Monthly Archives: January 2015

Let it Go!

12 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in Anger, Forgiveness

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It happens!  Someone says or does something that hurts you.  You feel insignificant, unappreciated, and disrespected.  And almost spontaneously, that pain morphs into anger. And this precise moment is a devil of an opportunity.

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Ephesians 4:26 says “Be angry and yet do not sin;”

How I respond to this devil of an opportunity determines whether or not the devil has an opportunity.  Ephesians 4:27

If I hang on to my anger, I will use my words to tear down and destroy. I will create an uproar.  I will slander.  I will harbor ill will and secretly watch for a chance to get even.  I will nurture and cherish my bitterness. I will stay front and center.

If I let go of my anger, I will use my words to build up and edify.  I will create unity.  I will speak well of the one who hurt me.  I will forgive.  I will be tender-hearted.  I will put others front and center.

If you’ve been deeply hurt, you know how difficult it is to let the anger go;  And the deeper the hurt, the harder it is to let go.

In the middle of the passage about anger is the following verse:

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.  Ephesians 4:30

Forgiveness happens only when we say ‘Yes’ to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. When He says, “Let it go!”, say ‘Yes’.  And keep saying ‘yes’.  He will do through you what you are unable to do yourself.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23

We are in a spiritual battle, not with the people around us, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness.  So do not give the devil an opportunity.  Instead, give God an opportunity to work in you.  Trust Him to work this for your good. Ephesians 6:10-12, Romans 8:26-30

Impossible!

11 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Fear, Love, Power, Strength

≈ 2 Comments

scream-cartoon-paintingTerrified!  Angry! Astounded!  These are a few of the emotions I felt that day as I read a letter that I received in the mail.  The letter was full of lies, accusations and threats. I knew I was in for a battle and I felt like David up against Goliath.  I felt totally inadequate.  I was shaking in my boots.  Whether I was shaking from fear or anger, I’m not sure.  Probably both.

So I ran to the Word of God to find help and refuge.  I poured over the Psalms and the passages that reassured me that God is my Refuge and He is the One fighting the battle for me.  I cried out to Him for help.  I cried out to Him for strength.  I cried out to Him for wisdom – Over and over again, day after day.  And He came to my aide.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers:

“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:16-21

Sometimes God brings us to impossible situations so He can demonstrate His love and power to us in a very personal way. He wants us to become more rooted and grounded in His love. He wants us to experience His enabling power. He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think.   To Him be the glory!

Chosen

10 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in Grace, Love

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  Ephesians 1:3

When feeling weary and worn, I love to spend time reading Ephesians and reflecting on how much I have in Christ.  It always encourages me.

One of the most special things to me is the fact that God the Father chose me.  As a matter of fact, He chose me even before He created mankind.  He chose me even though He knew it would cost Him His only Begotten Son.  He chose me so He could lavish His grace, mercy and love on me – not only in this present world but in the ages to come.  Ephesians 2:7

And He has chosen you, too.  It’s wonderful to be chosen!  And we are chosen by the Creator of the Universe!

An Empty Hole

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in Compassion, Heart

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Three men on a journey; three men saw him; one man felt compassion.

Compassion moves to meet a need.  The Good Samaritan, moved by compassion, interrupted his own plans to meet the needs of the crumpled up man on the other side of the road.  He gave of his time.  He gave of his money.  He inconvenienced himself.  Luke 10:25-37

Similarly, Jesus, seeing the people, felt compassion for them. He saw their distress and he moved to meet their need.  Paul tells us to have the same attitude that Jesus had.  He tells us to look out for the interests of others. He tells us to put on a heart of compassion, kindness and humility. Matthew 9:36-38 , Philippians 2:1-4, Colossians 3:12

What keeps us from feeling compassion and looking out for the interests of others? Perhaps our heart, like the Grinch’s heart, is ‘an empty hole’.  We just don’t have any love to give.  Perhaps we are too busy. We don’t want to interrupt our plans.  We don’t have time for the inconvenience. Perhaps we are too arrogant to help.  We don’t want to get involved in that mess.  We don’t want to be associated with that kind of person.

Jesus, full of compassion, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death on a cross.  He gave His life to meet our need.  He became our Savior.  Philippians 2:8 

If your heart feels empty and cold, take time to meditate on the love and compassion of Christ for you.  Let Him fill your heart with His compassion.  Once your heart is filled with His love, you will be able to share it with others.

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He Knows, He Always Knows

08 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by in Grace, Help, Trials

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Our family always enjoys watching A Christmas Story. When poor Ralphie is all worried about getting a BB gun for Christmas, Ralphie’s dad tells him not to worry because “Santa knows, he always knows.”

We all need someone to know.

Now on one of those days….  Luke 8:22

Have you ever had one of those days? Smooth sailing and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a fierce gale of wind descends.  You feel swamped and you know you’re in danger.  Luke 8:22-25

Or maybe it hasn’t been smooth sailing for a long time.  Maybe you’ve been struggling with something for days, months, even years.  And you can’t find an answer.  You’re no further along today than when it all started.  Luke 8:43-48

Take courage, whatever your situation may be.  Jesus knows.  He always knows.

..the woman saw that she had not escaped notice…  Luke 8:47

…there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.  Hebrews 4:13

Hebrews 4:13 is meant to be a verse of comfort, a verse that helps us find rest in the middle of a storm,  a verse that emboldens our faith, a verse that gives us confidence to draw near to His throne of grace so that we can receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

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So today draw near to Him and do so boldly.

Find grace to help you in your time of need.

He knows . He understands.  Hebrews 4:15

I Want My Life to Mean Something

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Purpose

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What I do with God’s Word will determine how meaningful my life will be.

Jesus compares the Word of God to seed. What happens to seed? Luke 8:4-21

1. It is eaten by the birds before it ever grows into a plant- I hear the Word of God but do not act on it. It never impacts my life.

2.  It grows into a plant but then withers away -I hear and act on the Word of God until difficuOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAlties come. When difficulties come, I let my relationship with God dry up and wither away. Because I fail to continue in the Word, I never become firmly rooted and grounded in His love for me.

3.  It grows into a plant but is choked to death by thorns – I hear and act on the Word of God but then other things become more important.  I am consumed with worries, riches and pleasures.  I am no longer consumed with the Word of God.

4. It grows and produces a crop that is 100 times as great as the original seed – I hear and act on the Word of God.  With an honest and open heart, I accept the truth of God’s Word.  I hold it fast even when difficulties come.  I am not drawn away by the worries, riches and pleasures of this world.  I abide in the Word of God.

What is abiding?  I like to define abiding this way: Realizing my dependence on God, I choose to stay connected to Him by spending time in His Word, letting Him work in me and through me to accomplish His purpose.

Bearing fruit is not a result of my efforts.  It is a result of abiding in the living Word of God.

Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you.  Colossians 3:16

A Sinner Woman and Simon

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Forgiveness, Grace, Love

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And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner. Luke 7:36

And Simon said to himself, “If this man (Jesus) were a prophet, He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:39

And Jesus answered, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” Luke 7:40

And thus began the ‘in-your-face’ lesson about grace.

Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss; but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet from the moment I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. She has been forgiven much and she loves much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:44-47

Grace is the undeserved favor of God.  Grace is a gift with no strings attached. A gift that is earned or somehow deserved is NOT a gift.  And grace that is earned or somehow deserved is NOT grace.

Any claim to merit diminishes grace.  Any sense of entitlement is an insult to the grace of God and blocks our ability to love Him and to love others.

Simon felt deserving and worthy.  He felt superior.  He could not enjoy the richness of God’s grace.  He could not ‘love much’.

How about you?  Do you feel like you are earning or deserving of God’s favor? Do you feel superior?

Or do you embrace your inability to earn God’s favor and come humbly before Him with arms wide open, ready to receive His lavish grace, ready to share his grace with others?

Watch and See

05 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in Plans, Prayer, Purpose

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I’m excited because the 2015 calendar I ordered on amazon is suppose to arrive today.  My calendar helps me plan my day. But a calendar is not enough.

King David realized there was something far more important than a calendar.

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.  Psalm 5:3

I love this verse! I see a man eager to talk to God.  I see a humble man praying out of a heart felt need, not out of obligation. I see a man who truly believes God hears him. I see a man who believes God is working on his behalf.  I see a man watching to see what God is going to do each and every day.

Planning is important. Praying is even more important.

Praying reminds us that our plans are part of God’s bigger plan. And His plan is for every man, woman, boy and girl to have a vibrant relationship with Him. Praying enables us to spot God-given opportunities that He brings our way, opportunities to share Him with those around us.

How exciting and how wonderful it is to be part of His plan!

A Wasted Day

04 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Grumbling, Hope, Purpose

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I started the day with high hopes and my typical list of things to do.  But then life happened.  Things did not go according to plan.  By the end of the day, I felt like I had wasted a whole day. As a matter of fact, I felt like I had even gone backwards. UGH! Feeling disappointed and discouraged, I went to bed, glad for the day to be over.

When I woke up this morning, I knew I better start my day in the Word of God, letting Him renew my mind.  Since Philippians is one of my favorite books, I went there.  And God said to me:

He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  Do all things without grumbling or disputing.  Philippians 2:13-14

And there you have it!

Every day may not be a great day, but I can be confident that God is at work in me. He is helping me want what He wants.  He is helping me achieve His purpose for my life.  And His purpose can be (and probably is) totally different than my neat little list.

So I will choose not to grumble when things go awry.  Instead, I choose to believe that my loving Creator is working out His plan in me.

…. Ahhh, I feel so much better now.  The sweetness of God’s Word has restored my soul once again.  Thank you, Jesus.

Taste the Sweetness

03 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible

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As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; Psalm 42:1-2a

It was time for brutal self-honesty.  I wasn’t thirsty enough.  My soul didn’t pant for God.

honey jarSo I set my jar of honey on the kitchen counter! It was my daily reminder to taste the sweetness of God.  And I find the more I taste the sweetness of God, the more I want.

O taste and see that the Lord is good!  Psalm 34:8