"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1
I have a little ceramic pumpkin that I keep on my kitchen window. I keep it there to remind me when my focus gets off balance of how truly blessed I am. It says simply, "Nothing is more honorable that a grateful heart."
The longer I live on this planet the more I understand that without Christ I am totally insignificant. My worth and value is found only in Him. When I begin to get that attitude (you know which one I mean) that says, "What about me?", "Why not me?" or "No one asked me!", I know it's time to seek out my ceramic pumpkin.
I want to be honorable. You don't hear that word much these days. We are encouraged to strive to be seen as important, significant, valuable, powerful, self-confident, and self-sufficient. But those qualities don't lead us up to the front door of honor. The scripture tells us that God "resists the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6) Further on in Proverbs 15:33 we read that "...humility precedes honor."
I don't believe I've ever met anyone that I truly considered honorable who didn't have an evident attitude of gratefulness. Sometimes the holiday of Thanksgiving is so commercialized that we forget what it really means. Psalm 107:1 isn't talking about the Thursday late in November on our calendar. For many, Thanksgiving is a jacket you throw on once a year. But gratefulness is something different altogether. Gratefulness is a familiar sweater that you pull on every morning. Gratefulness to God should be the filter through which every thought, situation and circumstance must pass through to get to us.
The quotable G.K. Chesterton when speaking about gratitude penned these words..."Nothing taken for granted, everything received with gratitude, everything passed on with grace."
I think I'll hang on to my little ceramic pumpkin. Need one?
Monday, November 19, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Parking Your Faith
"Let all that I am wait quietly before God; for my hope is in him." Psalm 62:5
Get ready. I'm going to date myself here. For those of you who are from "my era" as my husband likes to say, I'm sure you probably remember Bob Dylan's song, "You Gotta Serve Somebody". I'm not quite sure what exit ramp Bob Dylan took after that song but at that particular point in time he was exactly correct. We have to choose. As the Existentialist/Philosopher Kierkegaard stated in so many words, you can't choose not to choose because, in essence,you've already made your choice. For the record, Kierkegaard took a few exit ramps himself but he was spot on with that thought.
I am human. I am sinful. I am in need of a Savior. I need a place to "park my faith and my hope". I'm certainly not foolish enough to think I can park it in the spot designated "ME". No, I learned a long time ago that won't work. This world of materialism and selfishness won't suffice. Even those dearest to me on this planet can't possibly be the object of my faith and hope. You know where I'm going with this. There is only one - The One.
A beautiful old hymn by a dear lady named Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (Lidie H. Edmunds) has been wandering through my mind the last couple of days.
My faith has found a resting place
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead .
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood
My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
I've found my parking space. :)
Get ready. I'm going to date myself here. For those of you who are from "my era" as my husband likes to say, I'm sure you probably remember Bob Dylan's song, "You Gotta Serve Somebody". I'm not quite sure what exit ramp Bob Dylan took after that song but at that particular point in time he was exactly correct. We have to choose. As the Existentialist/Philosopher Kierkegaard stated in so many words, you can't choose not to choose because, in essence,you've already made your choice. For the record, Kierkegaard took a few exit ramps himself but he was spot on with that thought.
I am human. I am sinful. I am in need of a Savior. I need a place to "park my faith and my hope". I'm certainly not foolish enough to think I can park it in the spot designated "ME". No, I learned a long time ago that won't work. This world of materialism and selfishness won't suffice. Even those dearest to me on this planet can't possibly be the object of my faith and hope. You know where I'm going with this. There is only one - The One.
A beautiful old hymn by a dear lady named Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (Lidie H. Edmunds) has been wandering through my mind the last couple of days.
My faith has found a resting place
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead .
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood
My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
I've found my parking space. :)
Sunday, July 29, 2012
On Guard?
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." Proverbs 4:23
Proverbs is the wisdom book. I love the honesty and practicality of this part of scripture. It strikes me as "Nuts and Bolts Christianity" or "Walking Out Your Faith 101" if you will. We are constantly confronted with the comparison of the wise person and the fool. Read very far at all and you'll figure out which one to shoot for.
Proverbs 4:23 has always and continues to speak a powerful message in my own life. Maybe because I need to read and reread it all the time for it to really sink in.
Do your ears perk up like mine do when you hear that phrase, "Above all else..."? I can remember in high school and college being in class and the teacher was trying to prepare everyone for an upcoming test. Whenever I heard the words, "Above all else", any daydreaming that may have been going on in my mind came to a quick halt. When the teacher used those three words, I knew that what came next would be invaluable if I wanted to do well on the exam.
Guarding our hearts is not something that comes naturally to most of us. Maybe because we aren't really sure how to do it. Sometimes because of hurts or scars from our past we have a tendency to cover and harden our hearts as in "no one will ever do that to me again". On the other hand, as women especially, we are often so hungry for love and security that we are too quick to give our hearts away. Where is that balance anyway? What does it really mean to guard our hearts?
The picture that comes to mind when I read this scripture is a heart with a fence around it and a gate that swings at the entrance. Only those feelings and emotions that have the proper clearance (from the Holy Spirit) have permission to enter. Bitterness, envy, unforgiveness, jealousy and anger must be refused. They cannot be allowed to walk through and set up shop--ever! Condemnation, rejection, shame, hopelessness must be purposely driven back and kept away. Why? Because what is in my heart affects everything I do! Notice it doesn't say "everything I think" but rather "everything I do"!
Every choice I make, every road I choose springs from what I have allowed to come to live in my heart. I must determine (sometimes daily -- even hourly) that bitterness and unforgiveness have no place in me. Anger and jealously are not welcome in this heart. Shame and hopelessness will have to look somewhere else to put down roots. The Lord lovingly reminds me that I must not let my guard down--even for one minute. I can't afford to.
Proverbs is the wisdom book. I love the honesty and practicality of this part of scripture. It strikes me as "Nuts and Bolts Christianity" or "Walking Out Your Faith 101" if you will. We are constantly confronted with the comparison of the wise person and the fool. Read very far at all and you'll figure out which one to shoot for.
Proverbs 4:23 has always and continues to speak a powerful message in my own life. Maybe because I need to read and reread it all the time for it to really sink in.
Do your ears perk up like mine do when you hear that phrase, "Above all else..."? I can remember in high school and college being in class and the teacher was trying to prepare everyone for an upcoming test. Whenever I heard the words, "Above all else", any daydreaming that may have been going on in my mind came to a quick halt. When the teacher used those three words, I knew that what came next would be invaluable if I wanted to do well on the exam.
Guarding our hearts is not something that comes naturally to most of us. Maybe because we aren't really sure how to do it. Sometimes because of hurts or scars from our past we have a tendency to cover and harden our hearts as in "no one will ever do that to me again". On the other hand, as women especially, we are often so hungry for love and security that we are too quick to give our hearts away. Where is that balance anyway? What does it really mean to guard our hearts?
The picture that comes to mind when I read this scripture is a heart with a fence around it and a gate that swings at the entrance. Only those feelings and emotions that have the proper clearance (from the Holy Spirit) have permission to enter. Bitterness, envy, unforgiveness, jealousy and anger must be refused. They cannot be allowed to walk through and set up shop--ever! Condemnation, rejection, shame, hopelessness must be purposely driven back and kept away. Why? Because what is in my heart affects everything I do! Notice it doesn't say "everything I think" but rather "everything I do"!
Every choice I make, every road I choose springs from what I have allowed to come to live in my heart. I must determine (sometimes daily -- even hourly) that bitterness and unforgiveness have no place in me. Anger and jealously are not welcome in this heart. Shame and hopelessness will have to look somewhere else to put down roots. The Lord lovingly reminds me that I must not let my guard down--even for one minute. I can't afford to.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Widow's "Might"
"...I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all that she had to live on." Mark 12:43-44
We're a funny bunch, us humans. Ever wonder if the "hosts of heaven" look down on us sometimes shaking their heads and saying, "they just don't get it do they?"
As much as Jesus loved his disciples, he still expressed his frustration with them from time to time because they just didn't seem to catch on. In Matthew 17:17 he even said, "...how long shall I put up with you?" They were, as we are, true to the description that God outlined in 1 Samuel 16:7 when he said that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
How often do we look at situations and people and make judgments on face value rather than asking for that eternal perspective that can only come from spending time with the One who holds eternity in his grasp? We compare ourselves, our situations, our circumstances, our education and careers, our abilities and talents, our possessions, our relationships with everyone else. Why is it that we feel such a need to do that all the time? Sadly, we never win when we get on the comparison train. When will we understand that God's plans and purposes for us having nothing to do with how we stack up to the next guy (or girl). What a release to decide against another trip around that same track. To decide it's time to get off and start marching to a totally different tune (or is that drummer?)
The widow in this verse was rich. Yes, I said she was rich! Why? Because she decided against the comparison train long before she entered the temple. Don't you think she knew all the "power players" with their wealth and influence would be watching when she put her 2 little copper coins in the plate? Sure she did. But she didn't care because she was wearing eternal glasses that day. Her vision was focused on one thing and one thing only - giving all she had to the One who had her name written in the palm of His hand. (Isaiah 49:16)
I've heard it said that when we give (not just materially by the way) that God doesn't look at what we give away nearly as much as He does at what we keep for ourselves. Hmmm. That's a game changer.
Looks like the widow was the one with all the "might" after all.
We're a funny bunch, us humans. Ever wonder if the "hosts of heaven" look down on us sometimes shaking their heads and saying, "they just don't get it do they?"
As much as Jesus loved his disciples, he still expressed his frustration with them from time to time because they just didn't seem to catch on. In Matthew 17:17 he even said, "...how long shall I put up with you?" They were, as we are, true to the description that God outlined in 1 Samuel 16:7 when he said that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
How often do we look at situations and people and make judgments on face value rather than asking for that eternal perspective that can only come from spending time with the One who holds eternity in his grasp? We compare ourselves, our situations, our circumstances, our education and careers, our abilities and talents, our possessions, our relationships with everyone else. Why is it that we feel such a need to do that all the time? Sadly, we never win when we get on the comparison train. When will we understand that God's plans and purposes for us having nothing to do with how we stack up to the next guy (or girl). What a release to decide against another trip around that same track. To decide it's time to get off and start marching to a totally different tune (or is that drummer?)
The widow in this verse was rich. Yes, I said she was rich! Why? Because she decided against the comparison train long before she entered the temple. Don't you think she knew all the "power players" with their wealth and influence would be watching when she put her 2 little copper coins in the plate? Sure she did. But she didn't care because she was wearing eternal glasses that day. Her vision was focused on one thing and one thing only - giving all she had to the One who had her name written in the palm of His hand. (Isaiah 49:16)
I've heard it said that when we give (not just materially by the way) that God doesn't look at what we give away nearly as much as He does at what we keep for ourselves. Hmmm. That's a game changer.
Looks like the widow was the one with all the "might" after all.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Heavenly Support Group
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1
We have a support group at our church. In fact, we have several small support groups under the umbrella of a larger support group called "Target 10:10 for Recovery". When my husband and I first felt the Lord leading us to start this group a couple of years ago, I remember thinking, "This is a really nice thing we're doing. There are a lot of hurting people out there and they need encouragement and strength to keep fighting." That was all well and good and I was more than happy to help. You know what I didn't realize then that I know now --and the Lord knew all along? I needed this group just as much as anyone else.
We try not to be predictable at Target 10:10. We have a format to follow but sometimes we like to kind of "shake things up a bit" (I think that's one characteristic we are learning from our Heavenly Father!) A few weeks ago we pulled all of our chairs into one big half circle and started sharing how we feel we're doing in our "journey of recovery". Some of us struggle with substance abuse, some with depression and rejection, some with co-dependency, some with sexual addictions, and the list goes on. There were some very private moments, some tears, some laughter, some questions and some heartaches while waiting for answers. More than anything else though, I sensed an amazing outpouring of love and support from brothers and sisters who loved each other and wanted to see each other succeed.
One of the last things we did that night was to go around and tell each person what strengths that the Lord had revealed to us were in their lives. Talk about encouraging! Hebrews 12:1 comes to mind when I remember that evening. We were surrounded by a pretty great cloud of witnesses. Because we knew that cloud of witnesses were cheering us on, we walked out of there that night with a renewed motivation to "run the race with perseverance".
The writer of Hebrews, in chapter 12 was giving us a picture of a "Heavenly Support Group" that is in glory cheering us on in our race here on earth. The scripture begins by saying, "Therefore..." The therefore reverts back to all of the members of the "Hall of Faith" mentioned in chapter 11. The scripture says they are all in heaven cheering us on. What a beautiful picture to keep focused on as we press forward. The most powerful part of that picture is the person leading that cheer--our Lord Jesus.
That's one of Easter's most amazing results. Because of his death and resurrection,
Romans 8:34 tells us, "...Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Verse 35 goes on to remind us that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. Talk about motivation!
He is Risen!
We have a support group at our church. In fact, we have several small support groups under the umbrella of a larger support group called "Target 10:10 for Recovery". When my husband and I first felt the Lord leading us to start this group a couple of years ago, I remember thinking, "This is a really nice thing we're doing. There are a lot of hurting people out there and they need encouragement and strength to keep fighting." That was all well and good and I was more than happy to help. You know what I didn't realize then that I know now --and the Lord knew all along? I needed this group just as much as anyone else.
We try not to be predictable at Target 10:10. We have a format to follow but sometimes we like to kind of "shake things up a bit" (I think that's one characteristic we are learning from our Heavenly Father!) A few weeks ago we pulled all of our chairs into one big half circle and started sharing how we feel we're doing in our "journey of recovery". Some of us struggle with substance abuse, some with depression and rejection, some with co-dependency, some with sexual addictions, and the list goes on. There were some very private moments, some tears, some laughter, some questions and some heartaches while waiting for answers. More than anything else though, I sensed an amazing outpouring of love and support from brothers and sisters who loved each other and wanted to see each other succeed.
One of the last things we did that night was to go around and tell each person what strengths that the Lord had revealed to us were in their lives. Talk about encouraging! Hebrews 12:1 comes to mind when I remember that evening. We were surrounded by a pretty great cloud of witnesses. Because we knew that cloud of witnesses were cheering us on, we walked out of there that night with a renewed motivation to "run the race with perseverance".
The writer of Hebrews, in chapter 12 was giving us a picture of a "Heavenly Support Group" that is in glory cheering us on in our race here on earth. The scripture begins by saying, "Therefore..." The therefore reverts back to all of the members of the "Hall of Faith" mentioned in chapter 11. The scripture says they are all in heaven cheering us on. What a beautiful picture to keep focused on as we press forward. The most powerful part of that picture is the person leading that cheer--our Lord Jesus.
That's one of Easter's most amazing results. Because of his death and resurrection,
Romans 8:34 tells us, "...Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Verse 35 goes on to remind us that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. Talk about motivation!
He is Risen!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Walking With The Wise
"Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walk with fools will suffer harm." Proverbs 13:20
Have you ever stepped back to evaluate with whom you spend the most time? According to this scripture, that should be a pretty serious consideration in our lives.
First of all, aside from spouses, who are your friends? Really. There are casual acquaintances and there are true friends. As believers (and women) we will likely have many acquaintances; people at work, people we see when dropping the kids off at sports, gymnastics, people at the grocery store, etc... Those are the people in this world that we come in contact with everyday. Hopefully, they are feeling Jesus from us as we rub shoulders with them. But who are your real friends - the ones you share deeper cares, concerns and fears? Maybe even more importantly, the ones that offer you advice? Who are they? Does it really matter? It should.
This scripture tells us that we become like the people we choose to walk with. Look at the word "walk". Now to walk with someone, a couple of things need to be happening. First, you have to be in step with that person - your pace has to be about the same. Otherwise, you won't be together very long. Secondly, you have to be headed toward the same destination. You can't walk with someone who is heading in a different direction than you are. If you attempt to do that, one of you will be forced to change directions. Amos 3:3 says, "Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Hmmm....
Ladies, now more than ever we need godly friends. Let's stop here and remind ourselves that not all christian friends are necessarily godly friends. A believer away from the Lord can often be a very dangerous friend to have around. Because her heart has wandered away from the Lord Jesus, she will naturally pull you along with her if you allow it. Don't. If we commit ourselves to choosing godly christian friends who encourage us and offer godly advice, we are richly blessed. These are the "I love you enough to get in your face when you're headed in the wrong direction kid of friends."
Who are you walking with?
Have you ever stepped back to evaluate with whom you spend the most time? According to this scripture, that should be a pretty serious consideration in our lives.
First of all, aside from spouses, who are your friends? Really. There are casual acquaintances and there are true friends. As believers (and women) we will likely have many acquaintances; people at work, people we see when dropping the kids off at sports, gymnastics, people at the grocery store, etc... Those are the people in this world that we come in contact with everyday. Hopefully, they are feeling Jesus from us as we rub shoulders with them. But who are your real friends - the ones you share deeper cares, concerns and fears? Maybe even more importantly, the ones that offer you advice? Who are they? Does it really matter? It should.
This scripture tells us that we become like the people we choose to walk with. Look at the word "walk". Now to walk with someone, a couple of things need to be happening. First, you have to be in step with that person - your pace has to be about the same. Otherwise, you won't be together very long. Secondly, you have to be headed toward the same destination. You can't walk with someone who is heading in a different direction than you are. If you attempt to do that, one of you will be forced to change directions. Amos 3:3 says, "Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Hmmm....
Ladies, now more than ever we need godly friends. Let's stop here and remind ourselves that not all christian friends are necessarily godly friends. A believer away from the Lord can often be a very dangerous friend to have around. Because her heart has wandered away from the Lord Jesus, she will naturally pull you along with her if you allow it. Don't. If we commit ourselves to choosing godly christian friends who encourage us and offer godly advice, we are richly blessed. These are the "I love you enough to get in your face when you're headed in the wrong direction kid of friends."
Who are you walking with?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)