I recently started reading Beth Moore's book "Breaking Free." I've got my seatbelt on for this one. While I chose the book "for someone else" (quote-unquote) I have a feeling God has a lot to show me "for me."
Here's a few quotes from Beth Moore in the book...
"I want it [the message of this book] to pull at your life so powerfully that the bondage of mediocre discipleship will never again be acceptable."
"A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for him or her."
"I was the worst kind of captive: a prisoner unaware."
"God wants to do in your life what your mind has never conceived."
Recently Renee R. posted a song on FaceBook that has had a powerful affect on my life by Matthew West called "The Motions." What a song!?! Here are some of the words..."This might hurt/I don't want to go through the motions/Your all consuming passion/what if I had given you everything?/just ok is not enough." Here's the link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk.
Kevin C. twitted this quote earlier today..."The difference between where you are & where God wants you to be may be the painful decision you refuse to make." - Craig Groeschel
Seems like there is a similar message God is giving me from several sources. What if I had given everything? What in my life is keeping me from the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God has planned for me? Just ok is not enough. I want to be different. I want to be where God wants me to be. I'm going deeper with God!!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
SO MANY RULES
I've been reading in Leviticus the last few days. God's really laying down the law. All I'm saying is I'm glad to be bought and paid for and freed from the law. I said this to Terry: "There's so many rules in Levitcus. Did you know we wouldn't be able to eat shrimp if we were under the law?" His response: "Aren't you glad you aren't Jewish?" Being Jewish has nothing to do with it. It's all about Jesus! I'm glad I'm not lost.
Hebrews 7:11 "The people were given the law concerning the system of priests from the tribe of Levi, but they could not be made perfect through that system. So there was a need for another priest to come..." (NCV)
Hebrews 7:26-27 "Jesus is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy, sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and He is raised above the heavens. He is not like the other priests who had to offer sacrifices every day, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people. Christ offered His sacrifice only once and for all time when He offered himself." (NCV)
Man, forget all those rules I can't follow anyway. Too many! Just give me Jesus!! Free to follow Him with the power of the Holy Spirit. Not on my own power. I'd end up back in bondage but with the forgiveness of Jesus and help of the Holy Spirit, I can live for Him according to His Word and the guidance of the Spirit to the best of my ability.
Lord, help me to serve you with freedom in a way that brings honor to you!! Thank you for being willing to pay that sacrifice for me. Knowing me as you do, you know I'm hopeless but with the gift of Your Spirit, my life CAN honor You!
Hebrews 7:11 "The people were given the law concerning the system of priests from the tribe of Levi, but they could not be made perfect through that system. So there was a need for another priest to come..." (NCV)
Hebrews 7:26-27 "Jesus is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy, sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and He is raised above the heavens. He is not like the other priests who had to offer sacrifices every day, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people. Christ offered His sacrifice only once and for all time when He offered himself." (NCV)
Man, forget all those rules I can't follow anyway. Too many! Just give me Jesus!! Free to follow Him with the power of the Holy Spirit. Not on my own power. I'd end up back in bondage but with the forgiveness of Jesus and help of the Holy Spirit, I can live for Him according to His Word and the guidance of the Spirit to the best of my ability.
Lord, help me to serve you with freedom in a way that brings honor to you!! Thank you for being willing to pay that sacrifice for me. Knowing me as you do, you know I'm hopeless but with the gift of Your Spirit, my life CAN honor You!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLES?
"My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need." James 1:2-4 (NCV)
Rewind to Blog post December 9, 2008...
I was going through a situation that I was having to wait on happening and was having a hard time being patient.
Fast forward to February 24, 2009...
Still having to wait on the same situation. Was it hard? Is it hard? Yes, very much so!!
We recently began a study on the book of James in Sunday School on February 1st so I'm reading these same verses again. Do they say IF we go through trials or troubles? No, they say WHEN. It's a guarantee. WE WILL GO THROUGH TROUBLES!! So what do we do when we have disappointments and difficult times? What do we do when bad things happen to us? How do we handle it?
Sometimes people hurt my feelings. Sometimes I feel like I totally missed God. Sometimes I even feel like He let me down. I just want to throw in the towel and give up. This is too hard. I want to walk away, go in another direction. Well...this is how I have felt recently. Have you ever felt this way? It's a battle sometimes, isn't it? Deep in my soul, I felt like if I gave into this though, I would drown. That's the only way I can describe the battle that was raging in my spirit. I literally felt like a part of me would die and my relationship with God would never be the same.
I'm so thankful God wouldn't let go of me and let me go the way I wanted. I'm so thankful, instead, He drew me close to Him and gave me this verse..."Through Christ, God gave me the special work of an apostle, which was to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. I do this work for Him." Romans 1:5 (NCV)
I'm not saying I think I'm an apostle. What I am saying is God reminded me that EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR HIM...not anyone else, not only when things are going good, not when my feeling are NOT hurt. He has called me for a special work, and I do it for Him. God reminded me why I do anything I do. I can never give up.
So remember, when it doesn't go the way we think it should have, when people let you down, when life gives us disappointments, when troubles come our way...OR when life is great and we're on top of the world...whatever situation we're in, don't foget IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!!
Keep your eyes on HIM and don't give up!!
Rewind to Blog post December 9, 2008...
I was going through a situation that I was having to wait on happening and was having a hard time being patient.
Fast forward to February 24, 2009...
Still having to wait on the same situation. Was it hard? Is it hard? Yes, very much so!!
We recently began a study on the book of James in Sunday School on February 1st so I'm reading these same verses again. Do they say IF we go through trials or troubles? No, they say WHEN. It's a guarantee. WE WILL GO THROUGH TROUBLES!! So what do we do when we have disappointments and difficult times? What do we do when bad things happen to us? How do we handle it?
Sometimes people hurt my feelings. Sometimes I feel like I totally missed God. Sometimes I even feel like He let me down. I just want to throw in the towel and give up. This is too hard. I want to walk away, go in another direction. Well...this is how I have felt recently. Have you ever felt this way? It's a battle sometimes, isn't it? Deep in my soul, I felt like if I gave into this though, I would drown. That's the only way I can describe the battle that was raging in my spirit. I literally felt like a part of me would die and my relationship with God would never be the same.
I'm so thankful God wouldn't let go of me and let me go the way I wanted. I'm so thankful, instead, He drew me close to Him and gave me this verse..."Through Christ, God gave me the special work of an apostle, which was to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. I do this work for Him." Romans 1:5 (NCV)
I'm not saying I think I'm an apostle. What I am saying is God reminded me that EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR HIM...not anyone else, not only when things are going good, not when my feeling are NOT hurt. He has called me for a special work, and I do it for Him. God reminded me why I do anything I do. I can never give up.
So remember, when it doesn't go the way we think it should have, when people let you down, when life gives us disappointments, when troubles come our way...OR when life is great and we're on top of the world...whatever situation we're in, don't foget IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!!
Keep your eyes on HIM and don't give up!!
DETAILS OR NO DETAILS
Are you a detailed kind of person or do you just skim over the details? What about God? Do you think He cares about the details or no? Read Exodus 36, 37 & 38 and tell me if you think God cares about the details.
How many curtains for the tent? How long was the ark? How many inches wide? What kind of wood were the poles made from? What direction were the creatures' wings spread on the lid? Which direction did they face? What about the table? What kind of wood? How many rings? Where were they put? Then there's the altar. The details seem to go on and on.
When I read this chapter I thought, "Wow! Look at all these details." I'm not sure why God wanted us to know all these details. I'm reading this on my phone so I don't have the luxury of having commentaries spread out before me but a couple of things came to my mind...
* God gave specific instructions on how to build the Ark of the Covenant, the tent...all the way down to what the priests were suppose to wear. Exodus 39:43 says "Moses looked closely at all the work and saw they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them." (NCV) Do you think God cared whether the Israelites would/could be faithful to follow out His instructions...down to the very last, little item?
* If God was THIS specific with what they were suppose to do, do you think God is THAT specific with what we're suppose to do? Do you think God intends for us to just coast through life or does He have something very specific FOR US to accomplish? Does He have a plan for us? Read Jeremiah 29:11-13
* When things are going on in our lives - good or bad - do you think God sees and cares about what's important to us? Read I Peter 5:7
So...What about God? Do you think He cares about the details or no?
I vote DETAILS...YES!!
How many curtains for the tent? How long was the ark? How many inches wide? What kind of wood were the poles made from? What direction were the creatures' wings spread on the lid? Which direction did they face? What about the table? What kind of wood? How many rings? Where were they put? Then there's the altar. The details seem to go on and on.
When I read this chapter I thought, "Wow! Look at all these details." I'm not sure why God wanted us to know all these details. I'm reading this on my phone so I don't have the luxury of having commentaries spread out before me but a couple of things came to my mind...
* God gave specific instructions on how to build the Ark of the Covenant, the tent...all the way down to what the priests were suppose to wear. Exodus 39:43 says "Moses looked closely at all the work and saw they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them." (NCV) Do you think God cared whether the Israelites would/could be faithful to follow out His instructions...down to the very last, little item?
* If God was THIS specific with what they were suppose to do, do you think God is THAT specific with what we're suppose to do? Do you think God intends for us to just coast through life or does He have something very specific FOR US to accomplish? Does He have a plan for us? Read Jeremiah 29:11-13
* When things are going on in our lives - good or bad - do you think God sees and cares about what's important to us? Read I Peter 5:7
So...What about God? Do you think He cares about the details or no?
I vote DETAILS...YES!!
Friday, January 23, 2009
PRAYER CHANGES THINGS
COPIED FROM AN EMAIL I RECEIVED TODAY FROM FOCUS ON THE FAMILY ACTION:
Today is the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions -- the horrendous Supreme Court cases that legalized abortion and have resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn babies. Thousands of pro-life Americans are in our nation’s capital marching for the preborn very near the place President Obama took the oath of office earlier this week.
I want to ask you to join me in praying for a change of heart for President Obama.
You see, Obama has pledged to push the most radical pro-abortion agenda in American history. He said, “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA). FOCA could overturn hundreds of pro-life measures and could legalize even the heinous partial-birth abortion procedure.
But President Obama also professes to follow Christ. Since God can change the hearts of even unwilling rulers, He certainly can change the heart of a president who professes to be a Christian! Will you join me, today and in the days to come, in praying for a miraculous change of heart in Obama’s plans to push FOCA and a radical abortion agenda?
Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President, Government & Public Policy
UPDATE ON FACEBOOK THIS WEEK: "David B. Smith is wishing Christians would stop complaining about our President and start praying for him and all of our leaders. God's will for His plan not ours!"
You're right on David. It's the one thing we can do that has the most power. Take it to the ONE who can change the heart of man. PRAYER DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
Today is the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions -- the horrendous Supreme Court cases that legalized abortion and have resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn babies. Thousands of pro-life Americans are in our nation’s capital marching for the preborn very near the place President Obama took the oath of office earlier this week.
I want to ask you to join me in praying for a change of heart for President Obama.
You see, Obama has pledged to push the most radical pro-abortion agenda in American history. He said, “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA). FOCA could overturn hundreds of pro-life measures and could legalize even the heinous partial-birth abortion procedure.
But President Obama also professes to follow Christ. Since God can change the hearts of even unwilling rulers, He certainly can change the heart of a president who professes to be a Christian! Will you join me, today and in the days to come, in praying for a miraculous change of heart in Obama’s plans to push FOCA and a radical abortion agenda?
Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President, Government & Public Policy
UPDATE ON FACEBOOK THIS WEEK: "David B. Smith is wishing Christians would stop complaining about our President and start praying for him and all of our leaders. God's will for His plan not ours!"
You're right on David. It's the one thing we can do that has the most power. Take it to the ONE who can change the heart of man. PRAYER DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
FATHER ABRAHAM
I'm still reading in Genesis about Abraham and came across a very familiar part of his story. GENESIS 22:1-18 You know the one where God tells Abraham to go up on the mountain and sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham and Sarah had waited so long for this son. Sarah even laughed when she heard she would have a son because she and Abraham were so old. But like usual...God is faithful to His promises.
So now God tells Abraham to take this long awaited son up on the mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham does as instructed. He takes Isaac, a couple of servants, and cut the needed wood for the burnt offering sacrifice. He goes to the place God had told him. When they arrive, Abraham tells his servants to stay behind while he and Isaac go the rest of the way by themselves. Can you imagine what Isaac is thinking? (ISAAC: Dad, I know God told you to do all of this but where's the lamb for the sacrifice? Something's not just right here. ABRAHAM: Don't worry, son. God will take care of all the details.) So they head on up the mountain. Abraham builds the altar, puts the wood down, ties Isaac up, lays him on the wood and raises the knife. Abraham has every intention of going through with the instructions God gave him. But an angel of the Lord stops him and says he sees how Abraham trusts God. Then just like Abraham knew God would, He provided the lamb. It was in the bushes.
Why does God do all of this if He never planned on Abraham having to actually kill his son? You can find the answer in Genesis 22:1. It was a test - a really big, important test. Some times the things we go through or have to experience is nothing more than God testing our faith, just like He did with Abraham. If Abraham was going to get graded on THIS test, what would it be? I think he would receive a huge A++. He did exactly what God asked him. He never wavered or 2nd guessed God. His faith carried him all the way through, all the way up to raising the knife. IF he had to kill Isaac he believed God would raise him from the dead.
A couple of years back when I was studying this same story to teach SS, this verse jumped out at me. Genesis 22:5 "He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.'" Have you ever noticed that verse? What did Abraham mean when he said "we will come back to you?" I think Abraham's faith that God would provide never failed. He knew he would come back down that mountain with his son. He didn't know how but he had absolute belief that God would not have given him Isaac, made the promises He did, only to have it end up this way. BUT...just incase he was wrong, he was also determined that he would be faithful to do whatever God was asking, even if it made no sense or was going to break his heart.
This is one of my favorite OT stories. What an awesome example for us!! Will we be willing to go the distance, whatever God asks of us? Even when it makes no sense or is going to be really tough, will we be willing to keep the faith all the way till the end? Could we be listed in the "Faith Hall of Fame"? Check it out...Hebrews 11:17-19. Just saying...
So now God tells Abraham to take this long awaited son up on the mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham does as instructed. He takes Isaac, a couple of servants, and cut the needed wood for the burnt offering sacrifice. He goes to the place God had told him. When they arrive, Abraham tells his servants to stay behind while he and Isaac go the rest of the way by themselves. Can you imagine what Isaac is thinking? (ISAAC: Dad, I know God told you to do all of this but where's the lamb for the sacrifice? Something's not just right here. ABRAHAM: Don't worry, son. God will take care of all the details.) So they head on up the mountain. Abraham builds the altar, puts the wood down, ties Isaac up, lays him on the wood and raises the knife. Abraham has every intention of going through with the instructions God gave him. But an angel of the Lord stops him and says he sees how Abraham trusts God. Then just like Abraham knew God would, He provided the lamb. It was in the bushes.
Why does God do all of this if He never planned on Abraham having to actually kill his son? You can find the answer in Genesis 22:1. It was a test - a really big, important test. Some times the things we go through or have to experience is nothing more than God testing our faith, just like He did with Abraham. If Abraham was going to get graded on THIS test, what would it be? I think he would receive a huge A++. He did exactly what God asked him. He never wavered or 2nd guessed God. His faith carried him all the way through, all the way up to raising the knife. IF he had to kill Isaac he believed God would raise him from the dead.
A couple of years back when I was studying this same story to teach SS, this verse jumped out at me. Genesis 22:5 "He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.'" Have you ever noticed that verse? What did Abraham mean when he said "we will come back to you?" I think Abraham's faith that God would provide never failed. He knew he would come back down that mountain with his son. He didn't know how but he had absolute belief that God would not have given him Isaac, made the promises He did, only to have it end up this way. BUT...just incase he was wrong, he was also determined that he would be faithful to do whatever God was asking, even if it made no sense or was going to break his heart.
This is one of my favorite OT stories. What an awesome example for us!! Will we be willing to go the distance, whatever God asks of us? Even when it makes no sense or is going to be really tough, will we be willing to keep the faith all the way till the end? Could we be listed in the "Faith Hall of Fame"? Check it out...Hebrews 11:17-19. Just saying...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
YOU gotta have faith
"(1) The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land I will show you. (4) So Abram left Haran as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. At this time Abram was 75 years old." Genesis 12:1 & 4
"(8) The officer answered, "Lord, I am not worthy for you to come into my house. You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed. (10) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were following him, "I tell you the truth, this is the greatest faith I have found, even in Israel." Matthew 8:8 & 10
Do you see some similarity in those two groups of verses?
As soon as I read the familiar verses in Genesis today on my mobile Bible :-) where God told Abram (or Abraham as we know him) to leave without giving him the details I automatically thought of the faith it took for Abraham to be obedient. He didn't question God. He didn't ask for the rest of the story. He didn't ask what next? He just stepped out in faith and did what God asked him to do.
So...then I read on and switched over to the NT and what do I read? I read about people who were coming to Jesus to be healed because they had faith He could/would do that. In fact, there was an officer Jesus described as "having the greatest faith in Isreal." WOW!! That's some faith, isn't it?
Earlier Carmela was praising God on FaceBook for answering her prayer request. I was reminded of the verses I'd read before and thought "we gotta have faith" just like these guys did. God is still teaching me patience on a specific prayer request I have. But God spoke to me even later when I was thinking about it again. It was like He said, "No, Marsha - YOU gotta have faith."
I needed that. Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me and reminding me You see all things, and You haven't forgotten about me. Your timing is perfect, and I will continue to "try" to be patient... and have faith.
"(8) The officer answered, "Lord, I am not worthy for you to come into my house. You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed. (10) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were following him, "I tell you the truth, this is the greatest faith I have found, even in Israel." Matthew 8:8 & 10
Do you see some similarity in those two groups of verses?
As soon as I read the familiar verses in Genesis today on my mobile Bible :-) where God told Abram (or Abraham as we know him) to leave without giving him the details I automatically thought of the faith it took for Abraham to be obedient. He didn't question God. He didn't ask for the rest of the story. He didn't ask what next? He just stepped out in faith and did what God asked him to do.
So...then I read on and switched over to the NT and what do I read? I read about people who were coming to Jesus to be healed because they had faith He could/would do that. In fact, there was an officer Jesus described as "having the greatest faith in Isreal." WOW!! That's some faith, isn't it?
Earlier Carmela was praising God on FaceBook for answering her prayer request. I was reminded of the verses I'd read before and thought "we gotta have faith" just like these guys did. God is still teaching me patience on a specific prayer request I have. But God spoke to me even later when I was thinking about it again. It was like He said, "No, Marsha - YOU gotta have faith."
I needed that. Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me and reminding me You see all things, and You haven't forgotten about me. Your timing is perfect, and I will continue to "try" to be patient... and have faith.
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