grace Card' the ultimate show of forgiveness and love was displayed when a man was able to forgive someone who years before had struck and killed his young son with a car during a police chase. How much better off we would be if we could truly forgive and love. We may put some trial lawyers out of business. Proverbs 25:21-22 tells us "if our enemy is hungry, give him food! If he is thirsty, give him something to drink! This will make him feel ashamed of himself, and God will reward you." http://www.thegracecardmovie.com/
John 13:35 says "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Do you have the love of God in your heart? Is there anyone you hold a grudge against or harbor resentment or ill feelings? I know in taking communion you do not hear the scripture read very much but it tells us we are not to be taking communion if we have divisions among us. (See 1 Corinthian 11:17-33).I interpret this to mean by a division any ill will towards someone. How many take communion and do not even know these verses about the Lords' Supper even exist?
Love is opposite of what Satan wants. The enemy wants division, hatred, anger, bitterness, wrath, destruction and lies. Pretty much all people have heard of the 'love chapter' in the Bible that being 1 Corinthians 13. It is read at lots of weddings. But do we do what it says?An excerpt in verses 4-7 says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
The challenge is to live like Christ lives and love like Christ loves. Sometimes you may not feel like loving but you have to choose to love. Some marriages break up because someone says they do not 'feel' in love. It is not all about feelings. It is about a decision to 'just do it", love that is.Sometimes when you do not feel like loving and do it anyway the true love feelings will happen. Why not give it a try?
Is there someone you need to practice loving and being kind too? Ask God to show you who that is and pray for having an attitude like the Lord towards these people who humanly you may be having a hard time showing love to. If you do it long enough you may just find the love will be there when you least expect it.
PRAYER: Lord I thank you for your supernatural love. Help me to have love in my heart for the unlovable. I know you do not want us to harbor bad feelings in our heart. You are love and we are to be like you. Sometimes it is really hard so I need your help. In Jesus Name. Amen.
(NOTE:I sent 15 March devotion out early since I have an early flight in the morning and will not be on the computer. Blessings to all who read this. )
This devotion is also found on http://www.godslemonadestand.blogspot.com/
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