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Monthly Archives: December 2011

God is a Miracle Worker Luke 7:20-23

20 Dec

Luke 7:20-23 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

God is a Miracle Worker!

This is good news for me today. As I face many battles ahead, challenges that currently seem insurmountable, I am reminded of all that God can do. He can heal, restore, change and save. These are all the things I need Him to do in my life today.

Living Miracles

Imagine receiving site after being blind from birth. When I first got glasses, I was amazed at the details I could now see. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for one who is cured of blindness. I pray I soon will though. I want to be cured of the blindness of seeing who God sees me to be. He knows that though I am weak and frail, He, who is perfect and strong, can work through me so that others may know Him more fully.

Facing addictions

As I face my addiction to food, I’m coming to realize the true problem with addictions is that they get in the way of upholding the two main commandments God gives to us. To love Him above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves. I need to get the focus off myself and my wants and needs in the moment, and focus on what the Lord is calling me to do. He wants me to be freed to be used by Him in the lives of others. That I might be blessed by being in service to others. May the Lord help me to think of Him more and me and my food a bit less.

When do we need miracles?

Do those who have their life together need a miracle? I don’t know, but I think it is true that the broken, those in pain, those struggling and weak need a miracle. I need a miracle. So who is blessed most? Those who have their life together but never get to experience a miracle, or those who struggle in this world, but are changed and  healed by the love of God. Those who experience a miracle after going through the worst time of their lives may be the most blessed people of all. How can they walk away unchanged? Can they help but share the love they have experienced in the miracle?

Do you need a miracle? Do you believe they can happen? Have you experienced a miracle?

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2011 in God is a Miracle Worker, Luke

 

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God is My Mighty Rock Psalm 62:6-8

16 Dec

Psalm 62:6-8

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

My God is My Mighty Rock

When someone goes through rough times, you might hear them say something like this, “Carol was my rock during that time.” It is really hard to go through the tough times in life by yourself. It’s almost as hard when the people you think you should be able to count on don’t come through for you.

Mighty means Powerful or Extraordinary

When we say someone is our rock. It means we can count on them. They added stability to an otherwise crazy time. They gave us a foothold, a safety net, a foundation. But people are people. They don’t always know what we need, and even if they do, they can’t always give it to us. But there is one who can.

God isn’t just my rock. He’s my mighty rock.

He is the only thing that’s worth building my life on. My powerful, extraordinary God is solid. I can count on Him in all kinds of trouble. If I build my life on Him, I have built my life on something solid, something secure, something strong. God doesn’t sway in the wind, wash away in a flood or disappear when things get hard. He supports, encourages and sometimes maintains us so that we can survive and learn to know Him more.

Solid, Unmovable, Reliable

What are the things you count on most? What do you trust to always be there? Has anything ever let you down? I’ve told the story about when I found out I had MS. I told about how my husband wasn’t there when I found out because he was away at a school for the Air Force. This led to an amazing moment with the Lord, one I never want to forget and would never trade in. But I wasn’t happy about my husband not being there.

I had put my trust in my husband.

My husband had earned it. He had supported me through some really tough times, he was my rock. He was who I went to when I was feeling insecure. He was who I trusted with my raw emotions. He was the one who could help me keep going when I wanted to give up. But he wasn’t there. He wasn’t there when I needed him the most. My life had changed. I was facing a debilitating disease, and had strange confusing things happening to the way my brain worked. I was worried I couldn’t care for my boys on my own. I felt abandoned. The truth is, no human can be there for you all the time. They can’t be all that you need them to be.

But there is one who is greater than all of the humans in the world.

One who can be there for you when no one else can. My God, the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ who saved me from my sins not only wanted to preserve me from death and an eternity in hell, but also wants to have a relationship with me. He wants me to be drawn closer to Him, that I might know what it feels like to be able to rely on Him, trust Him and be blessed by Him. He is my mighty rock. I trust Him. I trust Him with my life. I trust Him with my death. I trust Him with everything in between.

Who do you count on?

 
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Posted by on December 16, 2011 in God is my Mighty Rock, God is My Strength, Psalm

 

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God is the Creator Acts 17:24-28

14 Dec

Acts 17:24-28 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth

Amen – Enough said.

He does not live in temples built by human hands

This is an interesting part of this verse, and one I’m sure many of my “spiritual, not religious” friends would point to as a reason they don’t want to go to church. (You know who you are and you know that I love you). It is true that He doesn’t live in a temple or a church. He is not confined by walls or structures. He is omnipresent (everywhere all at once). So you can meet Him in the church – He’s there. You can meet Him in the mountains – He’s there. You can meet Him on the alleys in the inner city – He’s there. But if you’re saying you don’t need a church building to worship or meet with Him, prove it by meeting with Him in other places. Just meet with Him – He’ll be there. (Too preachy? Sorry – time to get off my high horse).

He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything

This is another amazing part of this verse. Good works are not for God’s benefit. He doesn’t need our help. He doesn’t need us to prove what we believe or to make up for past sins (Jesus took care of that). He does call us to do good works though. I like the way the Message Translation of the Bible puts it (this isn’t a word for word translation, but it puts it in easy to understand language, and sometimes I need that) in James 2:17.

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

So am I doing that? Is my faith dead? Do my actions back up my claims? I am constantly at battle with this. I want to do more, but often lack the confidence and boldness that stepping out to help someone requires. Will they think I’m pompous? Will they refuse my help? Will I be more trouble than encouragement? I feel the devil at work in these words. The devil wants me to stay away from the things I’m being called to do, because he doesn’t like empowered people for Christ.

Lord, help me to be more like you. Help me to be bold like Nehemiah, and do what you’re calling me to do.

He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else

He’s got me covered. If I think that I don’t have the gifts needed to do what God is calling me to do, that’s silliness, because this verse says He provides everything. He provides even my life and breath. I can confidently go forward knowing He’s given me the gifts I need to carry out what He’s calling me to do.

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him

Everything God has done on earth has been to draw someone closer to Him. To point us to Him so that we might be in relationship with Him. Not because he forced us to, but because we didn’t turn away from Him when He showed Himself to us through Scripture, Friends and Nature. God wants you to find Him, and He wants me to keep my eyes on Him. Seeking Him and not getting distracted by lies about me not being good enough, smart enough, rich enough or cute enough. He can use me even if I’m stupid, clumsy, poor and ugly. God has a plan for each of us, no matter who we are, a plan to prosper us and not to harm us. He plans and makes opportunities for us to know Him, and that is His ultimate plan for us. To know Him and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

For in him we live and move and have our being

Are you being called?

 

 

 

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2011 in My God is the Creator

 

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My God is … Faithful Deuteronomy 7:9

07 Dec

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Are you faithful? 

What does it mean to be faithful? Are you a faithful husband because you don’t go around with other women behind your wife’s back? Are you a faithful parent when you believe your child when everyone else is saying he’s not being honest? Do you keep your word? Do you tell the truth?

God is Faithful

God keeps His promises. He keeps the covenant of love he made to the Israelites and has extended to us in the new testament. A covenant that includes salvation from our sins through Jesus Christ.

When I read this verse, I almost picture Moses talking in the voice of a Baptist minister. The LORD your God is GOD. He is the FAITHFUL GOD.

He is the Faithful God

There are so many things in which we place our trust. We think, “If I had enough money, that would solve all my problems.” or “If I had that great job, I wouldn’t have to worry anymore.” or maybe “If I could just marry the man of my dreams, then everything would be perfect.” They’re all lies. All lying gods (notice the small “g”). They don’t do what you think they’re promising to do. Money doesn’t solve real problems. A job usually creates more problems and let’s not get started on the problems men can cause (just kidding)!

God keeps his promises. 

All throughout the Bible, you can read, hear and digest the promises that the Lord is making to you. His promises remain true throughout the ages. This means we can trust what He says. We can follow, believe and have comfort in the fact that God is faithful. He’s the Faithful God. Unlike all those other “gods” we create here on earth that we look to for fulfillment, God actually follows through. He doesn’t leave you, forsake you or stop loving you.

Instead he draws you closer. With each promise that He fulfills in your life, He’s showing His faithfulness and His love for you. The promises He made are for the thousands of generations of those that love Him.

 

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2011 in God is Faithful

 

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My God is Merciful Micah 7:18-20

06 Dec

Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.

Who is a God like you

When I was studying this verse, I noticed in the notes that phrase might be a pun on Micah’s name which means “Who is like the Lord?”. It’s a good question. Who is like that? Not me that’s for sure.

You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

What a beautiful thing to know about our God. That He doesn’t stay angry forever. He has every right to, but he doesn’t. Sometimes I think a parents love is like this. We get mad. Boy, do we get mad. But we don’t stay mad at our children. We love them in spite of themselves. They may drive us crazy, but we love them. Ok – some of you may know this is not a perfect reflection (especially if you put one of those Dr. Phil cameras in your house – you know some problems never go away!).

God delights to show mercy

When is the last time you were delighted. Close your eyes and think about it. I can think of a time I was recently delighted. My friend Tara sent me a present out of the blue. It was a very special, encouraging present. It was unexpected and amazing. My heart delights when I think about it now. Delight is such an amazing thing.

Definition of DELIGHT  de·light noun \di-ˈlīt, dē-\

1: a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction
2: something that gives great pleasure <her performance was a delight>
3 archaic : the power of affording pleasure
It brings God joy to show mercy. 
He does show us mercy, doesn’t he. I know when I was in college, I was stupid. I made a lot of mistakes. It wasn’t until later that I found out that my mother had been praying all those years for my sister and I. She was praying that God would not give us the full consequences of our sins. That He would show us mercy. And thank God He did.
Are you given the full consequences of your sin?
In Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We’re told that the wages (consequences) of sin is death, but that’s not what God gives us. By His mercy he gives us more than we deserve. He gives us eternal life, because of Jesus Christ.
Why do good things happen to Bad people?
I’m sure your friends, Christians and non-Christians alike, have asked “Why do bad things happen to good people?”. But the truth is, we’re not good people. We’re sinners. I think a better question to ask is Why do good things happen to bad people. The answer is the Mercy of our God through Jesus Christ. Because of Him we don’t get the full consequences of our sin. I’m grateful my mom prayed this prayer for me, and today it is my prayer for my family and you as well. May you never have the full consequences of your sins, but instead receive the mercy given you through the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
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Posted by on December 6, 2011 in My God is Merciful

 

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My God is … The One Who Sanctifies Philippians 1:6

02 Dec

Philippians 1:6 … being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Definition of SANCTIFY

transitive verb
1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use :consecrate
2: to free from sin : purify
3a : to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to
b : to give moral or social sanction to
4: to make productive of holiness or piety <observe the day of the sabbath, to sanctify it — Deuteronomy 5:12(Douay Version)>

God has begun a good work in you
And me. I am saved. God has changed me. He has changed me from wanting to do only what pleases me to focusing more on what is important to Him. I’m not boasting, because I didn’t do it. God started that good work in me through my salvation in Jesus Christ.

A good work?
I’m such a screw up. How could there be any good in me? Well, it’s not my own doing, but God who puts that good work in you. He puts that good work in you so that you in turn can do good things. You can use your gifts to build up and strengthen the church and the body of Christ. Helping each other by using our own gifts helps us to grow in maturity in our faith so we can know God more fully.

Know Your Gifts
You have gifts. You’ve been Sanctified, set apart by God. Your talent or gift is meant to be used to further the Kingdom of God. Throughout the years, I have taken a lot of “Gift Assessments” to see where I could be used in the church. They are really useful tools to help you identify what your gifts are, and when used with a Bible study can help you to figure out how you’re actually going to use them to build up the Body of Christ.

I however am more manipulative than that. I answer those questions, knowing what they’re asking, and I often answer them as I wish I would be, not as I really am. I take away from the gifts the Lord has given me by diminishing the importance of the gifts I do have. God gave me the gifts I have for a reason. He uniquely designed me to do what He’s calling me to do. So when those assessments come back and say “You’re good at everything and really good at this”, I pray that the Lord will help me to truly find my calling in Him.

Your own gifts assessment would probably be a bit more accurate (I’m sure you’re not as manipulative as me). But if you find yourself still confused about how to use your gifts in the church, start doing the things that bring you joy. If it’s teaching the kids, teach Sunday School. If you really don’t like kids (some of us who have kids even feel this way sometimes), maybe your calling is to cheerfully clean the church. Maybe you’re the perfect person to repave the parking lot, start a food bank, lead a mission trip, file papers, give encouragement to the staff and volunteers or to pray. Probably you have more than one gift, but try one out, test drive it and pray to the Lord to bless it. As we each use our gifts, we’ll grow. Our church will grow (in maturity). We’ll be able to know Jesus more fully. I want some of that fullness.

What are your gifts?
(Want to take a gift assessment test? Here are some sites that have some – I haven’t tried them all – so don’t come crying to me if your gift is cleaning!)
 
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Posted by on December 2, 2011 in My God is the one who sanctifies

 

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