"A man's steps are directed by the Lord, how then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24
Feeling a little "uncertain" in these uncertain times? You're not alone. This has been quite a week as we've witnessed the devastation that one hurricane can bring to a densely populated area, as we've all felt the roller coaster ride of the ups & downs on Wall Street, as we've seen large banks asking the government for help or else risk crumbling, not to mention the huge political debates going on & on & on, and the war we are still fighting, etc....
There's so much! We just can't figure it all out at times. Politics, our economy, wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters, rising costs of fuel, risk of layoffs & rising unemployment - all of these things, even by themselves, seem so HUGE to get a grasp on, yet they all directly affect us in one way or another right here at home.
One thing I felt like God spoke to me this very morning & I'll pass it on to you right now, is this, "DON'T PANIC." Don't worry if you can't figure everything out or if you're feeling somewhat "confused" by the world events surrounding us right now. We can be absolutely reassured that God is SOVEREIGN, that He knows & understands all that is unfolding before us, & that HE HAS A PLAN. He's not up there wringing His hands, like many of us are here, I'm sure of that! Some things we may never understand, we may never quite see what His timing is all about as we continue to wait for something we've longed for, we may never understand why He seemed to direct us to a certain place for a certain period of time in life, we may wonder why He has allowed us to experience "hard" things in life instead of protecting us from all pain. Some things may become more clear as the years go on, God may choose to show us exactly how He was at work even in the midst of uncertainy. But, whether of not we ever understand completely, we can REST in the fact that we serve a God that WILL direct our steps as we seek after Him, that WILL give purpose in everything we walk through in this life, even the difficult things, maybe ESPECIALLY the difficult things! We can know beyond any doubting, that GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME & OUR TIMES ARE IN HIS HANDS.
Thinking of you today, may He cover you with peace this weekend!
Showing posts with label Proverbs For Each Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Proverbs For Each Day. Show all posts
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 18, 2008
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10
Never before has this verse had such literal meaning to me as it has in the past week. As Hurricane Ike raised it's fierce winds & storms around our city Friday night, I can guarantee you that EVERYONE wanted to be in a "strong tower." Noone wants to be left out in the rage of a storm without a safe place to run to. I love those words "are safe" in this verse, which literally means to be "set on high," to be "out of danger." I think the officials spoke it so bluntly & clearly last Friday morning as they gave warning to those along the west end of the Galveston island, "Get out now, or you will face certain death."
Who are we to think we can do this "life" thing on our own? I don't know about you, but there have been SO many times in life that I've just been at the end of myself, I just know without a doubt that I need Someone stronger than me to take the blunt force of the storms of this life. Without a strong tower of refuge...without a safe place to run to when we face the powerful blows that can leave us reeling, wondering what has happened, we can be rendered absolutely POWERLESS.
And powerless, we have been. Of course, this week, we've seen the actual effects that a "lack of literal power" can have on an entire huge city! We have been stopped in our tracks, slowed to a halt, the 4th largest city of our nation has STOPPED for a brief time as we were rendered powerless. It will take days, months, maybe longer, if ever, to get back to the place we once were!
I can't help but correlate that to our personal lives...have you ever felt "powerless?" Maybe your lack of power hasn't come from a hurricane, maybe it's come from something called cancer, or chronic illness, or addiction that has rendered you powerless to fight back. Maybe it's come from divorce or broken relationships, from an untimely death of someone you loved dearly, from near financial ruin or incredible financial pressures. Wherever it is that you have felt powerless in life, please know that there is ONE WHO IS ALL POWERFUL! He is our Strong Tower, we CAN run to Him & be SAFE. Don't try to do this life thing without Him, don't keep getting blown down by the storms & winds, run to the ONE who will take the blows for you, sheltering you in His care. It certainly doesn't mean that we won't face the storms...we will...if you've lived long enough, you already have, but what it does mean is that we don't have to do it on our own. We can have a sustaining strength, and amazingly, even joy, in the midst of some of the fiercest of storms that may come our way.
Thinking of you today, be blessed! Love you all & are so thankful for your prayers!
Never before has this verse had such literal meaning to me as it has in the past week. As Hurricane Ike raised it's fierce winds & storms around our city Friday night, I can guarantee you that EVERYONE wanted to be in a "strong tower." Noone wants to be left out in the rage of a storm without a safe place to run to. I love those words "are safe" in this verse, which literally means to be "set on high," to be "out of danger." I think the officials spoke it so bluntly & clearly last Friday morning as they gave warning to those along the west end of the Galveston island, "Get out now, or you will face certain death."
Who are we to think we can do this "life" thing on our own? I don't know about you, but there have been SO many times in life that I've just been at the end of myself, I just know without a doubt that I need Someone stronger than me to take the blunt force of the storms of this life. Without a strong tower of refuge...without a safe place to run to when we face the powerful blows that can leave us reeling, wondering what has happened, we can be rendered absolutely POWERLESS.
And powerless, we have been. Of course, this week, we've seen the actual effects that a "lack of literal power" can have on an entire huge city! We have been stopped in our tracks, slowed to a halt, the 4th largest city of our nation has STOPPED for a brief time as we were rendered powerless. It will take days, months, maybe longer, if ever, to get back to the place we once were!
I can't help but correlate that to our personal lives...have you ever felt "powerless?" Maybe your lack of power hasn't come from a hurricane, maybe it's come from something called cancer, or chronic illness, or addiction that has rendered you powerless to fight back. Maybe it's come from divorce or broken relationships, from an untimely death of someone you loved dearly, from near financial ruin or incredible financial pressures. Wherever it is that you have felt powerless in life, please know that there is ONE WHO IS ALL POWERFUL! He is our Strong Tower, we CAN run to Him & be SAFE. Don't try to do this life thing without Him, don't keep getting blown down by the storms & winds, run to the ONE who will take the blows for you, sheltering you in His care. It certainly doesn't mean that we won't face the storms...we will...if you've lived long enough, you already have, but what it does mean is that we don't have to do it on our own. We can have a sustaining strength, and amazingly, even joy, in the midst of some of the fiercest of storms that may come our way.
Thinking of you today, be blessed! Love you all & are so thankful for your prayers!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 11, 2008
"A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25
Here in Houston, TX this morning, we find ourselves looking right down the barrel of something called Hurricane Ike, you've probably already heard of it, right?(: All around this area & along the coastline of Galveston, we've waited for the news that this hurricane has taken a turn, it hasn't...and doesn't look like it will. Galveston is already beginning to experience some surge along the seawall & it hasn't even started raining yet. Our beloved little Kemah area looks like it may be flooded out badly. Many people in low lying areas & along the coast have evacuated or are doing so right now.
I can't help but think back to the devastating effects of recent hurricanes in other areas that have hit close by, Katrina, Rita, even Gustav. I thought of how this city of Houston, with all of its great resources & large population has always quickly reached out to others who have been "hit." I remembered walking through the George R. Brown Covention Center (set up as a shelter) after Katrina, seeing the sea of faces of people who had lost literally EVERYTHING, many not even knowing where family members had ended up or if they were even still alive.
I'm praying today that this verse will ring true for our city & our coastal areas, that God would, in His mercy, spare us from the destruction this powerful hurricane could bring, that even if there are some "after effects" from the storm, that He would bring "refreshing" to His people here.
If you're reading this today, would you pray for us, and especially for our friends near the coastal areas or in flood zones? We are so incredibly dependent on God!
I'm so thankful to already see the powerful "neighbor effect" around our areas, people want to know each other are O.K., people call to check in, call to see if you need another bottle of water while they're at the store, to double check & make sure you don't need to go ahead & evacuate out to a safer place, to let you know they have a generator if you need one, it's wonderful to see how people CARE, especially in times where darker things are looming in the distance!
We're living by this verse today, we will choose to be generous in ALL that we have, that God has so graciously given, we are trusting Him to bring REFRESHING to His people as we choose to walk in a way that refreshes & helps others.
We can never go wrong if we stand on His Word, it's timely & RIGHT ON ADVICE in every season of life.
If we lose power tonight, I'll catch up with you in a few days...bless you!
Here in Houston, TX this morning, we find ourselves looking right down the barrel of something called Hurricane Ike, you've probably already heard of it, right?(: All around this area & along the coastline of Galveston, we've waited for the news that this hurricane has taken a turn, it hasn't...and doesn't look like it will. Galveston is already beginning to experience some surge along the seawall & it hasn't even started raining yet. Our beloved little Kemah area looks like it may be flooded out badly. Many people in low lying areas & along the coast have evacuated or are doing so right now.
I can't help but think back to the devastating effects of recent hurricanes in other areas that have hit close by, Katrina, Rita, even Gustav. I thought of how this city of Houston, with all of its great resources & large population has always quickly reached out to others who have been "hit." I remembered walking through the George R. Brown Covention Center (set up as a shelter) after Katrina, seeing the sea of faces of people who had lost literally EVERYTHING, many not even knowing where family members had ended up or if they were even still alive.
I'm praying today that this verse will ring true for our city & our coastal areas, that God would, in His mercy, spare us from the destruction this powerful hurricane could bring, that even if there are some "after effects" from the storm, that He would bring "refreshing" to His people here.
If you're reading this today, would you pray for us, and especially for our friends near the coastal areas or in flood zones? We are so incredibly dependent on God!
I'm so thankful to already see the powerful "neighbor effect" around our areas, people want to know each other are O.K., people call to check in, call to see if you need another bottle of water while they're at the store, to double check & make sure you don't need to go ahead & evacuate out to a safer place, to let you know they have a generator if you need one, it's wonderful to see how people CARE, especially in times where darker things are looming in the distance!
We're living by this verse today, we will choose to be generous in ALL that we have, that God has so graciously given, we are trusting Him to bring REFRESHING to His people as we choose to walk in a way that refreshes & helps others.
We can never go wrong if we stand on His Word, it's timely & RIGHT ON ADVICE in every season of life.
If we lose power tonight, I'll catch up with you in a few days...bless you!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 10, 2008
"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing..." Proverbs 10:7
I had the chance to have lunch today with one of the most amazing women I know. When I read this verse this morning and then sat with my dear friend Kristi at lunch a few hours later, I thought, wow, this is a woman who knows all about how true this verse really is. You see, Kristi lost her husband Billy 4 years ago through a motorcycle accident. As a young widow, she knows what it's like to walk through the deepest pit of pain, grief, & loneliness, but yet, she didn't get stuck there...over time, she MOVED FORWARD, she was determined to carry on the work & ministry that God had called their lives to, even though He had taken Billy home much sooner than they had ever expected. Billy is still very much "alive" here too, even in our home, we talk of him frequently, we laugh at so many "Billy" stories (if you knew him, you know what I mean!) - his memory is living on through the lives of so many people he touched during his years on this earth. He was an evangelist in every sense of the word, he lived it, he breathed it, he was called by God to proclaim His Word & that's what he did WHEREVER he was! The memory of Billy Hobbs will always be a BLESSING to our lives.
But, there's more...the great thing is this - because Kristi had the heart to continue on the ministry that God had called them to and that Billy had helped to begin in 2002, Alamo City Mercy Foundation has just completed their first orphanage in Kenya, Africa. They are staffed & now ready to receive 36 orphan children, ages 3 - 7! These children were often referred to by others as "chokoras," children of the dirt, but where some saw "dirt," Billy & Kristi saw HOPE. The memory of Billy Hobbs is now a blessing extending even to the lives of these precious children that God has not forgotten, though many others had. Through work in Africa, Brazil, India, Turkey, and now even Iran, Kristi is continuing on in the ministry of proclaiming Christ to people who are hurting, to those who need to know HIM, encouraging other believers who are literally persecuted in their own countries because of their faith in Jesus Christ. If you're interested in learning more about how to volunteer, pray for, or support this great ministry of Mercy Foundation, go to http://www.alamocitymercyfoundation.org/.
I recently heard a quote that said something like this..."Seek not to have your name written in stone, but seek to have your name written on people's hearts." Billy Hobbs is a name remembered by so many people all over the world, just as this verse says, his "memory is a blessing." But more importantly, because of his faithfulness & obedience to God, the name of JESUS has been written across many, many hearts.
And, because of Kristi's boldness for Christ & faithfulness to continue on, many others, like myself, are also challenged to remember to be MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THINGS OF ETERNAL VALUE, rather than only the temporary things that can seem to so easily consume our days. Praying that God will show us today a specific way that we can be a BLESSING in the life of someone else - that we can look past ourselves and our own needs or wants and begin to ponder how WE would want to be remembered in this life. Love you Kristi...love you friends, have a blessed day!
I had the chance to have lunch today with one of the most amazing women I know. When I read this verse this morning and then sat with my dear friend Kristi at lunch a few hours later, I thought, wow, this is a woman who knows all about how true this verse really is. You see, Kristi lost her husband Billy 4 years ago through a motorcycle accident. As a young widow, she knows what it's like to walk through the deepest pit of pain, grief, & loneliness, but yet, she didn't get stuck there...over time, she MOVED FORWARD, she was determined to carry on the work & ministry that God had called their lives to, even though He had taken Billy home much sooner than they had ever expected. Billy is still very much "alive" here too, even in our home, we talk of him frequently, we laugh at so many "Billy" stories (if you knew him, you know what I mean!) - his memory is living on through the lives of so many people he touched during his years on this earth. He was an evangelist in every sense of the word, he lived it, he breathed it, he was called by God to proclaim His Word & that's what he did WHEREVER he was! The memory of Billy Hobbs will always be a BLESSING to our lives.
But, there's more...the great thing is this - because Kristi had the heart to continue on the ministry that God had called them to and that Billy had helped to begin in 2002, Alamo City Mercy Foundation has just completed their first orphanage in Kenya, Africa. They are staffed & now ready to receive 36 orphan children, ages 3 - 7! These children were often referred to by others as "chokoras," children of the dirt, but where some saw "dirt," Billy & Kristi saw HOPE. The memory of Billy Hobbs is now a blessing extending even to the lives of these precious children that God has not forgotten, though many others had. Through work in Africa, Brazil, India, Turkey, and now even Iran, Kristi is continuing on in the ministry of proclaiming Christ to people who are hurting, to those who need to know HIM, encouraging other believers who are literally persecuted in their own countries because of their faith in Jesus Christ. If you're interested in learning more about how to volunteer, pray for, or support this great ministry of Mercy Foundation, go to http://www.alamocitymercyfoundation.org/.
I recently heard a quote that said something like this..."Seek not to have your name written in stone, but seek to have your name written on people's hearts." Billy Hobbs is a name remembered by so many people all over the world, just as this verse says, his "memory is a blessing." But more importantly, because of his faithfulness & obedience to God, the name of JESUS has been written across many, many hearts.
And, because of Kristi's boldness for Christ & faithfulness to continue on, many others, like myself, are also challenged to remember to be MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THINGS OF ETERNAL VALUE, rather than only the temporary things that can seem to so easily consume our days. Praying that God will show us today a specific way that we can be a BLESSING in the life of someone else - that we can look past ourselves and our own needs or wants and begin to ponder how WE would want to be remembered in this life. Love you Kristi...love you friends, have a blessed day!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 9, 2008
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life." Proverbs 9:10-11
Do you ever wish you could turn back the clock & have another chance at some of the "wrong" decisions you made in the past? Do you ever feel like you wasted some of your years on things that didn't really matter in the light of eternity? Do you feel like you've just blown it too many times & wish you could wipe out those moments with some kind of huge eraser?
JOIN THE CLUB! Been there, done that, I've felt & thought those same things many times.
The great news is, just as these verses say, as we seek to know more of God & more of His wisdom, HE will make the MOST of our time, enriching our lives in every way. The Bible even says in Joel 2:25, that God will "restore the years the locusts have eaten away." Wow! Even those moments that maybe were not our "best moments" of life, maybe those years that seemed so difficult & trying, God says He will RESTORE them. He will use them for some kind of good in our lives - in us & maybe through us to encourage someone else.
Maybe even now, you feel that you're just beginning to see how important "time" really is, and you want to begin to MAKE THE MOST of every day by finding the purposes of God for your life. You're on the right track, don't stop, keep going right down that path of seeking after God with your whole heart! He will never leave you or desert you...things may not always go our way in this life...but God will never disappoint you. He will see you over every rocky path, and carry you through every storm, He will deepen & enrich your years more than you ever dreamed possible.
Never believe the lie that you have done too many "awful" things or that you're "too old" to really make a difference. With God - wow - anything is possible!
Do you ever wish you could turn back the clock & have another chance at some of the "wrong" decisions you made in the past? Do you ever feel like you wasted some of your years on things that didn't really matter in the light of eternity? Do you feel like you've just blown it too many times & wish you could wipe out those moments with some kind of huge eraser?
JOIN THE CLUB! Been there, done that, I've felt & thought those same things many times.
The great news is, just as these verses say, as we seek to know more of God & more of His wisdom, HE will make the MOST of our time, enriching our lives in every way. The Bible even says in Joel 2:25, that God will "restore the years the locusts have eaten away." Wow! Even those moments that maybe were not our "best moments" of life, maybe those years that seemed so difficult & trying, God says He will RESTORE them. He will use them for some kind of good in our lives - in us & maybe through us to encourage someone else.
Maybe even now, you feel that you're just beginning to see how important "time" really is, and you want to begin to MAKE THE MOST of every day by finding the purposes of God for your life. You're on the right track, don't stop, keep going right down that path of seeking after God with your whole heart! He will never leave you or desert you...things may not always go our way in this life...but God will never disappoint you. He will see you over every rocky path, and carry you through every storm, He will deepen & enrich your years more than you ever dreamed possible.
Never believe the lie that you have done too many "awful" things or that you're "too old" to really make a difference. With God - wow - anything is possible!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 8, 2008
"For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord." Proverbs 8:35
There's a store in Houston I've enjoyed shopping in for the past few years & over the course of time, I've had the opportunity to get to know one of the girls who works there. From our prior conversations I've learned that she is Muslim, and likewise, she knows that I'm a Christian, and whenever I go in & she's working, we just share bits of life back & forth and enjoy talking with one another.
Over the weekend, I saw her as I was shopping, and she shared with me how this was a very hard month for her. In the Muslim faith, this is the month of their fast (Ramadan). They can eat at sun up & sun down, but are not to eat or drink anything at all in between, she told me she wouldn't even wear lip gloss for fear she may lick it off her lips. She told me of how upset she was that other college friends of hers, also Muslim, were choosing not to fast anymore, how they are not taking their religion seriously enough.
As she shared, my heart just broke for her. She was trying so hard to "do the right thing," but for what reason? Wasn't it all in vain? If real love does not compel us to "do the right thing," aren't we doing it for the wrong reasons anyway? As I left that day, I felt like God reminded me that even in Christian circles, we do this very thing. We pray, we fast, we serve, but sometimes for all the wrong reasons. We're not compelled by love. We're looking around & wondering why so & so is not doing ALL that we are, we're so worried about what other people are doing or are NOT doing.
I'm praying today that God will remind us that through HIM, we have LIFE, we have PURPOSE to do all that He calls us to, it is not in vain if we are seeking to honor Him in all that we do.
If you are reading this today, would you pray with me for my Muslim friend? I'm praying that the eyes of her heart will be enlightened to see the TRUTH of Jesus Christ, that our loving & merciful God will chase after her and bring His freedom & LIFE to her & to her family!
There's a store in Houston I've enjoyed shopping in for the past few years & over the course of time, I've had the opportunity to get to know one of the girls who works there. From our prior conversations I've learned that she is Muslim, and likewise, she knows that I'm a Christian, and whenever I go in & she's working, we just share bits of life back & forth and enjoy talking with one another.
Over the weekend, I saw her as I was shopping, and she shared with me how this was a very hard month for her. In the Muslim faith, this is the month of their fast (Ramadan). They can eat at sun up & sun down, but are not to eat or drink anything at all in between, she told me she wouldn't even wear lip gloss for fear she may lick it off her lips. She told me of how upset she was that other college friends of hers, also Muslim, were choosing not to fast anymore, how they are not taking their religion seriously enough.
As she shared, my heart just broke for her. She was trying so hard to "do the right thing," but for what reason? Wasn't it all in vain? If real love does not compel us to "do the right thing," aren't we doing it for the wrong reasons anyway? As I left that day, I felt like God reminded me that even in Christian circles, we do this very thing. We pray, we fast, we serve, but sometimes for all the wrong reasons. We're not compelled by love. We're looking around & wondering why so & so is not doing ALL that we are, we're so worried about what other people are doing or are NOT doing.
I'm praying today that God will remind us that through HIM, we have LIFE, we have PURPOSE to do all that He calls us to, it is not in vain if we are seeking to honor Him in all that we do.
If you are reading this today, would you pray with me for my Muslim friend? I'm praying that the eyes of her heart will be enlightened to see the TRUTH of Jesus Christ, that our loving & merciful God will chase after her and bring His freedom & LIFE to her & to her family!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 6, 2008
"Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion:
eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family."
Proverbs 6:16-19 from the Message Bible
I think it's so interesting how it's kind of human nature to "rate" sins - like some just seem more serious and should likely have a more severe consequence or punishment than others.
Other types of "sin" are really quite "acceptable" in our culture today, they just seem rather "mild," don't they? I mean, how bad can just one "little white lie" be? Or is it really so bad to show some "pride" when we've worked really hard to accomplish something?
But amazingly, God places those particular sins right along next to murder! Come on now, can that be fair?!
As I read these verses today, I thought of the book that Troy & I have been reading through, it's called "Respectable Sins," by Jerry Bridges. Whew, talk about conviction & digging deep! I have to kind of take it in sections, maybe because God still has so much to do in my heart & life, but it's such a true picture of where many of us are in our Christian networks & circles. As Mr. Bridges says in the book's preface, "we have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more 'refined' or subtle sins." Ouch. He goes on to address sin issues such as anxiety/frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, anger, impatience/irritability, sins of the tongue, judgmentalism, envy, worldliness, etc..., ugh, I knew I'd better crack this book open when I felt the pangs of conviction just in reading through the table of contents!
But, let me end with a note of HOPE for all of us out there who struggle! When we come to a place where we can see a truer picture of who we really are, sin & all, we can then come to a place where we can see a truer picture of WHO HE IS...our Redeemer, our Savior! The Bible says that when we are forgiven through Jesus Christ, and we confess what we've done wrong and turn from it, God wipes out our sin. Boom, it's gone. Like a dry erase board, never to be remembered. Wow, I am so needy for God to continue to work in this fleshly heart of mine, if you're feeling that same way today, know that I'm with you friend - living a life of complete dependency upon our God - HE is our HOPE!
"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
eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family."
Proverbs 6:16-19 from the Message Bible
I think it's so interesting how it's kind of human nature to "rate" sins - like some just seem more serious and should likely have a more severe consequence or punishment than others.
Other types of "sin" are really quite "acceptable" in our culture today, they just seem rather "mild," don't they? I mean, how bad can just one "little white lie" be? Or is it really so bad to show some "pride" when we've worked really hard to accomplish something?
But amazingly, God places those particular sins right along next to murder! Come on now, can that be fair?!
As I read these verses today, I thought of the book that Troy & I have been reading through, it's called "Respectable Sins," by Jerry Bridges. Whew, talk about conviction & digging deep! I have to kind of take it in sections, maybe because God still has so much to do in my heart & life, but it's such a true picture of where many of us are in our Christian networks & circles. As Mr. Bridges says in the book's preface, "we have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more 'refined' or subtle sins." Ouch. He goes on to address sin issues such as anxiety/frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, anger, impatience/irritability, sins of the tongue, judgmentalism, envy, worldliness, etc..., ugh, I knew I'd better crack this book open when I felt the pangs of conviction just in reading through the table of contents!
But, let me end with a note of HOPE for all of us out there who struggle! When we come to a place where we can see a truer picture of who we really are, sin & all, we can then come to a place where we can see a truer picture of WHO HE IS...our Redeemer, our Savior! The Bible says that when we are forgiven through Jesus Christ, and we confess what we've done wrong and turn from it, God wipes out our sin. Boom, it's gone. Like a dry erase board, never to be remembered. Wow, I am so needy for God to continue to work in this fleshly heart of mine, if you're feeling that same way today, know that I'm with you friend - living a life of complete dependency upon our God - HE is our HOPE!
"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
Friday, September 5, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 5, 2008
"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths." Prov. 5:21
Anyone who says that the Bible is not "relevant" to today's world or that it seems rather "boring," needs to read Proverbs 5! Oh, it's relevant all right - most definitely, it was then & is now. Just like times long ago, we live in a world where sexual temptations lurk everywhere - even on prime time TV, prostitution & adulterous affairs break up homes & marriages, men & women both are led astray by the enticement that "the grass is greener on the other side."
It seems that Solomon spoke with some history here when he gave instruction to his son in this passage. As you probably know, he did have QUITE a lot of wives & I'm thinking he didn't marry them all just for the verbal communication, if you know what I mean! But in several verses he says "pay attention to my wisdom," "listen to me," etc... - you can almost feel the warning in his words as he writes this.
God has given us this great & incredible gift of sex intended only for within the confines of marriage, that's where it's safe, that's where it most enjoyable, that was God's intention from the very beginning of time! Unfortunately human nature & the world we live in always want to pervert & change God's gifts to make it fit more into our "lifestyle," or what seems right or feels good to us.
Moms of sons - let's pray for our little guys as they grow up, that we as parents can teach them true respect & honor of women, that God would protect them & shield them from unneccessary temptations & help them to make the right choices WAY ahead of time - before they find themselves in a tempting moment.
Moms of daughters - let's cover our precious ones in prayer that God would shield them from any evil, danger, or temptation, that they would always know WHO they belong to & believe with confidence that their lives & bodies belong first & foremost to Jesus Christ.
Praying that as wives & husbands, we will love each other the way that God intends, that our eyes will be only for one another & that our hearts would not be led astray by meaningless temptations.
Lord help us to keep our families strong for this generation & for the generations to come!
Anyone who says that the Bible is not "relevant" to today's world or that it seems rather "boring," needs to read Proverbs 5! Oh, it's relevant all right - most definitely, it was then & is now. Just like times long ago, we live in a world where sexual temptations lurk everywhere - even on prime time TV, prostitution & adulterous affairs break up homes & marriages, men & women both are led astray by the enticement that "the grass is greener on the other side."
It seems that Solomon spoke with some history here when he gave instruction to his son in this passage. As you probably know, he did have QUITE a lot of wives & I'm thinking he didn't marry them all just for the verbal communication, if you know what I mean! But in several verses he says "pay attention to my wisdom," "listen to me," etc... - you can almost feel the warning in his words as he writes this.
God has given us this great & incredible gift of sex intended only for within the confines of marriage, that's where it's safe, that's where it most enjoyable, that was God's intention from the very beginning of time! Unfortunately human nature & the world we live in always want to pervert & change God's gifts to make it fit more into our "lifestyle," or what seems right or feels good to us.
Moms of sons - let's pray for our little guys as they grow up, that we as parents can teach them true respect & honor of women, that God would protect them & shield them from unneccessary temptations & help them to make the right choices WAY ahead of time - before they find themselves in a tempting moment.
Moms of daughters - let's cover our precious ones in prayer that God would shield them from any evil, danger, or temptation, that they would always know WHO they belong to & believe with confidence that their lives & bodies belong first & foremost to Jesus Christ.
Praying that as wives & husbands, we will love each other the way that God intends, that our eyes will be only for one another & that our hearts would not be led astray by meaningless temptations.
Lord help us to keep our families strong for this generation & for the generations to come!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 4, 2008
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23
I started running today...again...it was a rather "short" run, well, it was actually a "very short" run, to be honest, it was a really long walk. (: I guess the important thing is that I at least STARTED to run! There have been so many times in my life that my well intended plans to eat better & get back into heart healthy shape quickly fall by the wayside - until, I get back on track yet again.
So here we go - again.
But I was thinking about these words as I ran this morning - it's such a great verse for this "heart healthy" culture that we live in! I mean we hear that everywhere, the importance of "guarding our hearts" - keeping our lives free from the things that would not be HEALTHY for our hearts. And then I think, how many of us "guard our hearts" more "physically" than we do "spiritually?" How often have I done that without even thinking about it?
We even teach our children about healthy living, being active, eating right. In my "younger" days, I was such a junk food eater, I could have existed (& probably did a few years) on chocolate, coffee, & french fries, ugh! But I would NEVER DREAM of letting our children pour that into their little lives, no way! We naturally want to teach them to make wise choices in what they choose to eat & what they do in order to have a healthy life & heart.
I can't help but think how that MUST carry over in the spiritual training & equipping of our own kids. If we allow "junk" food in - that's what our heart will pour back out, junk.
Let's equip them to make wise choices in what they allow in - let's tell them WHY we choose to not watch certain things or WHY we choose to not play some type of video games or WHY we don't want to put things into our bodies that make us act "goofy." Let's show them the incredible things to pour into their hearts - the Word of God, spending time with God & with others who love Him, fun up beat music that honors Him - there's so many good things that we can help fill up those little hearts with! Let's instill in them the reality that the Bible is NOT a big book of "don'ts," but that God wants for us to live a life of freedom & joy, He wants the very best for us!
And, in the long run, we'll be teaching them how to make those choices - on their own - it's not always easy, there's temptations everywhere out there for all of us. Wow, we live in a real world with a real enemy who wants nothing more but for us to pour junk in. Praying for all of us today, that God will help us parents to do all that we can to keep our families "heart healthy."
I started running today...again...it was a rather "short" run, well, it was actually a "very short" run, to be honest, it was a really long walk. (: I guess the important thing is that I at least STARTED to run! There have been so many times in my life that my well intended plans to eat better & get back into heart healthy shape quickly fall by the wayside - until, I get back on track yet again.
So here we go - again.
But I was thinking about these words as I ran this morning - it's such a great verse for this "heart healthy" culture that we live in! I mean we hear that everywhere, the importance of "guarding our hearts" - keeping our lives free from the things that would not be HEALTHY for our hearts. And then I think, how many of us "guard our hearts" more "physically" than we do "spiritually?" How often have I done that without even thinking about it?
We even teach our children about healthy living, being active, eating right. In my "younger" days, I was such a junk food eater, I could have existed (& probably did a few years) on chocolate, coffee, & french fries, ugh! But I would NEVER DREAM of letting our children pour that into their little lives, no way! We naturally want to teach them to make wise choices in what they choose to eat & what they do in order to have a healthy life & heart.
I can't help but think how that MUST carry over in the spiritual training & equipping of our own kids. If we allow "junk" food in - that's what our heart will pour back out, junk.
Let's equip them to make wise choices in what they allow in - let's tell them WHY we choose to not watch certain things or WHY we choose to not play some type of video games or WHY we don't want to put things into our bodies that make us act "goofy." Let's show them the incredible things to pour into their hearts - the Word of God, spending time with God & with others who love Him, fun up beat music that honors Him - there's so many good things that we can help fill up those little hearts with! Let's instill in them the reality that the Bible is NOT a big book of "don'ts," but that God wants for us to live a life of freedom & joy, He wants the very best for us!
And, in the long run, we'll be teaching them how to make those choices - on their own - it's not always easy, there's temptations everywhere out there for all of us. Wow, we live in a real world with a real enemy who wants nothing more but for us to pour junk in. Praying for all of us today, that God will help us parents to do all that we can to keep our families "heart healthy."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 3, 2008
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
If you asked a big group of people what their favorite Bible verse was, odds are, many would quote these verses. They're so great! It's kind of like this incredible nugget of wisdom for life as we journey out into the world early on & then even as we continue to walk through different life phases.
But, it's been at many of the times in life that I've felt the PAIN of poor choices or lack of making a wise choice, that I've realized this great "quotable" verse that we often just skim over as we read, really has deep significance & truth in ALL that it says.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." the active BELIEVING in God with your entire being & existence, the reality that He is God & we are not...
"lean not on your own understanding..." that means not relying solely on our own "ability" to figure things out, or on our wealth & what we own, or on ALL the friends who we ask advice from of what we should do in a certain situation (of whom many may not even be truly following God's paths themselves...)
"in all your ways acknowledge Him..." turning over EVERY area of life to Him, not ignoring or restricting His influence over any part of our lives by thinking we want to "handle that part ourselves"
"and he will make your paths straight." that literally means He'll make them "plain" - wow, I love that! We don't have to wonder how God will show us what to do...His Word says He WILL make it clear to us.
So, those times I find myself in a "grief!" of a situation, I've learned to first go to God, to think through whether I've "acknowledged" Him over that area or whether I just started going my own way because it seemed like the best way to go. Of course, sometimes we face problems just because we unfortunately live in a fallen world where bad things happen, but many times, we face problems because we've chosen to go our own way & forgotten to seek out what God might say first.
If you, like me, want to save yourself from any more unnecessary grief today, "trust God, don't lean only on the way you see things, acknowledge that He is God & we are not"...and He'll do the rest.
If you asked a big group of people what their favorite Bible verse was, odds are, many would quote these verses. They're so great! It's kind of like this incredible nugget of wisdom for life as we journey out into the world early on & then even as we continue to walk through different life phases.
But, it's been at many of the times in life that I've felt the PAIN of poor choices or lack of making a wise choice, that I've realized this great "quotable" verse that we often just skim over as we read, really has deep significance & truth in ALL that it says.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." the active BELIEVING in God with your entire being & existence, the reality that He is God & we are not...
"lean not on your own understanding..." that means not relying solely on our own "ability" to figure things out, or on our wealth & what we own, or on ALL the friends who we ask advice from of what we should do in a certain situation (of whom many may not even be truly following God's paths themselves...)
"in all your ways acknowledge Him..." turning over EVERY area of life to Him, not ignoring or restricting His influence over any part of our lives by thinking we want to "handle that part ourselves"
"and he will make your paths straight." that literally means He'll make them "plain" - wow, I love that! We don't have to wonder how God will show us what to do...His Word says He WILL make it clear to us.
So, those times I find myself in a "grief!" of a situation, I've learned to first go to God, to think through whether I've "acknowledged" Him over that area or whether I just started going my own way because it seemed like the best way to go. Of course, sometimes we face problems just because we unfortunately live in a fallen world where bad things happen, but many times, we face problems because we've chosen to go our own way & forgotten to seek out what God might say first.
If you, like me, want to save yourself from any more unnecessary grief today, "trust God, don't lean only on the way you see things, acknowledge that He is God & we are not"...and He'll do the rest.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Verse For The Day - September 1, 2008
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck." Prov. 1:7-9
It's interesting that the importance of having a "fear of the Lord," or a reverence for Him is mentioned in both the first & last chapters of Proverbs, almost as if to say, "every bit of wisdom enclosed in this book is dependent first & lastly on whether or not we have a fear & a deep respect for God."
In this culture of information overload that we live in, the quest for more knowledge & education is highly sought after. That's what we want for our own kids, right? Good schools, good education, good grades - as parents, that is what we so often seek after on behalf of our children!
But it seems that the "knowledge" being referred to throughout Proverbs has, as it's very foundation, the complete AWE of God's power & the desire to LIVE FOR HIM above all else.
As I walked my little guy into his first grade class this morning, I remembered what so many friends with older children have told me, "Debbie, don't blink, these years will be gone before you know what's happened to them." Those words truly make me "not want to blink." Parents, we don't want to miss it, I know I don't & I'm fairly sure that you don't either. We only have these few precious years to impact our children with the KNOWLEDGE of Christ & impart WISDOM into their little lives. God says in His Word, it will make their lives beautiful! Like a "garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck."
We can't impart that if we're not walking in it ourselves though. The old saying "do as I say not as I do," just doesn't cut it in training our children. Wow, our kids can see through that in a split second! I know, that's very unfortunate at times! (:
Let's ask God for HIS wisdom today...and remember...
"he who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it." Phil. 1:6
Thank the Lord, we're not finished yet!
It's interesting that the importance of having a "fear of the Lord," or a reverence for Him is mentioned in both the first & last chapters of Proverbs, almost as if to say, "every bit of wisdom enclosed in this book is dependent first & lastly on whether or not we have a fear & a deep respect for God."
In this culture of information overload that we live in, the quest for more knowledge & education is highly sought after. That's what we want for our own kids, right? Good schools, good education, good grades - as parents, that is what we so often seek after on behalf of our children!
But it seems that the "knowledge" being referred to throughout Proverbs has, as it's very foundation, the complete AWE of God's power & the desire to LIVE FOR HIM above all else.
As I walked my little guy into his first grade class this morning, I remembered what so many friends with older children have told me, "Debbie, don't blink, these years will be gone before you know what's happened to them." Those words truly make me "not want to blink." Parents, we don't want to miss it, I know I don't & I'm fairly sure that you don't either. We only have these few precious years to impact our children with the KNOWLEDGE of Christ & impart WISDOM into their little lives. God says in His Word, it will make their lives beautiful! Like a "garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck."
We can't impart that if we're not walking in it ourselves though. The old saying "do as I say not as I do," just doesn't cut it in training our children. Wow, our kids can see through that in a split second! I know, that's very unfortunate at times! (:
Let's ask God for HIS wisdom today...and remember...
"he who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it." Phil. 1:6
Thank the Lord, we're not finished yet!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 30 & 31, 2008
"...a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov. 31:30
Proverbs 31 - wow - what a chapter! I used to want to run from this passage in the Bible and from this picture perfect woman who seemed to do EVERYTHING well! I mean, I just couldn't relate, it's all I could do just to work on a "few" of these qualities mentioned, reading about all of them sent me into a state of overload! Martha Stewart to the 10th degree, ugh! But through the years, I've actually begun to kind of "like" the Proverbs 31 woman, I guess I could almost call her a friend now, not because I'm really any more like her now than I was then, but more because I think I understand some of what God is wanting to say through "her."
Some Bible teachers suggest that she is not even a "real" person, more an image of what a woman should strive to become, possibly meant to be more an inspiration to us than anything else. But, real or not, she has become a WOMAN OF INFLUENCE to so many of us through the years. God has given women, yes, even you & me, such an amazing responsibility in life to be "influencers" in the world around us...all through the Bible we see these incredible examples of women who chose to greatly influence those around them & the generations to come. God used many of them in powerful & positive ways - Sarah, Ruth, Rahab, Abigail, Mary, etc...,amazing women who had, more than anything else, a sincere reverence for God! Others chose to exert influence in their own way, for their own benefit & it reaped terrible consequences - Jezebel, Sapphira, Potiphar's wife, etc...
We see in this Proverbs 31 woman, so many outstanding abilities, but really ALL of these qualities - her wisdom, compassion, strong character & accomplishments - are a direct result of her reverence, or "fear," of God. It says nothing of her outside appearance, which our culture places SO much importance on, but her attractiveness & influence came entirely from her character, who she was "on the inside," a woman who chose to fear & honor God in all that she did.
Hmmm...who do you want to be like? Hopefully, we'll choose our example here from this passage. Don't run away from her, don't get sidetracked with who the media says is most important, don't say, "I could never be like that!" It's amazing what God can do with us, when our lives are FULLY in His hands. I'm so blessed to know so many of you amazing women - you are INFLUENCERS FOR GOD in this generation!
Proverbs 31 - wow - what a chapter! I used to want to run from this passage in the Bible and from this picture perfect woman who seemed to do EVERYTHING well! I mean, I just couldn't relate, it's all I could do just to work on a "few" of these qualities mentioned, reading about all of them sent me into a state of overload! Martha Stewart to the 10th degree, ugh! But through the years, I've actually begun to kind of "like" the Proverbs 31 woman, I guess I could almost call her a friend now, not because I'm really any more like her now than I was then, but more because I think I understand some of what God is wanting to say through "her."
Some Bible teachers suggest that she is not even a "real" person, more an image of what a woman should strive to become, possibly meant to be more an inspiration to us than anything else. But, real or not, she has become a WOMAN OF INFLUENCE to so many of us through the years. God has given women, yes, even you & me, such an amazing responsibility in life to be "influencers" in the world around us...all through the Bible we see these incredible examples of women who chose to greatly influence those around them & the generations to come. God used many of them in powerful & positive ways - Sarah, Ruth, Rahab, Abigail, Mary, etc...,amazing women who had, more than anything else, a sincere reverence for God! Others chose to exert influence in their own way, for their own benefit & it reaped terrible consequences - Jezebel, Sapphira, Potiphar's wife, etc...
We see in this Proverbs 31 woman, so many outstanding abilities, but really ALL of these qualities - her wisdom, compassion, strong character & accomplishments - are a direct result of her reverence, or "fear," of God. It says nothing of her outside appearance, which our culture places SO much importance on, but her attractiveness & influence came entirely from her character, who she was "on the inside," a woman who chose to fear & honor God in all that she did.
Hmmm...who do you want to be like? Hopefully, we'll choose our example here from this passage. Don't run away from her, don't get sidetracked with who the media says is most important, don't say, "I could never be like that!" It's amazing what God can do with us, when our lives are FULLY in His hands. I'm so blessed to know so many of you amazing women - you are INFLUENCERS FOR GOD in this generation!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 29, 2008
"Discipline your children, you'll be glad you did - they'll turn out delightful to live with." Prov. 29: 17 from the Message Bible
Oh wow, that big important word that every parenting expert talks about, as if it's so easy to do - DISCIPLINE! But wait, there's more - CONSISTENT discipline - now that's the key to great parenting. Oh, but hold on, don't forget about - LOVING & consistent discipline - that is really what raising great kids is all about, right? Well, if you're like me, I'm just plain weary sometimes. It is exhausting to feel like you're constantly repeating yourself, correcting, disciplining, leading your 2 yr. old back to time out, etc.., etc... Sometimes I think to myself, it would just be "easier" to let them do what they want, I'm TIRED! I just need a "Calgon" moment to take me away & in all reality, I don't even own a box of Calgon, nor do I even know if they make Calgon anymore!
But, once I can come back to my senses, I'm reminded, "O.K. God, you say in your Word, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 It's difficult at times to not be able to see "quick tangible results" from being loving & consistent in our discipline, nor do I remember a moment yet that any of our children have come back to say, "Thanks mom for that time out, that really did me a lot of good," or "wow, I so appreciate you setting boundaries for me, what would I have done without those limits you & dad imposed?" Of course, all 3 of our kids are ages 6 & under, so maybe that will come later? Who knows! Even if it doesn't, I know one thing now, we CANNOT GROW WEARY in our parenting. We've got to stay connected, stay with it, not give up.I'm reminded of the fact that God has not grown weary of His loving & consistent discipline with me, thank you Lord! He will never give up on us!
Oh wow, that big important word that every parenting expert talks about, as if it's so easy to do - DISCIPLINE! But wait, there's more - CONSISTENT discipline - now that's the key to great parenting. Oh, but hold on, don't forget about - LOVING & consistent discipline - that is really what raising great kids is all about, right? Well, if you're like me, I'm just plain weary sometimes. It is exhausting to feel like you're constantly repeating yourself, correcting, disciplining, leading your 2 yr. old back to time out, etc.., etc... Sometimes I think to myself, it would just be "easier" to let them do what they want, I'm TIRED! I just need a "Calgon" moment to take me away & in all reality, I don't even own a box of Calgon, nor do I even know if they make Calgon anymore!
But, once I can come back to my senses, I'm reminded, "O.K. God, you say in your Word, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 It's difficult at times to not be able to see "quick tangible results" from being loving & consistent in our discipline, nor do I remember a moment yet that any of our children have come back to say, "Thanks mom for that time out, that really did me a lot of good," or "wow, I so appreciate you setting boundaries for me, what would I have done without those limits you & dad imposed?" Of course, all 3 of our kids are ages 6 & under, so maybe that will come later? Who knows! Even if it doesn't, I know one thing now, we CANNOT GROW WEARY in our parenting. We've got to stay connected, stay with it, not give up.I'm reminded of the fact that God has not grown weary of His loving & consistent discipline with me, thank you Lord! He will never give up on us!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 28, 2008
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Prov. 28:27
I love God's Word because it is often completely contradictory to the way "we" think or to what our culture would say to do. Our society would say, "to get rich, seek to accumulate more...hold on to what you have...if you give it away to others you'll have nothing left for yourself." But God clearly says that we become "richer" by being generous. He blesses those who give freely of their resources, time, & energy.
Giving also helps us to keep the right perspective on what God has given to us, we remember it's not really "ours" to begin with, it all belongs to Him! The Message Bible sums it up so well in this verse,"The world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller" Prov. 11:24. Now that's what "living large" is all about! When we give, we gain SO much - freedom from our "stuff", from the love of money, from our own selfishness, and joy in knowing we could be a small part of helping someone else - who may at some point be a huge help to us if we find our own lives in a place of need. And most of all, I can't help but think that God is SMILING over us when our lives are reflecting a picture of who HE really is, the Best & Greatest Giver of all!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son..." John 3:16
I love God's Word because it is often completely contradictory to the way "we" think or to what our culture would say to do. Our society would say, "to get rich, seek to accumulate more...hold on to what you have...if you give it away to others you'll have nothing left for yourself." But God clearly says that we become "richer" by being generous. He blesses those who give freely of their resources, time, & energy.
Giving also helps us to keep the right perspective on what God has given to us, we remember it's not really "ours" to begin with, it all belongs to Him! The Message Bible sums it up so well in this verse,"The world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller" Prov. 11:24. Now that's what "living large" is all about! When we give, we gain SO much - freedom from our "stuff", from the love of money, from our own selfishness, and joy in knowing we could be a small part of helping someone else - who may at some point be a huge help to us if we find our own lives in a place of need. And most of all, I can't help but think that God is SMILING over us when our lives are reflecting a picture of who HE really is, the Best & Greatest Giver of all!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son..." John 3:16
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 27, 2008
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17
One thing is clear, God didn't intend for us to live in this world on our own. Throughout His Word, we see that God made us, created us, to be "relational." The life of Christ shows that friendships were important to Him, He spent time with those closest to Him, teaching, encouraging, challenging, & I think, knowing Jesus, He just had a lot of FUN with His friends too.We need each other!
We need faithful friends in our lives to "sharpen" us mentally & spiritually, to influence us in a positive way, to speak the truth to us in love. I just hardly know what I'd do in life without my girlfriends (& how in the world would we women get in "all our words" in one day without each other?)! The closest bond that friends can share is the bond that Jesus Christ brings between us. Seek out those who are "sharp" in Him, those that will sharpen us just by hanging out with them, who challenge us to pursue Him above all else.
You may feel like you don't have that kind of friend in your life right now, PRAY, ask God for that, believe me, He wants it for you more than you could imagine! His Word says that He will set "the lonely in families." Years ago, I was there in that same place, feeling very lonely, longing for some good friends who would encourage me in my walk with Christ, in great need of some good role models. God was so faithful to provide dear godly women in my life that I still keep in touch with today.
If you've already been blessed by the life of another friend "sharpening" you, then seek out someone who may need a mentor or friend in their life. Ask God to cross your path with another that needs encouragement, that needs to know that He is real, one that you can influence for Christ - and then make the time to be a FRIEND! I'm thankful for YOU today. So many of you have been amazing examples to me of giving, serving, faithful friends, I'm grateful to God for your influence in my life & in the life of my family. Bless you today!
One thing is clear, God didn't intend for us to live in this world on our own. Throughout His Word, we see that God made us, created us, to be "relational." The life of Christ shows that friendships were important to Him, He spent time with those closest to Him, teaching, encouraging, challenging, & I think, knowing Jesus, He just had a lot of FUN with His friends too.We need each other!
We need faithful friends in our lives to "sharpen" us mentally & spiritually, to influence us in a positive way, to speak the truth to us in love. I just hardly know what I'd do in life without my girlfriends (& how in the world would we women get in "all our words" in one day without each other?)! The closest bond that friends can share is the bond that Jesus Christ brings between us. Seek out those who are "sharp" in Him, those that will sharpen us just by hanging out with them, who challenge us to pursue Him above all else.
You may feel like you don't have that kind of friend in your life right now, PRAY, ask God for that, believe me, He wants it for you more than you could imagine! His Word says that He will set "the lonely in families." Years ago, I was there in that same place, feeling very lonely, longing for some good friends who would encourage me in my walk with Christ, in great need of some good role models. God was so faithful to provide dear godly women in my life that I still keep in touch with today.
If you've already been blessed by the life of another friend "sharpening" you, then seek out someone who may need a mentor or friend in their life. Ask God to cross your path with another that needs encouragement, that needs to know that He is real, one that you can influence for Christ - and then make the time to be a FRIEND! I'm thankful for YOU today. So many of you have been amazing examples to me of giving, serving, faithful friends, I'm grateful to God for your influence in my life & in the life of my family. Bless you today!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 26, 2008
"Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies down." Prov. 26:20
O.K., I know we've all been there - the dreaded "gossip" war within us that either wants to talk about someone who has so irritated us we just don't know what to do, or join in with talk about some "big news" of someone else we've heard, or even spiritualize our gossip by sharing it in the form of a nice little "prayer request." Yea right. We can find such freedom from the "sickness" of gossip when we MAKE THE CHOICE to not add another piece of wood to the fire, but instead to cut off the fuel line by refusing to talk or complain about someone else.
It's not always easy, that's why it requires a choice ahead of time, before you're in the moment of temptation! Now, we still may have "irritations" here & there with others, or be so concerned about what someone else is walking through we just want to share it with another person, but I'm learning to take those things STRAIGHT & ONLY TO GOD. With Him, we've got that constant listening ear & we can trust that He's not going to go "tell anyone else." And the amazing thing is this, and He does it every time, He changes MY heart for that person, I actually start to see them in a different way, have a desire to pray for them, actually feel "love" for them. He is amazing, isn't He?
O.K., I know we've all been there - the dreaded "gossip" war within us that either wants to talk about someone who has so irritated us we just don't know what to do, or join in with talk about some "big news" of someone else we've heard, or even spiritualize our gossip by sharing it in the form of a nice little "prayer request." Yea right. We can find such freedom from the "sickness" of gossip when we MAKE THE CHOICE to not add another piece of wood to the fire, but instead to cut off the fuel line by refusing to talk or complain about someone else.
It's not always easy, that's why it requires a choice ahead of time, before you're in the moment of temptation! Now, we still may have "irritations" here & there with others, or be so concerned about what someone else is walking through we just want to share it with another person, but I'm learning to take those things STRAIGHT & ONLY TO GOD. With Him, we've got that constant listening ear & we can trust that He's not going to go "tell anyone else." And the amazing thing is this, and He does it every time, He changes MY heart for that person, I actually start to see them in a different way, have a desire to pray for them, actually feel "love" for them. He is amazing, isn't He?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 25, 2008
"...God delights in concealing things, scientists delight in discovering things. Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep." Prov. 25:1-2 from the Message Bible
If you've been alive, walking , & breathing for any length of time here on this earth, one thing you've probably already realized is this - we can't always figure out God! We just don't always know what He's doing, we can't see the big picture He sees, we can't fully understand His ways, except for what He's willing to reveal to us. Frustrating at times I know, but it does make me so glad I can fully trust our lives to Him, because of that very reason...He does know what He's doing and He loves us & has such amazing purpose in His plans for us.
In the same way, we can't always fully understand the decisions our rulers, or those in authority over us, make. I'm reminded that we don't always know what they know, we don't have the same information, we may not be seeing the full picture they are seeing, that's where trust comes in again. And that, I know, can also be hard at times.
In these days ahead, the political scene in our nation will continue to heat up and be in the spotlight of every news segment & media avenue. I encourage you (& myself!) to become more informed, so that we can have a part in electing a leader in America that we can trust - trust the choices he is committing to make, trust that God is at work within him to enable him to be a good leader & to make wise choices for our nation. Check out http://www.pray-the-vote.org/, an incredible website that I've learned soooo much from already. Because one thing is clear, you can't always trust what you hear in the news, that's for sure! Praying that God will give us wisdom and the motivation to stay involved & be informed, especially over these next few crucial months. Bless you today friend!
If you've been alive, walking , & breathing for any length of time here on this earth, one thing you've probably already realized is this - we can't always figure out God! We just don't always know what He's doing, we can't see the big picture He sees, we can't fully understand His ways, except for what He's willing to reveal to us. Frustrating at times I know, but it does make me so glad I can fully trust our lives to Him, because of that very reason...He does know what He's doing and He loves us & has such amazing purpose in His plans for us.
In the same way, we can't always fully understand the decisions our rulers, or those in authority over us, make. I'm reminded that we don't always know what they know, we don't have the same information, we may not be seeing the full picture they are seeing, that's where trust comes in again. And that, I know, can also be hard at times.
In these days ahead, the political scene in our nation will continue to heat up and be in the spotlight of every news segment & media avenue. I encourage you (& myself!) to become more informed, so that we can have a part in electing a leader in America that we can trust - trust the choices he is committing to make, trust that God is at work within him to enable him to be a good leader & to make wise choices for our nation. Check out http://www.pray-the-vote.org/, an incredible website that I've learned soooo much from already. Because one thing is clear, you can't always trust what you hear in the news, that's for sure! Praying that God will give us wisdom and the motivation to stay involved & be informed, especially over these next few crucial months. Bless you today friend!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 23 & 24, 2008
"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4
Like many of you, I love to decorate, I call it a more "creative" decorating, because it's most always on a budget. (You can actually find some great "treasures" on Craigslist, resale shops & even at garage sales...our house is filled with some of these "rare & beautiful treasures," some are more "rare" than "beautiful" but they do work so I guess that's O.K.) Most of us love to see beautifully decorated homes, there's something in us that are just drawn to homes that have been tastefully put together.
This verse is such a picture of how our lives are like a house being built. We can choose to fill our lives with all kinds of things the world may offer, but if we instead choose to build "wisdom" from God's Word & "understanding" into the very foundation & framework of our lives, the Bible says that we are storing our minds and our hearts, our "rooms," who we are inside, "with rare & beautiful treasures."
Praying that our lives will be like beautiful houses that others are drawn to...not for what we reflect on the outside, for what the world may see, but for the treasure we are filled with on the inside. Bless you today!
Like many of you, I love to decorate, I call it a more "creative" decorating, because it's most always on a budget. (You can actually find some great "treasures" on Craigslist, resale shops & even at garage sales...our house is filled with some of these "rare & beautiful treasures," some are more "rare" than "beautiful" but they do work so I guess that's O.K.) Most of us love to see beautifully decorated homes, there's something in us that are just drawn to homes that have been tastefully put together.
This verse is such a picture of how our lives are like a house being built. We can choose to fill our lives with all kinds of things the world may offer, but if we instead choose to build "wisdom" from God's Word & "understanding" into the very foundation & framework of our lives, the Bible says that we are storing our minds and our hearts, our "rooms," who we are inside, "with rare & beautiful treasures."
Praying that our lives will be like beautiful houses that others are drawn to...not for what we reflect on the outside, for what the world may see, but for the treasure we are filled with on the inside. Bless you today!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 22, 2008
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
That's probably one of the most quoted verses in the category of parenting. I think for a long time I saw this verse as a "promise" from God, "O.K. God, if we do our part, then you do Your part." But really, part of what this proverb is saying is that when we live a life of teaching and training our children to make wise choices, they will be better equipped to learn to make their own wise choices as they grow up and to continue to walk on a right path.
Does this mean they'll never make wrong choices? Unfortunately not. Does this mean we won't ever have battles or struggles in our own homes about the right choices we're wanting to teach? Most definitely no. It does mean that if we have been "trained," and a wrong choice is made or a "stumble" is taken, we CAN get back up and get on the right path again. It may take some longer than others to get there, some may rarely even seem to stumble along the way, but for all of us who believe, we have the truth of God's Word living in us! That is more powerful than anything!
Let's "train" our children to choose the right way - every day, keep the course, don't give up, don't check out - as parents, we are daily building into their lives and futures, I can't think of anything more important than that. Together with you on this journey!
That's probably one of the most quoted verses in the category of parenting. I think for a long time I saw this verse as a "promise" from God, "O.K. God, if we do our part, then you do Your part." But really, part of what this proverb is saying is that when we live a life of teaching and training our children to make wise choices, they will be better equipped to learn to make their own wise choices as they grow up and to continue to walk on a right path.
Does this mean they'll never make wrong choices? Unfortunately not. Does this mean we won't ever have battles or struggles in our own homes about the right choices we're wanting to teach? Most definitely no. It does mean that if we have been "trained," and a wrong choice is made or a "stumble" is taken, we CAN get back up and get on the right path again. It may take some longer than others to get there, some may rarely even seem to stumble along the way, but for all of us who believe, we have the truth of God's Word living in us! That is more powerful than anything!
Let's "train" our children to choose the right way - every day, keep the course, don't give up, don't check out - as parents, we are daily building into their lives and futures, I can't think of anything more important than that. Together with you on this journey!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Verse For The Day - August 21,2008
"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Proverbs 21:20-21
Our spending - does it honor God? Or merely please ourselves? Ouch. Troy & I have our own personal story in what God has taught us about money, saving, and giving, and it hasn't always been an easy process for us to learn! Many of you are probably faster learners. (:
Our society unfortunately makes it very simple for one to not only spend "all he has," but "more than he has" through credit, quick loans, cash advances, etc... Living on the edge of that type of over spending and credit crises can quickly lead to a big, deep hole that takes much longer to climb out of as it did to get there in the first place! Believe me, we know.
If you find yourself there today, don't give up, just start climbing & keep going no matter what!
"Pursue righteousness," it's not going to just come our way and fall in our lap, it takes effort on our part to live as God instructs.
Praying today, that we will be wise with what God gives us, that we will spend less than we earn, have the self control to save for the future, and the heart of wisdom to give to others as God leads.
Our spending - does it honor God? Or merely please ourselves? Ouch. Troy & I have our own personal story in what God has taught us about money, saving, and giving, and it hasn't always been an easy process for us to learn! Many of you are probably faster learners. (:
Our society unfortunately makes it very simple for one to not only spend "all he has," but "more than he has" through credit, quick loans, cash advances, etc... Living on the edge of that type of over spending and credit crises can quickly lead to a big, deep hole that takes much longer to climb out of as it did to get there in the first place! Believe me, we know.
If you find yourself there today, don't give up, just start climbing & keep going no matter what!
"Pursue righteousness," it's not going to just come our way and fall in our lap, it takes effort on our part to live as God instructs.
Praying today, that we will be wise with what God gives us, that we will spend less than we earn, have the self control to save for the future, and the heart of wisdom to give to others as God leads.
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