September 14, 2007 Rest
Jesus said: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27.
It's so easy in this fast pace, multi-tasking world to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. In an age of two-income families, it's nearly impossible to set aside an entire day of rest. And yet God commanded it and He did so for our own benefit! On our day off - we find ourselves doing housecleaning, yard work, running the kids around, catching up on email or any of a myriad of activities. When is the last time you took a whole day and did nothing?
The Pharisees went too far so that cooking(though even the cook deserves a break) or even picking an apple off a tree was considered work. But we have taken it too far the other way. We are consumed with guilt when we do find that rare time with nothing scheduled. God Himself ordained it! One day of guilt-free rest! Take a nap, take a walk, read a book, go on a pic-nic. One day of rest to do......absolutely......nothing!God made the Sabbath - a day of rest - just for you, His beloved. One day to stop and smell the roses!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
September 7th, 2007 Worry
As problems piled up like mountains around us this week, my husband and I talked, planned and projected how to deal with one in particular. It's interesting because this one problem was only a potential problem. Indeed, it was very likely that nothing would come of our concerns. Yet we devoted hours to strategizing over this "what if".
There were numerous other things that required our attention but we'd become so consumed with this one - fretting, planning and rethinking our plan. In effect, not only did we waste our time, we were completely robbed of our peace. I found this verse calling to me: Jesus said "Do not borrow trouble from tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself. Today has enough trouble of it's own." Matthew 6:34
Do you ever find yourself worrying over things that have not yet happened? I'm not speaking of things that may require advance preparation but something that is not yet an issue. Anyone who has stayed up waiting for their teenager to come home and played out all their deepest fears will know what I mean. Or perhaps you've waited for test results and worried what they might bring. Whatever the outcome, what good did your worrying add? Not one iota.
Worry is a stumbling block to peace. When we learn to trust all our tomorrows to Him, the result is a deep secure peace. He alone knows what our future will bring and He will be there with us whatever comes. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways ackowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
As problems piled up like mountains around us this week, my husband and I talked, planned and projected how to deal with one in particular. It's interesting because this one problem was only a potential problem. Indeed, it was very likely that nothing would come of our concerns. Yet we devoted hours to strategizing over this "what if".
There were numerous other things that required our attention but we'd become so consumed with this one - fretting, planning and rethinking our plan. In effect, not only did we waste our time, we were completely robbed of our peace. I found this verse calling to me: Jesus said "Do not borrow trouble from tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself. Today has enough trouble of it's own." Matthew 6:34
Do you ever find yourself worrying over things that have not yet happened? I'm not speaking of things that may require advance preparation but something that is not yet an issue. Anyone who has stayed up waiting for their teenager to come home and played out all their deepest fears will know what I mean. Or perhaps you've waited for test results and worried what they might bring. Whatever the outcome, what good did your worrying add? Not one iota.
Worry is a stumbling block to peace. When we learn to trust all our tomorrows to Him, the result is a deep secure peace. He alone knows what our future will bring and He will be there with us whatever comes. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways ackowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
August 31, 2007
Love Never Fails
What are the traits you most admire? Faithfulness, conviction, strength mixed with compassion, selflessness, passion. Those were traits that described my father.
When I was sixteen, my boyfriend broke up with me and I was devastated. I felt as if I'd lost everything in my little world and the tears wouldn't stop. My mother tried to console me telling me I was too young to be with one boy - there would be other boyfriends. But my father groaned with me. He felt my pain in a personal way and longed to fill that void. He called me from work and invited me out to dinner. He took me to a fancy restaurant all by myself. He assured me I was beautiful and cherished and loved. And though my heartache continued for a little while, I've never forgotten the assurance of my father's love for me.
How much more does our heavenly father love us. No matter what trial, what great loss, what suffering - He is always there for us -He goes before us and walks beside us. He feels our pain personally and longs to fill the void it leaves.Joshua 1:5b says "I will not fail you or forsake you". The word for "will not" in the original text is emphatic - it means never never ever ever. What a beautiful picture of our Father's great love for us.He will never never ever ever fail or forsake us! Assuredly not!
Love Never Fails
What are the traits you most admire? Faithfulness, conviction, strength mixed with compassion, selflessness, passion. Those were traits that described my father.
When I was sixteen, my boyfriend broke up with me and I was devastated. I felt as if I'd lost everything in my little world and the tears wouldn't stop. My mother tried to console me telling me I was too young to be with one boy - there would be other boyfriends. But my father groaned with me. He felt my pain in a personal way and longed to fill that void. He called me from work and invited me out to dinner. He took me to a fancy restaurant all by myself. He assured me I was beautiful and cherished and loved. And though my heartache continued for a little while, I've never forgotten the assurance of my father's love for me.
How much more does our heavenly father love us. No matter what trial, what great loss, what suffering - He is always there for us -He goes before us and walks beside us. He feels our pain personally and longs to fill the void it leaves.Joshua 1:5b says "I will not fail you or forsake you". The word for "will not" in the original text is emphatic - it means never never ever ever. What a beautiful picture of our Father's great love for us.He will never never ever ever fail or forsake us! Assuredly not!
August 20, 2007
Steadfast
"When they hurled their insults at him,...did not retaliate....Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly" 1 Peter 2:23
Thank you Lord that You alone know the hearts of men. "Judge not, lest you be judged." When the accuser of the brethren comes to our door, may we be reminded of our security in You. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You would show us.
With humility, I raise my shield of faith and proclaim "Blessed be Your name! "
Steadfast
"When they hurled their insults at him,...did not retaliate....Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly" 1 Peter 2:23
Thank you Lord that You alone know the hearts of men. "Judge not, lest you be judged." When the accuser of the brethren comes to our door, may we be reminded of our security in You. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You would show us.
With humility, I raise my shield of faith and proclaim "Blessed be Your name! "
August 13, 2007
God's Promises
"He has given us his very great and precious promises." 2Peter 1:4
"When a shipbuilder erects a boat, does he do so only to keep it on the scaffolding? No, he builds it to sail the seas and to weather the storms. In fact, if he does not think of strong winds and hurricanes as he builds it, he is a poor shipbuilder.In the same way, when God made you a believer, He meant to test you. And when He gave you promises and asked You to trust them, He made His promises suitable for times of storms and high seas. Do you believe that some of His promises are counterfeit, similar to a life vest that looks good in the store but is of no use in the sea?We have all seen swords that are beautiful but are useless in war, or shoes made for decoration but not for walking. Yet God's shoes are made of iron and brass, and we can walk all the way to heaven in them, without ever wearing them out. And we could swim the Atlantic a thousand times in His life vest, with no fear of ever sinking. His Word is meant to be tried and tested.There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him aas you should?O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God's promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have time of need, trust the Lord. "------Charles H. Spurgeon
I pray that you KNOW His promises
God's Promises
"He has given us his very great and precious promises." 2Peter 1:4
"When a shipbuilder erects a boat, does he do so only to keep it on the scaffolding? No, he builds it to sail the seas and to weather the storms. In fact, if he does not think of strong winds and hurricanes as he builds it, he is a poor shipbuilder.In the same way, when God made you a believer, He meant to test you. And when He gave you promises and asked You to trust them, He made His promises suitable for times of storms and high seas. Do you believe that some of His promises are counterfeit, similar to a life vest that looks good in the store but is of no use in the sea?We have all seen swords that are beautiful but are useless in war, or shoes made for decoration but not for walking. Yet God's shoes are made of iron and brass, and we can walk all the way to heaven in them, without ever wearing them out. And we could swim the Atlantic a thousand times in His life vest, with no fear of ever sinking. His Word is meant to be tried and tested.There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him aas you should?O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God's promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have time of need, trust the Lord. "------Charles H. Spurgeon
I pray that you KNOW His promises
August 6, 2007
Our Job Description
"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:3
I was reminded this week-end by my son, of our need for humility. If we are to be your letters sent forth for others to read through us, we need humble hearts. If others are to see in us how to live with joy in trials, peace with our circumstances, patience as we wait upon You and hope in Your promises.....help us to set aside our own agendas and live what we believe.
"It is a sobering thought to picture myself as the only communication of Your truth they might receive today. It makes me wonder what kind of example I am. Further, I don't really have a choice. If people know I believe in You, they will take their readings about how faith works in the down-to-earth application in everyday living." L. J. Ogilvie
Lord, make us sensitive to Your still small voice this week and mindful that we ARE Your "letter" to those You put in our paths this week.
Our Job Description
"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:3
I was reminded this week-end by my son, of our need for humility. If we are to be your letters sent forth for others to read through us, we need humble hearts. If others are to see in us how to live with joy in trials, peace with our circumstances, patience as we wait upon You and hope in Your promises.....help us to set aside our own agendas and live what we believe.
"It is a sobering thought to picture myself as the only communication of Your truth they might receive today. It makes me wonder what kind of example I am. Further, I don't really have a choice. If people know I believe in You, they will take their readings about how faith works in the down-to-earth application in everyday living." L. J. Ogilvie
Lord, make us sensitive to Your still small voice this week and mindful that we ARE Your "letter" to those You put in our paths this week.
July 28, 2007
A Challenge
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?" Romans 3:3
Unbelief continually asks, "How can this be possible?" It is always full of "how's," yet faith needs only one great answer--GOD! No one accomplishes so much in so little time as when he or she is praying. (From 'Streams...')
Lord, forgive us our unbelief! Increase our faith and empower our prayers to align with Your will. We ask for a glimpse of Your divine hand upon our lives as we submit every area of our lives to You. Protect us from false teachings and strengthen our discernment of Your Truth in this misguided world.
A Challenge
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?" Romans 3:3
Unbelief continually asks, "How can this be possible?" It is always full of "how's," yet faith needs only one great answer--GOD! No one accomplishes so much in so little time as when he or she is praying. (From 'Streams...')
Lord, forgive us our unbelief! Increase our faith and empower our prayers to align with Your will. We ask for a glimpse of Your divine hand upon our lives as we submit every area of our lives to You. Protect us from false teachings and strengthen our discernment of Your Truth in this misguided world.
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