As a child it was very important to my parents for me to learn God’s Word from the very start of life. As a preschooler I memorized Scripture but as a teenager it grew to chapters. Sunday night Bible drills were nerve wracking as we placed our Bibles by our side and waited for someone to announce a random Scripture reference. The first one to find and read it was the winner. Competition was tough as we were all lightening fast.
However, as an adult I realized I had heard the stories, knew the songs, could recite Scripture and the books of the Bible but something was still missing...application. In addition to applying God's truths, Christians leaned more on New Testament studies than the Old by stating we are no longer under the law because Jesus fulfilled the law. But the question still remained in the back of my mind, “Is Jesus really who He says He is?”
Over 25 years ago I walked into a weekday ladies Bible study at my church. Not so much to study the Bible but to be around adult women. Free babysitting for my two preschoolers was a plus too. For 3 years I purchased the workbooks, signed my name inside the front cover, maybe filled in a blank or two but that’s where the effort stopped. Sitting down and reading the Bible for an hour to fill in blanks was not my cup of tea, but I hid it well.
As time marched on I began to complete a whole day, then a couple of days, a week and what I gained…WISDOM! The Old Testament became alive as I could not only see myself in every story but I could see Jesus too.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
Have you ever read Genesis? Why not start today and read a chapter per day? I challenge you to ask the Lord to show you how to apply His Words in your today then look for clues for the coming Messiah. They’re there!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Self-Destruct
“How could I do and say such a thing? I know better than to act like that. Oh, I can’t believe I’m still dealing with those thoughts and actions. Maybe I should give up, accept who I really am, and just go on with life. I wish I could be like Carol who always has it together. But, having come from a background like mine…I can only hope to be half as good as her one day.”
Could it be that you are your own worst enemy? Self-condemnation will become self-destructive, which can lead to self-centeredness resulting in self-righteousness. Ever thought of you in those terms? Pretty harsh, huh? Being ‘full of yourself’ can be thoughts of how exceptional you are to how awful you’ve become. A popular diagnosis for these two spectrums is low and high self-esteem, but rarely do we dwell on the truth…who and whose we are in Christ?
For seventeen years I dealt with a particular sin that kept me from growing in my relationship with Christ. I allowed this ‘unforgivable’ sin to consume me by making a decision to never forgive myself. The benefit—only to fall deeper into despair. However, once I realized I wasn’t even given the power to forgive myself I began to accept the One and Only who could. I had to take action by becoming transparent before the Lord and admitting I could not save myself. Only He could. I had to give up my will to be my own Savior.
Oh, many times before I ran to Jesus crying for Him to please erase that sin only to walk away and take the burden right back. It continued to have power over me. In essence, what I was saying is, “Jesus, your death on the cross was not enough for me. My sin deserves much more.” Much more? How prideful could I get?
The truth of God’s Word says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Take a moment to realize how valuable you are to God. He loves you no matter what. Allow Him to heal you through and through. Let the sin go…He has.
Could it be that you are your own worst enemy? Self-condemnation will become self-destructive, which can lead to self-centeredness resulting in self-righteousness. Ever thought of you in those terms? Pretty harsh, huh? Being ‘full of yourself’ can be thoughts of how exceptional you are to how awful you’ve become. A popular diagnosis for these two spectrums is low and high self-esteem, but rarely do we dwell on the truth…who and whose we are in Christ?
For seventeen years I dealt with a particular sin that kept me from growing in my relationship with Christ. I allowed this ‘unforgivable’ sin to consume me by making a decision to never forgive myself. The benefit—only to fall deeper into despair. However, once I realized I wasn’t even given the power to forgive myself I began to accept the One and Only who could. I had to take action by becoming transparent before the Lord and admitting I could not save myself. Only He could. I had to give up my will to be my own Savior.
Oh, many times before I ran to Jesus crying for Him to please erase that sin only to walk away and take the burden right back. It continued to have power over me. In essence, what I was saying is, “Jesus, your death on the cross was not enough for me. My sin deserves much more.” Much more? How prideful could I get?
The truth of God’s Word says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Take a moment to realize how valuable you are to God. He loves you no matter what. Allow Him to heal you through and through. Let the sin go…He has.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Brokenness Can Result in Total Trust
Has God ever disappointed you? Have you ever questioned whether He really loves you? What about this thought—“If He’s all-powerful then why did He choose not to intervene during this tragedy?”
The feeling of total abandonment, from the loving God, can be devastating. How do I know? Because He decided it would be best to end my daughter’s earthly life. Overnight I became an official (unwilling) member of a group of parents who have experienced the same. My new sets of friends often ask me, “How could a loving God allow this to happen?” I stop to take in a deep breath and pray for the Lord to keep me from speaking for Him, but to instead guide me to speak about Him. I cannot answer their why’s, but I can certainly tell about The Who.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.” Could it be true that the Sovereign God allows the good and bad? How in the world could something so bad become good? The challenge is to consider: He is always in control, always loving, always powerful, always present, and always able to do more than we could even hope or imagine.
Do you know someone who has said, “But, you don’t understand the pain I’m experiencing. A loving God couldn’t possibility allow this to happen to me. And…to tell you the truth…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive Him for this one!” However, the truth still remains; Jehovah God is all-loving, all-powerful, and nothing else. So, should we really ask ourselves, “Am I able to trust Him even when He just doesn’t make sense?”
Is there a hurtful memory you need to ‘forgive’ God for today? He won’t be surprised at what you have to say because He can already see into your heart. He’s waiting for you to be honest. Tell Him He broke your heart then ask Him to do what He does best…heal the wound,restore your peace, experience His great love, and be used for His glory.
The feeling of total abandonment, from the loving God, can be devastating. How do I know? Because He decided it would be best to end my daughter’s earthly life. Overnight I became an official (unwilling) member of a group of parents who have experienced the same. My new sets of friends often ask me, “How could a loving God allow this to happen?” I stop to take in a deep breath and pray for the Lord to keep me from speaking for Him, but to instead guide me to speak about Him. I cannot answer their why’s, but I can certainly tell about The Who.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.” Could it be true that the Sovereign God allows the good and bad? How in the world could something so bad become good? The challenge is to consider: He is always in control, always loving, always powerful, always present, and always able to do more than we could even hope or imagine.
Do you know someone who has said, “But, you don’t understand the pain I’m experiencing. A loving God couldn’t possibility allow this to happen to me. And…to tell you the truth…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive Him for this one!” However, the truth still remains; Jehovah God is all-loving, all-powerful, and nothing else. So, should we really ask ourselves, “Am I able to trust Him even when He just doesn’t make sense?”
Is there a hurtful memory you need to ‘forgive’ God for today? He won’t be surprised at what you have to say because He can already see into your heart. He’s waiting for you to be honest. Tell Him He broke your heart then ask Him to do what He does best…heal the wound,restore your peace, experience His great love, and be used for His glory.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Bitter or Better?
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15
“Lord, there is no way I can forgive them for what they did to me! Please don’t ask me to excuse this. You saw it…You know how unfair it was and besides it goes against everything You have taught me.” Sound familiar?
Jesus is our greatest example of ‘how to’ forgive sin. Now He tells us to practice ‘how to’ do the same if we want to be like Him. He didn’t say, “Easy is it for the man who forgives.” What He did say, “If you forgive…I’ll forgive.”
Total Forgiveness by R. T. Kendall is one of the most powerful books on forgiveness. Dr. D. James Kennedy asked in his book's Forward, “Are you forgiving totally…completely…utterfly…absolutely…unconditionally…entirely…wholly?”
R. T. speaks deeper on the topic, “The person who gains the most from forgiveness is the person who does the forgiving. Release them, and you will be set free.”
Bitterness can make us sick from the inside out and easily turn us into someone we don’t want to be. Forgiveness is not living in denial as a way to deal with the pain either. True forgiveness is giving the situation over to Jesus completely so He can do His powerful work in all hearts involved; not just theirs, but yours too...'all' involved.
How will you know you no longer hold tightly to bitterness? You’re thoughts won’t be consumed with how to get even or ways to prove your innocence. The Bible says real love keeps no record of wrongs. The deliberate decision to forgive frees you to open your heart to love and be loved.
Do you want to experience the intimacy of the Holy Spirit? Then, allow Him to teach you how to forgive…wholly. He knows it’s not easy and that’s why He’s there to help you through the process until it is finished. He wants you to know how good it feels to be free.
“Who do you need to forgive today? Write their name(s) down where you can see them regularly and tell the Lord to help you forgive. Continue the effort until it’s done then prepare your heart for a new you!”
“Lord, there is no way I can forgive them for what they did to me! Please don’t ask me to excuse this. You saw it…You know how unfair it was and besides it goes against everything You have taught me.” Sound familiar?
Jesus is our greatest example of ‘how to’ forgive sin. Now He tells us to practice ‘how to’ do the same if we want to be like Him. He didn’t say, “Easy is it for the man who forgives.” What He did say, “If you forgive…I’ll forgive.”
Total Forgiveness by R. T. Kendall is one of the most powerful books on forgiveness. Dr. D. James Kennedy asked in his book's Forward, “Are you forgiving totally…completely…utterfly…absolutely…unconditionally…entirely…wholly?”
R. T. speaks deeper on the topic, “The person who gains the most from forgiveness is the person who does the forgiving. Release them, and you will be set free.”
Bitterness can make us sick from the inside out and easily turn us into someone we don’t want to be. Forgiveness is not living in denial as a way to deal with the pain either. True forgiveness is giving the situation over to Jesus completely so He can do His powerful work in all hearts involved; not just theirs, but yours too...'all' involved.
How will you know you no longer hold tightly to bitterness? You’re thoughts won’t be consumed with how to get even or ways to prove your innocence. The Bible says real love keeps no record of wrongs. The deliberate decision to forgive frees you to open your heart to love and be loved.
Do you want to experience the intimacy of the Holy Spirit? Then, allow Him to teach you how to forgive…wholly. He knows it’s not easy and that’s why He’s there to help you through the process until it is finished. He wants you to know how good it feels to be free.
“Who do you need to forgive today? Write their name(s) down where you can see them regularly and tell the Lord to help you forgive. Continue the effort until it’s done then prepare your heart for a new you!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)