“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Forgiving is hard, one of the hardest things I have had to learn.
Your child is dishonest; a friend betrays you; your boss criticizes you in front of others; your spouse lies or has an affair. Whats the result? Anger, resentment, overall emotional pain. And if we aren’t careful, the pain and anger will give way to resentment and bitterness, eventually destroying us if we won’t let go and forgive. I know I have been there and gone through that!
True biblical forgiveness involves applying the grace and forgiveness we receive from Christ to those who have hurt us. Forgiveness frees both the unforgiven and the unforgiving. Though trust and confidence take time, when we genuinely seek out and act upon forgiveness, we allow for healing and provide the foundation for reconciliation in the relationship. When you forgive, you grow in love. You build trust and create opportunities for healing. Healthy relationships demand forgiveness.
Is there someone in your life you need to forgive today? God’s dream for your life may be hindered by broken relationships. Set aside the offense, show grace and forgive. You’ll be glad you did and you will feel so much better!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Everything begins with God
The proper understanding of everything in life begins w/ God.Noone will ever understand the necessity of conversion who does not know why God created us.He created us "in his image" so that we would image forth his glory in the world. We were made to be prisms refracting the light of God's glory into all of life. Why God should want to give us a share in shining w/ his glory is a great mystery. Call it grace or mercy or love... it is an unspeakable wonder.Once we were not. Then we existed for the glory of God!
John Piper, Desiring God
John Piper, Desiring God
Thursday, February 12, 2009
CHOOSE LIFE
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life….” Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Childbirth is a miraculous thing. Even with all the pain! When we’re born, God breathes life into our bodies. But along the way, our sinful nature takes root and we must be saved. As you choose to surrender your heart and soul to Him, He breathes His Spirit into you, and that’s when real life begins.
No life exists on earth, or the universe above, without the power of God. He is the only One who can give life and take it away. When you decide to choose life, you align yourself with God’s team, you cheer for His players and even participate in the game. You become completely His. There is no better place than at the feet of Jesus.
Who are you living for? Your spouse? Your kids? Your boss? Where are your priorities placed? It’s okay to serve those you love, but you must make sure that in serving those you love, you also serve the One who placed them in your life. Choose Christ… listen to His voice… hold on to Him… and live!
Childbirth is a miraculous thing. Even with all the pain! When we’re born, God breathes life into our bodies. But along the way, our sinful nature takes root and we must be saved. As you choose to surrender your heart and soul to Him, He breathes His Spirit into you, and that’s when real life begins.
No life exists on earth, or the universe above, without the power of God. He is the only One who can give life and take it away. When you decide to choose life, you align yourself with God’s team, you cheer for His players and even participate in the game. You become completely His. There is no better place than at the feet of Jesus.
Who are you living for? Your spouse? Your kids? Your boss? Where are your priorities placed? It’s okay to serve those you love, but you must make sure that in serving those you love, you also serve the One who placed them in your life. Choose Christ… listen to His voice… hold on to Him… and live!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Breaking the Busyness Spiral
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
God loves us and listens to us. He’s never too busy or unavailable. Yet often we’re too busy and unavailable for Him. That’s when our imbalanced lives threaten to overwhelm us. The imbalance often leads to more busyness and less time for Him. When this happens, we can spiral downward. The busier we are, the harder we work to catch up. The harder we work to catch up, the faster we move. The faster we move, the less time we have for prayer. The less time for prayer, the more likely we’ll try to handle things on our own. The more we try to handle things on our own, the heavier the burden. The heavier the burden, the more we need Him.
We can wait for the downward spiral of busyness to knock us down before we decide it’s time to get back to God, but a much more sensible decision would be to let Him carry us through the imbalance se we don’t get pulled into the resulting whirlwind. That way, we don’t have to hit bottom before finding Him again. We simply rest in His arms as we tackle what’s before us.
God loves us and listens to us. He’s never too busy or unavailable. Yet often we’re too busy and unavailable for Him. That’s when our imbalanced lives threaten to overwhelm us. The imbalance often leads to more busyness and less time for Him. When this happens, we can spiral downward. The busier we are, the harder we work to catch up. The harder we work to catch up, the faster we move. The faster we move, the less time we have for prayer. The less time for prayer, the more likely we’ll try to handle things on our own. The more we try to handle things on our own, the heavier the burden. The heavier the burden, the more we need Him.
We can wait for the downward spiral of busyness to knock us down before we decide it’s time to get back to God, but a much more sensible decision would be to let Him carry us through the imbalance se we don’t get pulled into the resulting whirlwind. That way, we don’t have to hit bottom before finding Him again. We simply rest in His arms as we tackle what’s before us.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Temptation
"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed" (James 1:13-14 NIV).
I recently woke up with a spider bite that was the size of a quarter. It may as well have been the size of North Carolina for as much as it itched! I was half tempted to scratch my arm off. That nasty bite was just begging to be scratched. But I've learned a thing or two in mytwenty-something years, and one thing I know for sure: it's best not to scratch this type of itch.
It would be like opening a bag of chips with the naive intention of eating only one (yeah, right!) I knew that if I started scratching my bug bite, it would be nearly impossible to stop. I would regret having ever started.
Super-itchy bug bites are a lot like temptations. Temptations are itchy! The call on us with urgent voices that scream, "Scratch me! Scratch me!" Yet, in all reality, a little scratch will not satisfy temptation's itch at all...it will just make matters worse. When we scratch the itch of temptation, the itch does not diminish. To the contrary, it increases.
When we resist temptation, our faith is mobilized and the muscles of our character are strengthened. Joseph was a man of integrity who did right in the eyes of the Lord, but boy did he face some temptation! You can read the detailed account in Genesis 39.
Joseph was seduced by temptation in the form of his master's wife. Mrs. Potiphar wanted her husband's right-hand man to sleep with her, and she pursued him with aggression. It was a hand-delivered invitation to sin that had itchy written all over it. But he flat-out refused.
"My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her (Genesis 39:9-10).
Temptation chased Joseph relentlessly. Oh, how he must have longed for the itching to stop! To give in would be sinful. To give in was simply not an option for this young man of character. So on the day that Potiphar's wife caught him by the cloak and begged again for Joseph to sleep with her, Joseph ran out of the house. He ran from that tempting situation as fast as his legs would carry him.
God was honored in Joseph's response.
He ran from temptation.
We would be wise to do the same.
It took all the will power I could muster to keep from scratching that bug bite. I had to re-direct my thinking to persevere through the temptation. I mentally ran from it. When we resist temptation, God is honored and our character is strengthened. What do you need to run from today?
Monday, September 3, 2007
Jesus is God
Some people worship many gods, but the Bible tells us that there is only one true living God. The Bible says that God is three Persons, but He is one God. That is something we cannot understand. The Bible teaches us about God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are the three Persons. God the Father lives in Heaven, but He is everywhere. He is holy and without sin. God rules over His creation. He is in control of all things. He loves everyone.Jesus is God the Son. He died for our sins and rose again. All people can have their sins forgiven if they trust in Him as their personal Savior. After Jesus rose from the dead, He went up into Heaven. Now Jesus is with His Father, God.God the Holy Spirit came to Earth after Jesus returned to Heaven. He helps people to know that they are sinners. He then comes to live in the hearts of those who trust in Jesus. The Holy Spirit also helps us understand God's Word, the Bible.God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit–they are the Trinity. They are three in one. All agree completely.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
A Wives Prayer
In the name of Jesus, I cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. I choose to be a good, loyal wife to my husband and address him with respect. I will not be overanxious and intimidated. I purpose to be, by God's grace, agreeable, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble. I will be a blessing and also receive blessings.
By the grace of God, I yield to the constant ministry of transformation by the Holy Spirit. I am being transformed into a gracious woman who retains honor, and a virtuous woman who is a crown to my husband. I purpose to walk wisely that I may build my house. Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a purdent wife is from the Lord. In Christ, I have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward me in all wisdom and prudence.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me understand and support my husband in ways that show my support for Christ. Teach me to function so that I preserve my own personality while responding to his desires. We are one flesh, and I realize that this unity of persons that preserves individuality is a mystery, but that is how it is when we are united to Christ. So I will keep on loving my husband and let the miracle keep happening!!!
Just as my husband gives me what is due me, I seek to be fair to my husband. I share my rights with my husband.
Strength and dignity are my clothing, and my position in my household is strong. My family is in readiness for the future. The bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) I will not eat. I choose to conduct the affairs of my household wisely, realizing that wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Amen.
Scripture References-------
Matt 16:19
1 Peter 3:1-5, 8,9
Psalm 51:10
2 Cor. 3:18
Prov. 11:6, 12:4, 14:1, 19:14, 31:25-27
Eph. 1:7,8 and 5:22,33
1 Cor. 7:2-5
James 3:17,18
By the grace of God, I yield to the constant ministry of transformation by the Holy Spirit. I am being transformed into a gracious woman who retains honor, and a virtuous woman who is a crown to my husband. I purpose to walk wisely that I may build my house. Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a purdent wife is from the Lord. In Christ, I have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward me in all wisdom and prudence.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me understand and support my husband in ways that show my support for Christ. Teach me to function so that I preserve my own personality while responding to his desires. We are one flesh, and I realize that this unity of persons that preserves individuality is a mystery, but that is how it is when we are united to Christ. So I will keep on loving my husband and let the miracle keep happening!!!
Just as my husband gives me what is due me, I seek to be fair to my husband. I share my rights with my husband.
Strength and dignity are my clothing, and my position in my household is strong. My family is in readiness for the future. The bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) I will not eat. I choose to conduct the affairs of my household wisely, realizing that wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Amen.
Scripture References-------
Matt 16:19
1 Peter 3:1-5, 8,9
Psalm 51:10
2 Cor. 3:18
Prov. 11:6, 12:4, 14:1, 19:14, 31:25-27
Eph. 1:7,8 and 5:22,33
1 Cor. 7:2-5
James 3:17,18
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