Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
When you find a true friend that will stick with you through the ups and downs of life, you have found a treasure that many people only hope to find. As humans we all have a desire, placed within us, to have friends. But when you find that one special friend that you can trust your life with that is a rare beauty.
Let me introduce to you my very special, awesome, unfailing friend. His name is Jesus. He has walked with me through some of the deepest valleys in life and through some of the highest mountain top experiences. Together we laugh, cry, sing, dance, and share the most intimate thoughts and concerns. He points out my faults without being critical, picks me up when I fall and cheers me on to stay in the race of life. He keeps His promises and never goes back on His word. He never gossips or says an unkind word. He is faithful, steadfast and strong.
My dear friend Jesus is God's gift to you and me. He sent his son Jesus, a rare beauty for the earth to behold, just to die on the cross for our sins. This dear friend laid down His life so that you and I could live eternally with him. There is no greater love than this my friend. What a friend we have in Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Help me to treasure the depth of His love and friendship forever. In Jesus Name, Amen!
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? Luke 15:4 (KJV)
Several weeks ago I lost a very special and valuable pair of earrings.For days I searched everywhere trying to find them to no avail.After days of searching and prayer, they were found and naturally I was quite thankful and excited.
This morning I remembered the search for those earrings. The parable of the shepherd leaving his ninety nine sheep to find the one that was lost came to mind. Many of us have loved ones or friends who are lost just like that sheep.In my own life I know I do and my prayers have been ongoing for them to find the Good Shepherd as I have.
Like the shepherd who looks for his lost sheep, we must also continue in our prayers for those who are lost.The enemy will try to make us believe that our prayer is insignificant to God, that it won't make a difference in someone else's life.
We are more precious to God than any earrings or things that crowd our life.And it is our job to pray without ceasing for those who are lost that they too may be found.
Lord, please help us to pray and search without ceasing to help those who are lost in this world.Give us your strength to never give up. Let us be the conduit between Your kingdom and that lost soul that you have brought to our mind.
Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded and tooled it into the shape of a calf. Exodus 32:4 (New Living Translation)
Have you ever done what Aaron did? That's an easy one to answer. No, I can honestly say I have never taken gold, melted it down and molded it into the shape of a calf.
But lets read on, in Exodus 32:19-24 Moses sees this calf that Aaron made and confronts him about it. Aaron responds "I threw them into the fire - and out came this calf!"
What was that? First we read that Aaron intentionally melted, molded, and tooled, yet when confronted his story changed, "I threw them in and - poof - this is what came out!"
So, let me ask again, have you ever done what Aaron did? Have you been there? Wishing you could go back and get a re-do, knowing that you cannot, wanting to save face and changing the details, just a bit, so that you do not look quite so foolish, quite so wrong.
I have.
Keep reading. Exodus 32:25-28 goes on to say that Moses recognized what had really happened and when he called Aaron and the people of Israel out on it there were severe consequences. All of this happened according to verse 25 "much to the amusement of their enemies".
You know who our enemy is? Yes, you know, it is Satan. It amuses him to no end when we find ourselves in a tight spot and instead of turning to God and saying, "I was wrong, forgive me, help me, and give me the strength to remain honest even in the midst of this mess" we change our story, giving excuses, softening our wrongdoing, and usually walking right into a bigger mess in the process.
That changed story, (those details that are retold just a bit differently yet always in our favor) no matter how we justify our action, it is still a lie. We allow pride to put us in a place where we want to look good in front of others, fearing their opinion instead of humbly confessing before our God and allowing Him to walk with us through the path of consequences. And the thing is, that path of consequences often leads to a path of righteousness when we allow God to guide us!
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to remember to confess my sin quickly, help me not to make excuses or play the blame game. Forgive me, help me, and give me the strength to remain honest even in my mistakes. Thank You for giving me Your word to guide and direct my life. Please give me the strength to live life with honesty and humility. Amen
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on." Exodus 14:15
How many of us ever wrestled with something so long that we are just plain tired of ourselves? Maybe low self esteem, fear, negative thinking, self-protectiveness, self-pity, guilt or unforgiveness has robbed us of living in freedom. We know God has more for us, we know we're held back by sin and yet we continue to wallow there. Don't get us wrong. We want what He has, we desire deliverance and yet we hesitate. Because when it all comes down to it, it is a whole lot more comfortable and just plain "easier" to stay in bondage. We continue to succumb to fear or laziness, and captivity continues.
As the Israelites came to the Red Sea, Egyptians barreling toward them on one side and the water lying on the other, they cried out in fear and unbelief. They longed to go back to their life of slavery, for at least there they would survive. Moses redirected them to focus on the Lord and remain still; He would do something to deliver them. God, however, had different instructions. He told Moses to instruct the Israelites to move forward. Moses obeyed, raised his staff over the water and watched the supernatural occur. God's people walked through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left (Exodus 14:22). They were headed towards freedom.
We are all on a journey, just like the Israelites were thousands of years ago as they ventured from Egypt to the Promised Land-from captivity to freedom. Every day we pray for God to work in us, to change us, to make us into His image, to deliver us from this ugly vice that plagues us-and then we wait and remain still. And God looks at us and says, "It's time to move. It's time to choose. It's time to walk in my transforming power that is there for you to take freely. This circumstance, this "enemy" in front of you looks pretty daunting, but I have fought for you and won through my Son's death and resurrection. I have gifted you the path to walk forward, now you just need to do it. Take action, move on and walk with Me in freedom."
All of us have been held in bondage by sin and because of our Savior, Jesus Christ we have been set free from eternal hell and sin's power over us. We are not only headed toward Heaven, our Promised Land, but we can live in that area of promise now. Accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and walking in His grace, power, and forgiveness, we can live the abundant life He has died to give us. What do you need to leave behind? Where do you need to take action and choose thriving over merely surviving?
Lord, I choose this moment to take Your hand, to choose joy, to bring my thoughts captive to truth, to celebrate the new life and the freedom which you died to give me. I thank You for Your transforming power. I'm tired of captivity and looking back. I'm walking through the Red Sea on dryground and am excited about the journey ahead.Amen.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV) Have you ever prayed for spiritual eyes only to be surprised or disappointed at the results? This morning, I asked the Lord to show me opportunities to love as he loves. I want to love people the way he loves people and extend more of his love.
As I drove to work this morning I witnessed a youth in anger pick up a concrete block and throw it onto a the busy highway. It just missed hitting a woman's vehicle. When the upset driver got out of the car and approached the youth, he picked up a stick and started after her with it. This boy was only a teen. Anger, hatred, rage filled his countenance. Thirty minutes later I was walking the hallways of a community high school. The language coming from our teen's mouths grieved my spirit. I eye witnessed open displays of what the bible calls abomination.
Before 8:30 am I had 'seen' so much corruption, I wept before our Heavenly Father wondering just how to reach this lost generation of youth. In my weeping He gently reminded me of the reason He came. It was to bring life, abundant life, to restore that which the enemy had stolen. I was also reminded just how much He loves those the enemy has kidnapped. His love is extravagant love, and He desires us as carriers of heaven to spread His love.
These precious young people are our future. They are our Father's creation--they are kidnapped royalty. The scripture tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to bring life, abundant life. He is passionate about the lost and dying world, he wants to give them abundant life.
As women, we are the heart of our homes. Our children, grandchildren and generational grandchildren need to be covered in prayer. Our youth are struggling, there is an entire generation lacking in Christian education. Few teens have godly influences in their lives. There is a general lack of respect for authority and a 'me' centered world-view.
The Lord allowed me to 'see' a few things that grieved my spirit as I asked Him to heighten my spiritual senses. Though it was painful, it was also rewarding. The Father reminded me how much He loves those that do not know Him. It is our honor to pray for our young people.
I would challenge you today to ask the Lord to show you places where you can extend more of Chris's love. Father, change my heart today to see people the way You see them and to love with Your extravagant love. In Jesus Name. Amen Geri Hoggard
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.Hebrews 13:15-16
Peaches are one of my favorite fruits to eat.I just love biting into a juicy peach that fills my mouth with flavor.There is nothing like discovering a peach that has been picked at the peak of its season and knowing that you've had the pleasure of eating it at its true appointed time.
Once I have eaten my delectable peach, my desire to purchase more sets in.I eagerly anticipate my next purchase of these ripe juicy peaches from the store.My mind goes crazy with thoughts of how I can contain this fruit and share it with my friends and family.Baking a peach pie or cobbler, fruit salad, smoothies, are just a few of the things that run through my mind as I plan my next purchase.
Knowing Jesus and sharing Him with others is a lot like sharing the ripe juicy peaches.Once you have discovered Jesus and tasted His goodness, you want to share him with others.Your lips are full of praise and thanksgiving to God for sending His son, to this earth, at His appointed time, to die for your sins.Allowing others to hear from your lips about the sweet things of Jesus is a small sacrifice that pleases God and bears continuous fruit for others to enjoy.
Heavenly Father, may the fruit of my lips bring you glory, honor and praise as I share with others about you today.In Jesus Name, Amen!
I, yes, I alone-will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)
God forgave you but can you forgive yourself?
As a sinner, knowing that I'm forgiven of all things by the divine Jesus Christ is the ultimate picture of grace and mercy.Christ's shed blood for my sins... I am in awe.I am so unworthy and yet so thankful that Jesus loved me that much.Self-forgiveness has not always come easy for me and I still struggle with it from time to time.But then I am reminded that I can forgive myself and others with the help and guidance of my heavenly Father.We only need to follow his example and read his words.The Bible is the one and true resource that we can turn to for confirmation of His complete forgiveness.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)
Being able to truly accept God's forgiveness is the only way that we will be able to forgive ourselves.And until we openly ask and receive God's forgiveness, we will never know how to truly forgive someone else.Forgiveness is our path to true spiritual freedom.
For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him, is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.Psalm 103:11-12 (NLT)
But if we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 (NLT)
So why do we struggle with past sins that God has already forgiven?Why can't we forget about those sins and move on?
Well, for one thing, Satan does not want us to forgive ourselves.He does not want us to be free from this burden that we choose to carry.Satan enjoys tormenting us with our past struggles and sins. As long as we are struggling with our past, we will feel unworthy to stand in the presence of our God, who truly loves us.The ultimate deceiver wants us to continue to live in the darkness of our past sins rather than step into the light of Jesus Christ's love.As long as we feel dirty and ashamed, we will want to hide ourselves from God, which will prevent us from living the life that God has fully intended for us.So let's break out of that darkness and give everything to the one who can handle it all.Let's remind Satan who is in charge of our lives.
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away.Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.He canceled the recordof thecharges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities.He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)
God has forgiven you.Whether you feel forgiven or not, does not matter.You have been set free from God's condemnation.Now you must set yourself free from your own.If you are struggling with forgiveness, talk to God about it.Pray and ask Him to help you release the hold of your past sins.Each morning when you wake up, be encouraged in the knowledge that you are loved and forgiven by the creator of the universe.How awesome is that?
Father, I pray that all will find the pure joy that is waiting for them in true forgiveness. Amen
Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax? Yes, he does, Peter replied. Matthew 17:24-25 (NIV)
1040 - W-2 - 1099 Do these numbers ring a bell? Along with spring comes another season - tax season. Typically, there is no eager tax payer. Thoughts of holiness and Godly obedience when tax forms are being prepared are not the first incentives to get them ready.
Among Jews, the requirement to pay taxes was one of the most controversial issues. Paying taxes to a pagan empire with money marked by the image of Caesar was considered an act of disobedience to God and a form of idolatry.
Matthew, a tax collector himself, recorded the story in Matthew 17:24-27.
After Jesus and is disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax? Yes, he does, Peter replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. What do you think, Simon (Peter), he asked. From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes - from their own sons or from others? From others, Peter answered. Then the sons are exempt, Jesus said to him. But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.
If anyone should have been exempt from paying this tax, a tax collected by the temple for its upkeep, it should have been Jesus. Peter put them in an awkward position by his answer. Just as kings pay no taxes and collect none from their family, Jesus was Lord and owner of the Temple; therefore it was not his obligation to pay the tax. Because this explanation would probably have been misunderstood, Jesus was not about to offend the lawmakers by exempting himself from the tax.
Peter obeyed, caught the fish, and it is presumed he paid the tax collectors with the coins he found in the fish's mouth. Why did Jesus use this miracle to pay his taxes and Peter's? Three things were accomplished. First, Jesus showed cooperation with the local authorities without hesitation. The second point he made was there has to be effort, in this case Peter's. Peter had to go get the coin. All that we have comes to us from God, but we have to be active in the process. Thirdly, we can trust that God will supernaturally supply us with what we need to pay our taxes. We don't need to cheat or fudge or complain!
Are you worried about tax season? Do you keep two books? Are indignation and anger against the tax institutions deep emotions when you are paying your taxes? We are God's ambassadors, His representation here on earth. We can use the lessons in this story to help us measure up to God's standard as another tax season approaches.
Lord, thank you for your great example of integrity and grace. Help us to be good ambassadors and trust you to provide us with whatever we need.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25
Have you ever allowed fear to get the best of you? Have you ever made a decision with a motive polluted by fear--fear of what people would think, what they would do, or how they would react? I have feared situations and people to the point where I became immobilized, confused, or many times, turned the opposite direction of where I was to be headed. As disobedient as that is, I find that I'm not alone. Jonah ran from God because he didn't want to be a part of saving Nineveh, Israel's enemy, and then have to answer to his people why he was the mouthpiece. Abraham lied to Pharaoh for fear he would lose his life on account of his wife's beauty. Peter denied Jesus, Elijah ran from Jezebel, David panicked and had Uriah killed after discovering Bathsheba was pregnant. All because of fear.
Fear will come knocking because we live in a fallen world. But the question is when it comes, what will we do with it? Some of us hunker down and cover our heads, immobilized and waiting for the storm to cease. Others of us pull ourselves up by the boot straps and attempt to take control of the situation in our own strength. Either way, when faced with fear, we usually take our eyes off our God and put them on ourselves. Proverbs 29:25 tells us that this fear of man causes us to shake, tremble, become confused, bewildered or even panicked. And because of that, we walk right into the trap. The word snare means a noose for catching animals. When we take our eyes off of God we lose direction, peace, security, and put ourselves in captivity. God's Word promises us that when we keep our gaze fixed on Him, our minds saturated with His promises and our hearts trusting in the Lord, we will be kept safe. We will be kept inaccessible, strong, and set on high. In Him, there is Security. In Him, there is Peace. In Him, there is no fear.
Lord, thank You for being my Security. Thank You that because of Jesus, fear does not have to dominate me in any way. Because I am complete in Christ, I am free to be who You made me to be. Give me the tenacity and devotion to keep my eyes and heart fixed on You.
Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phil.4:7 (New Living Translation)
It was the evening of November 10, 2003, and the phone in the barn was ringing loudly over the sound of the high pressure washer I was using. Shutting things down, and moving as fast as my very pregnant body would allow, I rushed to answer the phone. It was my sister-in-law calling to inform me that we needed to get to the hospital A.S.A.P. We planned that she would pick us up as soon as she could. I rushed to another part of the barn to alert my husband. The next hour was a frantic as we tried to get four small children ready to drop off somewhere, and taking quick showers so we didn't smell like the animals in the barn.
My mother, at fifty-seven years old was slipping away from us. After battling cancer for two and a half years she was 'going home.' Upon arriving at the hospital, we found out she had contracted a severe infection in her blood. Her cell count was to low to offer any resistance.
The next afternoon at 1:06 she gently passed on, with her husband, and seven children surrounding her.
I was one week away from my due date with baby number five. Over the next few days my physical body was miserable, and swollen with water retention. I was sad and grieving, but I had a peace that passed all understanding about not going into labor in during the next few days.
While others were losing sleep fretting about me, I was curled up asleep at night with peace unspeakable about the whole thing. Exactly one week after we had said goodbye to mom, our new daughter greeted us at the very same hospital.
I look back and remember being perplexed over others being so fretful. Because I had this deep peace and confidence that God would take care of me and my baby! I remember laughing to myself about their worry thinking if I'm not worried why are they?
This is how the things of God so often are. It will exceed anything we can understand.
Thank you Father that your peace will guard my heart and mind as I live in Christ Jesus. Ad that as I experience your peace it will truly exceed anything i can understand. I Love Father, Amen
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. John 7:38
With spring just around the corner you can sense the newness of life in the air. Trees budding, flowers blooming, and birds singing bring a fresh new sparkle of life to an earth that has been dead and hard from the harsh winter months.
Knowing Jesus and walking with him each day is much like having the season of spring in your heart all year long. His spring of living water flows continuously in your spirit and allows you to flourish and grow in Him even in hard times.
His spring of living water flows out through our spirits and splashes on to others so that they can sense His peace, His strength, His power and His love in a dying world. When we take the time to share the spring of living water with others we are allowing them to experience a taste of spring that can only come from Christ himself.
Heavenly Father, may your stream of living water flow through me in such a way that others will desire and thirst after you. In Jesus Name, Amen!
Pray that you will not fall into temptation. Luke 22:40 There was a lot of new home construction going on in our neighborhood. As you might well imagine, this construction was quite fascinating for little boys.
One day I was taking my daily walk when I heard a young mother yell, "Joey, what are you doing?" I looked around to see if I could locate the little guy. Lo and behold I did see him. Joey was standing on top of a mound of dirt looking down into a newly dug basement.Joey yelled back, "I'm just looking, Mom! I'm not looking for trouble!"Now seeing Joey standing on top of this mound of dirt, Joey's Mom ran out of the house to help him come down, before he fell in the hole.
I smiled at Joey's response. He didn't think he was "looking for trouble," but his mother could see that it was very possible that Joey may be in trouble with just a slip of his little foot.
How often do we think we are "just looking" when in reality we may be "looking for trouble?"
In the garden, Jesus said to the disciples twice to Pray that you will not fall into temptation. Luke 22:40 and again in Luke 22:45. Jesus knew that the disciples were about to be standing on top of a situation where they might fall. Jesus wanted them to pray that they would not fall into temptation. Why? Because Jesus wanted to save them from the hurt that the fall would cause.
I think we all know the story. Peter denied Jesus, and the others ran away when they were on top of the situation. They did not pray ahead of time, but fell asleep instead. The emotional hurt they felt was very real.
We may not think that trouble could be around the corner when we are on top of the hill. We may think we are "just looking," not knowing that there could be trouble if we fell.
I believe that if we are wise, we will remember the words of Jesus: "Pray that you will not fall into temptation," even though we may think that we are "just looking" and "not looking for trouble." Prayer: Father, help me to remember to pray ahead of time so that I will avoid the hurt that a fall would cause. Amen
And I pray that as you share your faith with others it will grip their lives too, as they see the wealth of good things in you that come from Christ Jesus." Philemon 6 (LNT)
Sharing Christ with others takes practice. All of us have missed opportunities to share about God's goodness but fortunately we have a loving, caring Heavenly Father who administers grace when we realize that we have let an opportunity slip away.
Through the years of walking with Christ, I am learning to take the time to thank God each day for the many blessings in my life. When I consciously do this, I am better prepared to share about His goodness with others. Sending His son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins, my family, answered prayers, my church family, etc. are a few things that I try to remind myself of each day.
Therefore when God places you or me in line at the department store or purchasing gas or texting a friend and an unexpected God appointment shows up, we are prepared to give a quick Christ is good commercial. Why? Because we have already reviewed in our minds the good things He has done.
When we consciously have our eyes and ears open to the Holy Spirit, we cannot help but be aware of those unbelievable God appointed times to share with others. Taking the time to walk through those open doors of opportunity allows our faith to increase and allows others to see the goodness of Christ in us.
Heavenly Father, as I step out in faith and boldly share Christ with others today, may they see a wealth of goodness that can only come from you. In Jesus Name, Amen!
May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus-the great Shepherd of the Sheep- with the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
I sat on the ski lift, nervously anticipating the fact that I had to hop off at the top of the hill and smoothly transition into an upright position. Getting off a ski lift is hard enough as it is without skis, let alone with them. I had absolutely no control over my lower appendages. The skis dangled from my feet and aimlessly crossed in the air back and forth. This wasn't going to be pretty. As we crested the hill, our turn came to disembark. Sure enough, my friend and I both collapsed in a heap stopping the entire lift until we could "find our legs" and collect ourselves. Then we looked down the hill. We're supposed to do what? You've got to be kidding.
Sometimes when God opens doors and we sense His invitation to walk through, we may step back and ask, "You want me to do what? God, there is no way that I am equipped for this. I don't have the talent, the brains or the confidence. I need some more knowledge and training. God, are You sure You want me for this?" God reminded me again today that I can rest in Him. He will equip me with what I need to live out what He has called me to do. The God we serve is so big and so powerful. Not only did He raise His Son from the dead but He lovingly and humbly invited small and insignificant people like you and me into covenant relationship. With covenant relationship comes everlasting commitment, and He is creating and developing in us something beautiful. He doesn't stop until we are complete, until we reflect and radiate Him. With faithfulness like that, why wouldn't He equip us for what He is calling us to do? Whether it is a new job opportunity, a ministry venture, children to raise, parents to care for, or other various scenarios where we feel bumbling and inadequate, we can experience His peace. Bunny hill or mountaintop-He equips us for the ride.
Lord, thank You for who You are. Thank You that You promise to equip me for all that You have called me to do. Fill me with Your peace as I depend on You for strength, wisdom and joy. Thank you for continuing to work in me because You are committed to me and love me so much! Amen.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalms 37:7 (NIV) What does it really mean to be still? How many times in a day are we ever just still in the quiet, are we ever still? The opening of spring has always made me be still. I cannot help but stop and be still, feeling the warmth of the sun after months of harsh cold, hearing the long lost birds, and watching the buds appear on all the plants.
God wants us to be still, not only to be in awe of creation but also to sit and wait on him. It often takes a very difficult situation or decision in my life for me to be still. Not because I know I am supposed to do this, but because I have nowhere else to turn, because I have relied on myself and am powerless to help the problem on my own. It is when I know He is going to have to take control. When I allow myself to be still, I am always amazed at what He shows me. Our lives are just too busy to be still or are we are just too preoccupied with our lives to take the time? I wonder how many things God was trying to show me in my lifetime that I just did not notice.
If we are still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him everyday, imagine how different our lives would be. This is what it means to make Him our first love. Our first priority, sit with Him...you will be amazed at what he shows you, you may never be able to go back to doing things on your own.
Thank you Father for wanting us to wait on you, for giving us the opportunity to sit and be quiet in your presence. Show us great things.
Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Psalm 127:1 (NKJV)
Jacques, a native of Ivory Coast, Africa, and pastor/evangelist to more than twenty village churches, had been praying and seeking God's direction on having a church building built right in his own village. That prayer of over two years is now a reality. The church site is only 1000 feet from his own home! The Chief of this village, an unbeliever, gave Jacques this piece of property some time ago for a church but kept telling him that he would never live to see a church built because no white man would ever come and do such a thing for his people. The only white men they had ever known had only come to murder, rape and steal from them. In fact, until this team actually arrived there had been NO white man even permitted in their village for almost fifty years because of what had happened to their people. Only God can make the way for something like this.
In February 2010, after a very long and bumpy ride in a stripped down van, the team, comprised of nine people from three states, arrived and were greeted by a host of National believers cheering, singing, clapping, smiling, jumping up and down, raising their hands high in the air rejoicing that their prayers were answered. All the unbelief of those who doubted was put to death as they saw with their eyes a team of white Americans walking in their village, greeting their Chief and coming to build them a Church of their own!
After all the ceremonial greetings were completed, the team walked through the building site and all they saw was a cleared piece of ground, a few rows of cement blocks started (and a very large pile of ones to lay, with an African making each block by hand), some very large piles of steel rod, steel angle iron, sheets of metal and thousands of nuts and bolts. One of the member's comments was this would be overwhelming if I didn't know that God was in charge! After days and days of bending rod, and hours upon hours of welding, the first steel post were ready. Then came the steel trusses, and finally the day to begin erecting this building. There were no cranes to hoist trusses, no boom truck to help lift, only one extension ladder and the safe and secure hands of God to safely hold the guys as they welded each beam in place and drove each bolt to hold the next piece of steel. It was an amazing sight to behold and to realize the truth of Psalm 127:1. Each evening team members would sit around the table at night and reflect on the miracles of the day and praise the Lord for His provision and protection. Keep in mind that the heat was excruciating and they were at the mercy of the country power being provided each day that would allow two welders to operate. Like clockwork, the power would come on as they took their first few bites of breakfast and would go off each night as they prayed for their evening meal. The generator they had for back up only had to be used to provide lights at night, fans to move air, and for refrigeration to keep the food from spoiling. The Lord is awesome!
During the planning phase of this building, it had been estimated one thousand nuts and bolts would be adequate to secure the roof. When the final stages of the building came, it was discovered the nuts and bolts to secure the roof to the trusses had different threads. Jacques gathered the bolts and spent a day and a half round trip to return to the village with the new bolts. During the time Jacques was gone, they also discovered the estimate of nuts and bolts would not be sufficient. Because there was no way to contact Jacques, the team decided to place a bolt in every other hole of the lower section of the roof and allow the villagers to complete it when the remainder could be obtained. Jacques returned with the bolts and the work continued. The holes were drilled into the steel roof for each bolt. One by one, the bolts were inserted and secured. As the end was near and the last bolts were retrieved, every hole was filled. There was not one hole empty and not one extra bolt remaining!
None of this could have happened without God leading and directing each step. The team God assembled and the prayers and gifts of faithful people - God takes it all and accomplishes His plan! How Incredible - How Marvelous - How Awesome is He! When the team prepared to leave after almost four weeks of manual labor, the Chief of the Village told them he welcomed their return, and said he is not a believer.yet.
We have so many comforts and conveniences in America. It is so good to hear a story like this to be reminded of the love of God for His children everywhere, and His provision, right down to the nuts and bolts.
Lord, thank you for the provision and protection you generously offer us every day. Help us to count our blessings. Thank you for this miracle of nuts and bolts, and for Jacques and his ministry in Ivory Coast. We give You praise!
For physical training is of some value; but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. I Timothy 4:8
What the heck? The elliptical is kicking my behind. I can't keep up, I'm huffing, I'm puffing, I'm crying for my mama, and I've only been on it for five minutes. I feel the sweat drip down my face, my legs start to shake and I look around to see who might catch me when I start to tumble.
I've been coming to the YMCA for three months now- three times a week. I've climbed aboard the elliptical, opened my book, pushed the quick start button, and gone up and down for 30 minutes each and every time.
Today however, I decided to program the machine and let It tell Me what to do.
Midway through the 30 minutes, as I was hanging on for dear life, I had what might be called a light bulb moment. This is a bit like the way I live my Christian life. I signed up, so to speak, when I asked Jesus into my heart. After that, I meandered my way along- staying with the program but never seeing great results.
Giving God control of my life would likely be the same as programming this machine. I might find myself hanging on for dear life, I might be told abruptly to reverse or to squat, to push or to pull, to use some muscles that I didn't know I had- but I'm betting that the results would be significantly better than what I see as I wander along my own path.
Five minutes after climbing off the machine, weary and sore, I realized I would never go back to the way I had exercised before. I might be sore, I might be tired, but I knew that I had actually worked out. I'm thinking of asking God to take over, to do for my spirit what that machine can do for my body. I have a feeling it will be quite a ride.
Father God, I thank you for the bodies you have made in which our spirits dwell. I pray that we might remember to give You control of all things.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Give me coffee in the morning and I am a happy camper. The smell of the coffee brewing in the morning fills the house and makes me immediately want to get up and have a cup in my hand. Once I have stirred in the cream and sugar there is nothing like the first sip of coffee to help me wake up each morning.
Give me a Christian friend that exudes Christ in the same way and I am really a happy camper. We have all met these wonderful people through out our lives. You know the ones that enter a room and you can immediately smell the fragrance of the Lord. Whether it is through their laughter, their speech, the warmth in their eyes, or the way they express themselves, you know without a shadow of a doubt, that the aroma of Christ has entered the room.
God sees each of us, who know Him as our personal Savior, as the aroma of Christ. When we take the time to come into His presence giving Him praise, glory and honor, the heavens are filled with a sweet aroma. Just like coffee brewing in the morning, God identifies the sweet fragrance of praise and worship from each of His children. Send such a sweet smell of praise up to heaven that the aroma of Christ will linger everywhere you go.
Heavenly Father, may the fragrance of Christ be so evident in me that everywhere I go your aroma lingers in the hearts of those I come in contact with today.
The Lord owns the world and everything in it the - heavens, even the highest heavens, are His. Deuteronomy 10:14 (NCV)
Recently, God used a Sunday morning class to help me re-focus and realize I needed to stop spinning my wheels. I have had some neat opportunities and experiences in the last few months, but they have required extra time, energy and emotion. It is almost embarrassing to admit to being so busy but not being able to say exactly what I have been doing.
When I read this verse, I kept reading it over and over again. I simply cannot fathom the words - everything in it. Everywhere I look, everything I see, anything I cannot see belongs to Him. Haggai 2:8 says the silver is His and the gold is His. Psalm 50:10-12 tells us every beast of the forest is His and the cattle on a thousand hills. He knows all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are His. These truths make me wonder why I become so consumed with the day to day events, with the cares of my family, the problems I cannot solve, and the feeling of never accomplishing the entire objective. At times, I feel insincere and think my activities are insignificant and pointless. When God is not Lord of all in my life, in our lives, it is because we have accumulated other things to blind our view of Him. Sin creeps into our lives so easily, and little by little we become distracted, dull in our walk and we find ourselves out of focus and spinning our wheels, never really accomplishing what we set out to do. Joy is gone, and monotony and misery take its place. God has us here for a reason. Everything we encounter daily is valid, and we have the opportunity to recognize the value of it. Do we see God in everything?
My new focus is this: As I meet the challenges and realities of each day, I will bring with me the realization and wonder of the truths in these verses. When I speak to my family, when I prepare a meal and do laundry, as I undertake the events of the day, I want to remember everything belongs to my Lord. I desire to keep Him in the forefront of my daily routine. When things go wrong I must remember God is not surprised by the circumstance.
Life has meaning when we see and do things through the eyes of God. Joy oozes out when our tasks are completed with Him as our ambition. It brings new excitement when we remember everything we say, touch, hear, feel, and smell belongs to Him. The marvel that He is Lord of all gives new energy and yearning for more of Him.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 ... Be Lord of all in my life!
