Monthly Archives: February 2015

Money! Money! Money!

24 Tuesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Money

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Money flies away!   Eagle

Do not weary yourself to gain wealth. Cease from your consideration of it.  When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.  For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.  Proverbs 23:4-5 

We live in a money hungry world. We always want more money.  More money means more security, more fun, more opportunities, more things and the list goes on and on. But does it really?

Money matters.  We know it does.  That’s why we work hard for money. We work to get it, keep it and spend it.

Money can become all of life if we are not careful. Money can become our master.  And it is a cruel master.  It always demands more! And just when you need it, it flies away!

How do we keep money from becoming our master?  There’s only one way.  Let God be our Master.

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money.  Luke 16:13

When I took drivers education, the instructor said, “Be careful what you look at while you’re driving.  You will automatically go where you look!”

So what are you looking at? Do you have your eyes fixed on God or fixed on money? Do you spend more time thinking about God’s agenda or getting ahead?  Do you spend more time thinking about your plans or God’s plan?  Do you see your money as a means to serve God or do you see God as a way to get more money?

Fix your eyes on God today.  Handle your money wisely but do not let it become your Master.  Love the Lord, not money!

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None of Your Business!

19 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by in Future, Timing, Witness

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Sometimes I just want to know when it’s going to happen!  ‘It’ can be many things. The believers in Acts were just like me.  They asked Jesus when He was going to set up His kingdom.  Jesus replied, (paraphrased by me), “None of your business! BUT you do have plenty of business to tend to.  So get going!”

I spend too much time thinking about the future.  My time would be much better spent doing something that is useful NOW.  Timing is God’s business, not mine. Jesus said, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.”  Acts 1:6-8

I am more convinced today, than ever, that God has a plan for my life.  I don’t need to know the timing of everything.  As a matter of fact, I’m better off not knowing.  I know what I need to know.  Jesus has a job for me to do.  His Holy Spirit dwells within me giving me the ability to do what He has called me to do. He has given me the same job He gave the believers in Acts.  I am to be His witness wherever I am today and whatever I am doing today.

Timing is God’s business.  Even Jesus’ birth, death, burial and resurrection was a predetermined plan of God the Father, carried out at the perfect time.  Acts 2:23

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So today, let’s mind our own business!  Let’s be busy sharing the wonderful news of God’s grace and love for each and every one of us.  And when tempted to figure out the timing of events, whisper to the Father, “I trust you with this.  I know you will bring it to pass according to your plan.”

Run For Cover!

18 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Faith, Safety, Security, Strength

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We’re in a fierce raging battle – a spiritual battle!  Sometimes we’re fully aware of it and sometimes we’re oblivious. Yet it rages on!

King David’s spiritual battle involved real physical enemies that were trying to kill him. He was surrounded, confronted, terrified and distressed. He felt like death was imminent. But he knew what to do. He ran for cover!

  • He cried out to God for help!

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.  Psalm 18:6

  • He kept God’s Word front and center!

The Lord my God illumines my darkness.  Psalm 18:28  

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105

I believe God sometimes allows our battle to become fierce so we will learn to trust Him in new says.  We learn some very important things in the midst of the battle.  We learn:

  • God is upholding me.
  • God is training me and teaching me.
  • God is gentle with me.
  • God is enabling me.
  • God is girding me with strength.
  • God is keeping me from slipping and falling.
  • God is working out His plan and purpose for me.

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As a young girl, I remember running to my grandmother’s lap for cover.  It felt safe there.  I also remember being told by another family member that I was getting too big to sit on my grandmother’s lap.  I remember feeling sad about that.

Aren’t you glad we never get too big for God’s lap?

Run to Him for cover!  Run ashamedly!

You will say, like David in Psalm 18:1-2,

I love you, O Lord, my strength.  My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.

Good Gracious!

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Grace, Words

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Let your speech always be with grace,… so you will know how you should respond to each person.  Colossians 4:6

The word grace in this verse is referring primarily to the way we speak. If we want to maximize the opportunities we have to share God with others, our speech must be gracious.

  • Gracious speech lifts up  –Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25
  • Gracious speech is healing –A soothing tongue is a tree of life.  Proverbs 15:4
  • Gracious speech is persuasive- Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Proverbs 16:21
  • Gracious speech builds up – ... Such a word as is good for building up according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  Ephesians 4:2

Jesus spoke with grace and people “were wondering at the gracious words that were falling from his lips.” Luke 4:22

Jesus speaks to me with grace every time I read His Word.

  • His words lift me up.
  • His words bring healing.
  • His words persuade me.
  • His words build me up.

His words are wonderful!  So how can I share them with my friends?  How do I start the conversation?

Ask this simple question.

“Do you mind if I share something with you that has really helped me in a similar situation?”

Talking girlsBe genuine.  Be honest.  Share the comfort God has given you with your friend.  Let your heart guide you.

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Proverbs 16:23

Pray for wisdom and trust God to guide you.  But for goodness sake, have courage and speak up!

Negative Nellie! Debbie Downer!

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by in Encouragement, Opportunity, Words

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file000561944270As my friend and I were leaving the restaurant, she smiled and said,”Boy, were we a couple of Negative Nellies tonight”.  And she was right.  We had just spent the last couple of hours talking about the events that had occurred in our lives over the past year. It had been a difficult year for both of us.  Serious health issues, financial issues, work issues, and family issues including the loss of our mothers.

Walking to my car, I felt disappointed in myself.  How had I let the conversation end on a negative note?  Why hadn’t I brought God into the conversation?  Looking back on the evening, I saw so many missed opportunities.

Conduct yourselves with wisdom, making the most of the opportunity.  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.  Colossians 4:5-6

Why hadn’t I brought God into our conversation?  It was time for an honest evaluation.

  • I didn’t want to be seen as a weird religious nut.
  • I didn’t want to be seen as a know-it-all.
  • I didn’t want to minimize her difficulties with a ‘pat answer’ from the Bible.

So I said nothing.  But this is also unacceptable.

I want to express my love for my friend but even more importantly, I want to share God’s love with her.  I want to support and encourage her, but even more importantly, I want to share God’s love and encouragement with her.

Making the most of an opportunity only happens when we let our speech be seasoned with grace.   So how do we do this?

Let’s talk about this in more depth tomorrow.  God’s Word has the answers.  It always does!

Change is Scary!

10 Tuesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Change, Faith, Fear

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Change is scary! Change is confusing!  Change creates anxiety, fear and doubt! And for these very reasons, change is a wonderful opportunity!

  • Change is an opportunity to go running to your Heavenly Father for comfort.
  • Change is an opportunity for increased clarity about God’s purpose for your life.
  • Change is an opportunity for your faith to become stronger and purer.

My life calling is undergoing radical change. Following the Lord’s leading, I am transitioning from being a full time CPA to being in ministry full time.  The transition is messy.  Sometimes I’m scared to death. Sometimes I’m confused. Sometimes I’m full of anxiety, fear and doubt.  Questions abound.

  • Is this realPA281186ly what God wants?
  • What about money?  Will God really provide?
  • Can God really use me?
  • What will really happen when I step out?
  • Will there be any opportunities to speak?
  • How do I move from where I am now to where I believe God wants me to be?

I am learning to take one step at a time and to trust that my Heavenly Father knows what is best for me. When I run to Him, He comforts me and reassures me that I am not in this alone.  It is His plan for me.  I can trust Him.  He never changes!

Are things in your life in upheaval?  Are you feeling confused and anxious? Seize the opportunity to run to your Heavenly Father.  Let Him lead you.

Casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.  I Peter 5:7  

The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:5b-7

Get Me Out of Here Now!

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Endurance, Pain, Trials

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On Monday, I told my husband, “This is just too much to endure!  It is too painful! I wish I could just run away.”

I ran to the Bible instead. (I guess one of the advantages of being older, is that you know where your help comes from.) My reading was I Corinthians 10.

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  I Corinthians 10:13

If you’re in a situation that seems like too much, it’s time to run to the Bible and let God provide you with an escape route.  The escape route can take many directions.  It may be guidance for dealing with your situation. It may be correction in the way you are thinking about your situation.  It may be encouragement that you’re not on the journey alone.  It may be a reminder that God has a purpose and a plan for you.

Do you see the main truth to hold onto when you’re struggling?  It’s so simple, yet so profound.  GOD IS FAITHFUL!  When our situation is rugged, it’s easy to lose sight of the faithfulness of God.  All we see is the rough terrain.

file4081251141923Notice also, that temptation never arrives by itself.  It always has a partner. Temptation always comes with ‘the way of escape’.  It’s natural to want to escape our pain.  The problem is we try to escape it in all the wrong ways.  Instead, we must run to God with our pain.  He will provide the way of escape.  He will give us perseverance, encouragement, and hope. Romans 15:4-5

In Hope Against Hope

02 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in Faith, Hope

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What are you hoping for?  Does it seem utterly hopeless? Is your faith wavering?

2013-01-28_09-16-34_256Abraham was 100 years old.  Sarah was 90 years old.  They were way too old to have a baby.  Yet God had promised them a baby.

If you know the story of Abraham and Sarah, you know they both struggled with God’s promise of a child.  As a matter of fact, they both laughed about it.  It seemed so ridiculous.  They even tried to fix the situation by coming up with a plan of their own which miserably failed.  And every day as they grew older, the impossibility grew bolder.

In hope against hope he (Abraham) believed… Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a 100 years old and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.  Romans 4:18-21

I love this verse.  It does not condemn Abraham.  Instead it points out that even though Abraham’s body was growing weaker, his faith was growing stronger.

When our situation looks bleak, our faith can grow weak.  If we want our faith to grow stronger, we need to look beyond our situation to the Faithful One. Everything we hope for may not happen.  But we have the promise that God is for us and nothing can separate us from His love.  We have the promise that He is working all things for our good. Romans 8

Exult in hope. Exult in tribulations. Exult in God!

Hope does not disappoint because the love of God is poured out within our hearts. Romans 5:5