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!”
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Redirected Steps
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19
What is your first thought when you hear the word ‘repent’? Do you think, “I’d rather go through surgery” or “how wonderful it is that I ‘get to’ repent”?
Repentance is not merely a change of mind but a radical change in one’s life that involves an arising from sorrow, forsaking sin, turning or returning to God with a transformation of life. In other words…we ‘get to’ renew our relationship with God and experience rebirth!
Action is required to repent. It must be a deliberate choice to stop the road we’re on, turn around in the opposite direction, and start picking up our feet to take our first steps. The first steps are never easy but soon we pick up the pace as we spot the billboard that reads ‘deliverance’.
Take a look at a few other 're' words, in Scripture with the prefix ‘re’, I found in the concordance of my Bible: revenge, restrain, rebellion, regret, remove, rebuke, reject, responsibility, repay, require, resent, renounce, and resist. Now let’s look at a few more; repent, respect, reverse, restore, rebuild, rebirth, receive, reclaim, record, reflect, refresh, reward, return, regard, release, rely, relief, remain, remember, remind, remove, reassurance, revive, respond, renew, resolve, redeem, and REJOICE!
Thought I’d close with a little ‘re’ prayer and encourage you to do the same today with some of the words listed above:
“Dear Father, I come to You with great respect—for You are the Most Holy God. Remind me today of Your power to rebuild my life, which can easily break. I want to return to You and ask that You reveal any rebellion in me that would only lead to regrets. Remove everything that restrains our relationship and replace it with a spirit of total refreshment. Restore me once again. Renew me as I am reassured my sin no longer remains on my record. It brings a release like none other. I celebrate my rebirth as You grant me the reward You promise is now mine. There is reason to rejoice in the redeeming blood of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.”
What does your Bible concordance say about words that begin with 're'?
What is your first thought when you hear the word ‘repent’? Do you think, “I’d rather go through surgery” or “how wonderful it is that I ‘get to’ repent”?
Repentance is not merely a change of mind but a radical change in one’s life that involves an arising from sorrow, forsaking sin, turning or returning to God with a transformation of life. In other words…we ‘get to’ renew our relationship with God and experience rebirth!
Action is required to repent. It must be a deliberate choice to stop the road we’re on, turn around in the opposite direction, and start picking up our feet to take our first steps. The first steps are never easy but soon we pick up the pace as we spot the billboard that reads ‘deliverance’.
Take a look at a few other 're' words, in Scripture with the prefix ‘re’, I found in the concordance of my Bible: revenge, restrain, rebellion, regret, remove, rebuke, reject, responsibility, repay, require, resent, renounce, and resist. Now let’s look at a few more; repent, respect, reverse, restore, rebuild, rebirth, receive, reclaim, record, reflect, refresh, reward, return, regard, release, rely, relief, remain, remember, remind, remove, reassurance, revive, respond, renew, resolve, redeem, and REJOICE!
Thought I’d close with a little ‘re’ prayer and encourage you to do the same today with some of the words listed above:
“Dear Father, I come to You with great respect—for You are the Most Holy God. Remind me today of Your power to rebuild my life, which can easily break. I want to return to You and ask that You reveal any rebellion in me that would only lead to regrets. Remove everything that restrains our relationship and replace it with a spirit of total refreshment. Restore me once again. Renew me as I am reassured my sin no longer remains on my record. It brings a release like none other. I celebrate my rebirth as You grant me the reward You promise is now mine. There is reason to rejoice in the redeeming blood of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.”
What does your Bible concordance say about words that begin with 're'?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Worrywart
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:21
Is being anxious a sin? Could it possibly be the root of all sins?
A seed began to sprout roots when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say…”. Can’t you just picture Eve’s angelic face begin to tense as the serpent’s relentless questions rang in her ears?
A tiny seed of worry can grow destructive fruit of impatience, anxiousness, resentment, and even anger. We begin to no longer trust the Sovereign God. In other words, we let our guard down as our hearts and minds become an easy target for the enemy; the Liar.
Have you heard the expression, ‘desperate people do desperate things’? When desperate people take matters into their own hands they fail the first of the Ten Commandments miserably by allowing worry to become bigger than the Prince of Peace. We dethrone God by becoming our own god and the benefit…no peace.
Beth Moore gives a good example of anxiousness, “A lack of peace manifests itself in many ways: a sleepless night filled with tossing and turning, fear that lodges itself like a pine cone in your stomach, a mind and body in perpetual motion, memories that imprison you repeatedly, unending strife, hopelessness, and the general, yet horrible, sense of being out of control. God’s peace means the absence of fear and turmoil, but not the absence of pain and grief.”
“Are you at peace today? Are you worried about something? What if it never happens and if it does…do you not trust the Lord will be present in it?”
Give your worries to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for holding on to it so tightly. Make peace with God so He can show you His perfect peace.
Spend your day thanking the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do. Remember…He loves you and desires only the best for you. Trust Him.
Is being anxious a sin? Could it possibly be the root of all sins?
A seed began to sprout roots when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say…”. Can’t you just picture Eve’s angelic face begin to tense as the serpent’s relentless questions rang in her ears?
A tiny seed of worry can grow destructive fruit of impatience, anxiousness, resentment, and even anger. We begin to no longer trust the Sovereign God. In other words, we let our guard down as our hearts and minds become an easy target for the enemy; the Liar.
Have you heard the expression, ‘desperate people do desperate things’? When desperate people take matters into their own hands they fail the first of the Ten Commandments miserably by allowing worry to become bigger than the Prince of Peace. We dethrone God by becoming our own god and the benefit…no peace.
Beth Moore gives a good example of anxiousness, “A lack of peace manifests itself in many ways: a sleepless night filled with tossing and turning, fear that lodges itself like a pine cone in your stomach, a mind and body in perpetual motion, memories that imprison you repeatedly, unending strife, hopelessness, and the general, yet horrible, sense of being out of control. God’s peace means the absence of fear and turmoil, but not the absence of pain and grief.”
“Are you at peace today? Are you worried about something? What if it never happens and if it does…do you not trust the Lord will be present in it?”
Give your worries to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for holding on to it so tightly. Make peace with God so He can show you His perfect peace.
Spend your day thanking the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do. Remember…He loves you and desires only the best for you. Trust Him.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Choose life!
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
A popular radio talk show host taught me a very important lesson when he said, “Words mean things”. As simple the statement is you have to agree words should be chosen carefully to communicate your message. His lesson continues to challenge me to never skim over a word again.
I applied this method when studying the Word of God and discovered the smallest words possess the most powerful significance. The word ‘all’ in this passage means every human being—no exceptions.
‘Have sinned’ implies we’re already sinners. I used to battle this truth because I would have liked to have had a say in Eve’s decision to disobey God. Why should I pay for what she did? My question only traps me in the same blame argument she found herself in. Blame only deafens us to God’s love, grace, and provision in spite of our sin. Like Eve...we're tempted but we don't have to choose sin. We can say no and walk away.
Notice degrees of sin are not mentioned for sin is sin to a perfect God. Eve’s teeny-weeny taste trickled down into our daily lives. What she thought was harmless actually changed the course of God’s plan for all humanity. No sin is harmless.
Today we have sophisticated sin by giving them fancy labels, which carry little accountability. Hiding in our destructive comfort zones is cozier. Personal responsibility is just too risky. Nobody wants to admit a weakness. How many times have you said or heard someone say with shrugged shoulders, “I am who I am”?
Don’t allow a ‘letter’ to keep you from knowing the glory of God? Take a close look at the middle letter in sin and pride. Could you’re worse enemy be you?
Romans 6:23 tells us “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We are sinners in need of a Savior to keep us from death.
Choose God’s gift of eternal life by handing over your deadly sins to Jesus today. He says if you admit, confess, and repent then you will be forgiven. Don't you want to experience the glory of God in your day? Clear things up with Him...He's waiting on you.
A popular radio talk show host taught me a very important lesson when he said, “Words mean things”. As simple the statement is you have to agree words should be chosen carefully to communicate your message. His lesson continues to challenge me to never skim over a word again.
I applied this method when studying the Word of God and discovered the smallest words possess the most powerful significance. The word ‘all’ in this passage means every human being—no exceptions.
‘Have sinned’ implies we’re already sinners. I used to battle this truth because I would have liked to have had a say in Eve’s decision to disobey God. Why should I pay for what she did? My question only traps me in the same blame argument she found herself in. Blame only deafens us to God’s love, grace, and provision in spite of our sin. Like Eve...we're tempted but we don't have to choose sin. We can say no and walk away.
Notice degrees of sin are not mentioned for sin is sin to a perfect God. Eve’s teeny-weeny taste trickled down into our daily lives. What she thought was harmless actually changed the course of God’s plan for all humanity. No sin is harmless.
Today we have sophisticated sin by giving them fancy labels, which carry little accountability. Hiding in our destructive comfort zones is cozier. Personal responsibility is just too risky. Nobody wants to admit a weakness. How many times have you said or heard someone say with shrugged shoulders, “I am who I am”?
Don’t allow a ‘letter’ to keep you from knowing the glory of God? Take a close look at the middle letter in sin and pride. Could you’re worse enemy be you?
Romans 6:23 tells us “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We are sinners in need of a Savior to keep us from death.
Choose God’s gift of eternal life by handing over your deadly sins to Jesus today. He says if you admit, confess, and repent then you will be forgiven. Don't you want to experience the glory of God in your day? Clear things up with Him...He's waiting on you.
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