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Category Archives: Characteristics of God

Jill Richard’s Musings on the Characteristics of God based on verses in the Bible

My God is…a Lamp 2 Samuel 22:28-30

04 Feb

2 Samuel 22: 28-30 leaaping-over-wall

You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
For you are my lamp, O Lord,
and my God lightens my darkness.
For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.

You save a humble people

I am called to be a humble person; To put God at the top of my list. Nothing else should be more important to me than the Lord. Unfortunately, all too often, I find myself trying to do things my own way, veering away from the Lord. I like to think that I have had great ideas, or that somehow I was responsible for the good things that happen in my life (the bad things, I’m often willing to say were God’s doing).

But your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down

Immediately upon reading this part of our verse for today, I am reminded of Psalm 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” I find that pretty much everything that has caused me grief is some how related to my pride. I think of myself instead of others or the Lord. I may even think myself better than others (and dare I say the Lord). Sure I can have those french fries, I’m worth it. Says who? It’s alright if I park in the reserved space, I’m only going to be a couple of minutes. I don’t have time to make the meal for that family. I have to get ready for a party. Whatever it is (and there are so many more examples), they all relate back to pride, or putting myself and my own needs above the needs of others.

For you are my lamp, O Lord,
and my God lightens my darkness.

But I am not left in my pit of prideful despair. The Lord is working on me, He is showing me my faults and like pealing away at an onion, each layer reveals something new I need to work on. Does God do this because I am such a disappointment to Him? No He does it because I am such a disappointment to myself. He points out (sometimes gently, sometimes blatantly) the things I need to work on, because it is in my best interest. He loves me and wants me to live free from all of my pride filled pains. He is a lamp showing my sin so that I don’t have to live with them anymore. Revealing the sickness so that I might be healed. It’s like going to the Dr and finding out you have a cracked rib. You knew you had a lot of pain in your ribs, but you didn’t know what was the source. Dr. God (sorry for the silliness) takes an x-ray of your chest and shows you that you’re indeed broken. Without God showing you your brokenness, you wouldn’t know what to do differently to allow you to heal.

We live in a sinful, painful world. I would venture to say that there isn’t one person out there who is reading this that hasn’t known some pain that has lingered on for years. But God can heal you of that pain. He is a lamp that will lighten your darkness.

For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.

Forgiveness is the stuff of freedom. Once we have been healed of our sins and are living with our Lord as the center of our lives we can find the confidence and freedom the end of this verse so displays. We can take on the world, and all its future hurts. We can leap tall buildings in a single bound! OK  we can leap over our problems and no longer be in pain because of them. He wants us to be freed from our sins, but often our pride, in the form of self loathing or self boasting get in the way of us seeing the hurt and dealing with it. I don’t know about you, but I want to have the Lord shine His light in my life, that I might have the confidence in this verse. That with the Lord all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

Can you leap over a wall?

 
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Posted by on February 4, 2013 in My God is a Lamp

 

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My God is…Concerned Exodus 3:7

28 Jan

Exodus 3:7 – The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying outdistraught-woman because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

Are you miserable?

Many of us face miserable circumstances in our day. We may work for a boss who has unreal expectations or is unkind in an effort to increase performance. We may have a chronic illness. We may have a troubled marriage. Maybe for you it’s an addiction. Others are battling depression, self loathing and pain from their childhood. There are so many things to find misery in here on earth. So many ways our days can go wrong, but there is hope.

I have indeed seen the misery of my people

Yes in our verse above God was talking about His people who were being held captive in Egypt, but we know from throughout scripture that God promises to work all for good for those that Love God. (Romans 8:28), so hopefully I’m not overstepping by saying that the same deliverance God has for the Israelites, He has for us. He has seen our misery. He knows what you’re going through. He lived this life, and had temptations and trials (especially just before His death) that were harder than we’ll ever have to face. He knows about having family members not believe in Him. He knows about being treated poorly by those who should know better. He knows about being alone, different, sad and in pain.

Feeling overwhelmed? 

Have you ever been so overwhelmed with sorrow that you feel you might die? So has Christ. Read how He felt in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:38 – “Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.””. I remember the first time I really heard these words. I was battling depression and felt like no one had felt the way I did. I felt like God couldn’t even understand, yes He had become a human, but he never had His emotions overwhelm Him. When I read this verse, it was so freeing for me, because I have a God who understands my emotions. He understands having a troubled soul. I felt free to turn over my pain to Him, knowing He understood me more than I had ever realized before.

 I have heard them crying out

Have you cried out to Jesus to help you with your pain and suffering. He isn’t just some God who hasn’t gone through what you’re going through, He understands. He sees what you’re going through and wants you to turn your pain over to Him to take care of it. You might have to keep handing it over to Him (if you’re anything like me, I keep taking back my worries and pain), but we can trust the One who understands us to take care of our pain and sorrow.

I am concerned about their suffering

God doesn’t sit idly by while you’re in pain. He is concerned about what’s going on in your life, and will help you through it. Keep your focus on Him, trust Him and watch Him work miracles in your life. He is trustworthy, He is concerned about you, and He has the remedy for your pain. Give it over to Him so He can heal your soul.

Are you crying out?

 
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Posted by on January 28, 2013 in My God is Concerned

 

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My God is…above all John 3:31-36

23 Jan

John 3:31-36 – He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks

God should be above all!

God should be above all!

in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

He who comes from above is above all

Whether we admit it or not, God is above all. Whether we act like it or not, God is above all. God is the ultimate, the big cheese, the big kahuna, the master of the universe. Sin, He’s above it. Kings, above that too. Nature has got nothing on God (He created it after all).

He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. 

We can’t fathom it. We’re from the earth, God is too big to fully understand this side of heaven. He is beyond our comprehension how He is so far above us. Some times we say that His above all things in our lives, but more often than not we put other things in front of our relationship with God. We don’t put God in His proper place above everything else. We watch TV instead of doing a Bible study or praying. We go out with friends instead of helping our neighbor whose lawn and soul desperately need your attention. We put our needs above God and others. But even if we don’t act it, God is above all. He is most important.

Just because we act a certain way doesn’t make it true (or false). 

We say we eat healthy and then go out for french fries. We think of ourselves as kind and then talk behind someone’s back. We act as if we have it all together, while at home we’re crying our eyes out. Even though we don’t act like God is above all, He is. He is above all, no matter how we act, whether we acknowledge Him or not. God is above all.

What’s the big deal? 

Why does it matter that God is above all? Because your God, who is above all, chose to save you. He died on the cross, not because you deserved it, but because He loves you. He saved you not because you would always put Him above all, but because He knew you would fail and wanted to live with you in heaven anyway. He loves us and even though He is above everything else in the Universe (and beyond). That is amazing and miraculous. It is something we need to remind each other of, while we’re working to keep God above all else in our lives. To God be the glory.

Above all by Michael W Smith

Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Verse 2
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure
What You’re worth

CHORUS
Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

 
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Posted by on January 23, 2013 in John, My God is above all

 

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My God is a Sun Psalm 84:11

21 Jan

Psalm 84:11 – For the Lord God is a sun and shield; Morning web
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

What is that? That bright thing in the sky?

I live in Oregon, and this morning my son looks out the window and says, “What’s that bright thing in the sky?”. Now he is thirteen, so it was really a joke, but here in Oregon, we don’t take the sun lightly. As I sit here writing this, the sun is shining directly in my eyes. If I look up, I have to quickly look away. My eyes can’t handle the brightness. Like Moses on the Mountain, God’s radiance is like the sun, too great for us to look at without being blinded by its brightness.

What is the purpose of the sun? 

The purpose of the sun is to give us light here on earth. It is to allow us to see the evils that linger in the dark, and to remove the dirt and gunk that has built up in our lives. Ever taken a flashlight to look into a dark part of your home, only to find out that it’s incredibly dusty or dirty? God is that sunlight. He helps us to see into our lives, into the dark recesses of our lives (where we don’t really want to look). When we see the dust, we have to decide whether to get rid of it, or pretend it isn’t there.

Cleaning out the cobwebs

In our entryway, there is a chandelier of sorts hanging from the ceiling, and suddenly when there is sunshine coming through the top windows, you become keenly aware of the cobwebs that have formed on that light fixture. As we get to know God more, His Sunlight shines and we see the cobwebs of sin that were not visible before building that relationship with Him. Some of the cobwebs and dust you can get rid of easily, others you have to work a little harder at removing. Sins are the same way, some are easy to break, but others are harder to reach and be truly rid of in your life.

Watch out for spiders

God is using the light to shine on cobwebs of sin in our lives, not to point them out and to make you feel guilty, but instead to make sure you don’t get stuck in them and eaten by the evil one, the devil. He wants you to be free from your sins, not trapped by them, and shining His Sunshine on them allows us the freedom to avoid those sins in the future, and remove the guilt that still lingers.

Don’t ignore what you see

It’s true here in Oregon, that if you ignore the cobwebs, they may not be visible again for a while. Who knows when we’ll get more sun. In our Christian lives it would be a travesty to have God’s Sunlight and then not have it. We don’t want to hope to not be convicted by the Lord and His Sunlight, but instead like Oregonians, run out into the Sun to soak up every blessing He has for us.

Are you soaking up the Sun?

 
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Posted by on January 21, 2013 in My God is a Sun, Psalm

 

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My God is…Awesome Psalm 68:35

16 Jan

Psalm 68:35 awesome compliment

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!

 

Our God is an awesome God

I don’t know if you’re like me, but when I hear someone say our God is an awesome God, my brain instantly goes to the song of the same name.

AWESOME GOD LYRICS – MICHAEL W. SMITH

You can listen to it here http://youtu.be/38V8jnN1Kpw (just got chills rewatching it).

When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain’t just puttin’ on the Ritz
(our God is an awesome God)
There is thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fist
(our God is an awesome God)
Well, the Lord wasn’t joking
When He kicked ’em out of Eden
It wasn’t for no reason that He shed his blood
His return is very close and so you better be believing
that our God is an awesome God

REFRAIN
Our God(our God) is an awesome God
He reigns(He reigns) from heaven above
With wisdom(with wisdom) pow’r and love
our God is an awesome God

And when the sky was starless in the void of the night
(our God is an awesome God)
He spoke into the darkness and created the light
(our God is an awesome God)
Judgment and wrath he poured out on Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten that
our God is an awesome God

Refrain x3

Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
(Our God is an awesome God)
(Our God is an awesome God)

The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

That is an amazing song, and through out the song we see so many ways that our God is awesome. But it is the scripture selected for today that has the message I want highlighted. He is awesome and gives power and strength to His people. I have quite a few friends who are going through some big things in their lives right now. Turmoil in their families, pain and suffering because of ailments and injuries, stress and discord at work, or even lack of money to sustain themselves and their family. But the God of Israel provides us with power and strength to persevere and run the good race.

Press on!

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Letting go of the hurts of the past, is not easy, as it’s described as straining in these verses. We have to strain forward, battling through the painful things that are going on now while forgetting what lies behind. In our Tuesday night Bible study, It said that forgetting in this verse didn’t mean, not remembering exactly. Instead it meant “not letting it have an effect”. In the same way that God remembers our sins no more, we are to forget or not let our past have an ill effect on us any longer. That’s not easy, and it often does come with strain. For me that meant going to a counselor and baring my soul (not to say that I’m in great shape now – long way to go yet). That was a strain. It’s not easy to confess all that has been bringing you pain, whether your fault or someone else’s, it’s not easy to forget (or forgive). But God gives us all that we need to attain this goal, starting with His example. May we strive to be more like Him.

Where do you get your power and strength?

 
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Posted by on January 16, 2013 in My God is awesome, Psalm

 

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My God is…Anointed Acts 10:37-38

09 Jan

Acts 10: 37-38 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the The Lord's Love is Lavished on usbaptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power

Have you ever been anointed with oil? Our church does anointing with oil (a small cross on the forehead). Here is what they say about the anointing with oil.

“Anointing is not a sacrament like the Lord’s supper, but a physical sign accompanying prayer, much like incense used in the worship of the Israelites. In the ancient world, oil was used for medicinal purposes and for spiritual healing. The practice is described in James 5:14 (Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.), and Mark 6:13 (They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.). It marked a person as one set apart for God’s care.

The anointing of oil in Exodus 30:22-31 ( Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

“Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.) had a similar function, marking certain items as holy, dedicated to God, indicating that it is the Lord who heals, according to His will.

Definition of ANOINT

1: to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance
2a : to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration
 b : to choose by or as if by divine election; also : to designate as if by a ritual anointment <critics anointed the author as the bright new talent>
You know how I love definitions, so I wanted to look this word “anoint” up and see what kind of depth we could find to the meaning. I did not expect to see the word smear. Weird word smear. Right up there with moist, not my favorite words. When I read this definition, I was instantly reminded of the baptism scene in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. There isn’t anything said about the anointing of oil in the scene, but I think the concept of smearing on of oil is forever smeared in my brain.

http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/DV3Eg969ePHe63/the-baptism

to choose by or as if by divine election

So with the definitions above, it is probably the final definition that fits most with Jesus being anointed by God. I like the richness of having all of the definitions though, because the idea that Jesus got the Holy Spirit smeared on Him, makes me think that He had the power of the Holy Spirit lavished on Him. Not just a little, but a lot, all He needed.

We too are anointed

As believers, we have been lavished by God. Anointed in a sense. It reminds me of 1 John 3;1-3, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

We are set apart to do good works in Him, to purify ourselves, but mostly to live focused on Him. Putting God at the center of all we do. I love the word lavished, it’s decadent really. It’s not just giving a little, it’s putting on more than is necessary. Have you ever put on lotion and tried to rub it in only to realize you have too much. You hope to find someone else to smear some on. That’s how God’s love (and anointing is). We get so much love and setting apart from God, that we want to spread it and share it with those around us. We’ve got too much love from the Lord not to share it. Smear someone with God’s love. (Still a weird word)

Have you smeared someone today?

 

 
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Posted by on January 9, 2013 in My God is Anointed

 

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My God is…cleansing me 1 John 1:7-10

07 Jan

1 John 1:7-10 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the

Are you stinky?

Are you Stinky?

blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Why do you take a shower? 

Truth be told, I’m sitting here, having done Zumba Rush on the Xbox (yes, I actually exercised). I haven’t showered after working out, and I’m sure I don’t smell amazing. I would take a shower before I leave the house, but why? Because I’m dirty. I have to get clean. I can’t get clean by myself (unless I want to go all catlike, but I’m not up for that). I need water and soap to get clean (at least water).

Do you stink? 

My boys are typical teenagers, and sometimes they avoid taking showers. I don’t know for sure what the aversion is, except maybe that it takes time away from other things they would rather be doing. When they ask,  “Do I have to take a shower?” the answer is almost always, “Do you stink?”. Now if you know anything about teenage boys, you probably know that they pretty much always stink unless they’ve just come out of the shower. Of course, that doesn’t stop my boys from saying, “No”.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves

Just like my boys trying to deny that they stink, sometimes we want to deny that we are sinful. We don’t like the idea that we don’t measure up. It’s not a pretty picture. But the truth is they stink, and I’m sinful. I do thinks that are unkind, I am selfish, and I put my want and needs above those of my Lord, My family and all people. It’s all about me. The problem is, no matter how much we deny it, God knows the truth. Just like I know my boys need soap and water to get them clean, God knows we need help getting clean. That’s the whole reason He sent Jesus.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Keeping God as our focus allows us to have true fellowship with each other, just like taking a shower makes it easier for us to not turn people away. Because we put our faith in Jesus, we are cleansed from our sins, able to be part of other relationships, and also get clean in the process. I don’t want to stink when I go out to meet a friend, and to be honest, I don’t want my sins to show either. But even if my sins do show, I can be cleansed, and as far as God is concerned, all my sins have been washed away.

Do you stink?

 
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Posted by on January 7, 2013 in 1 John, My God is cleansing me

 

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My God is…giving eternal life John 10:28

03 Jan

John 10:28 – I give them eternal life,and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. hope-clouds

I give them eternal life

Jesus gives us eternal life. What does that mean? It means that because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we’re able to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Though we die bodily, we’ll live on with God. Why does this matter? It’s what gives hope to the hopeless. Without the promise of a better existence after this one, our lives would have little meaning, and our actions would be temporary and futile, but because we are not thinking of this time alone, we can also think about the time that is to come. We don’t have to be stuck in our current circumstances, but instead focus and cling to the promise of a better future with our Lord.

Perhaps your health (like mine) is not all you would like. Perhaps you have something medical going on right now that scares you half to death. Perhaps you’re afraid because of death, or the threat of death. Cling to the Lord, knowing that this earthly life is temporary, and when you get to heaven you will have a perfect body.

No one will snatch them out of my hand

God has you in His hand. You put your faith in Him, and He doesn’t fail. Those who put their faith in the Lord will not perish (at least not their souls). We will forever be with the Lord in heaven. There are so many things in our lives that the devil uses to try to draw us away from the Lord, but with our eyes firmly fixed on Him and our faith and hope resting in God, we need not fear. God never deserts us. He is with us always. Even the word Immanuel reminds us of His omnipresence. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[a](which means “God with us”). (Matt. 1:23)

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 2 Corinthians 3:12

Because of the love our Lord has shown us by sending Jesus that we might forever be in a close relationship with Him, we are able to be bold in our faith. Each moment of our life is an opportunity to do things differently than the rest of the world. To choose the way of the Lord over the worldly ways. Some of it seems like nonsense to those who don’t know Him, but don’t be dismayed, for you are storing up your treasures in heaven.

Are you bold?

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2013 in God is My Hope, John, My God is giving eternal life

 

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My God is…empowering 2 Timothy 1:6-7

13 Dec
fear

God did not make us timid

2 Timothy 1:6-7  For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

When are you timid? 

Maybe you’re not. I don’t think most people consider me timid, but when I enter a room, I can be quite shy. I’ll be looking around for anyone who makes eye contact that I can comfortably go hang by (sometimes for the rest of the night). I’m not very brave in social situations. Not at all timid once you get to know me, but those first meetings (especially if I can’t remember your name) are hard for me. I’m a bit insecure sometimes.

Why are we sometimes timid? 

I think the reason we’re sometimes timid is because we’re looking for our self-worth in the wrong places. We’re looking at getting our self-worth through other people, our work, our money or position. But in the verse above it seems to be related to the gifts God has given us, and we’re to use those gifts for God’s glory.

Power

What do you think of when you think of power? A super hero? Your boss? Your father? I think in reality power for me is security. Feeling comfortable in my own skin and not being affected (as much) by the negativity around me. The definition of power a few places is to be able to produce an effect. Here it is telling us that by the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to produce an effect. We can be effective for Christ.

Love

I’m sure most of us know that the commandments Jesus talked about were about love: Mark 12: 29-31,  “Jesus answered, “Here is the most important one. Moses said, ‘Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4,5) And here is the second one. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) There is no commandment more important than these.”” Giving us through the Holy Spirit the ability to love, God is giving us the ability to fulfill His commandments (ok – not perfectly, but without Him, we’re incapable of true love – loving those who don’t deserve it – as Christ loves us).

Self Discipline

Ok – if you’re anything like me being given the gift of self-discipline is like getting socks at Christmas. Useful, but not very exciting. At least it used to be. I’m finding that as I grow up (yes I’m still working at that) I find being self disciplined helps me avoid a lot of self loathing, a lot of over eating, snapping at my family, being selfish (or at least recognizing it) and loads of other sins I would rather not reveal this morning. Being able to have self-discipline also allows me to focus and keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. Still not perfect at it, but learning to daily seek God is a self-discipline.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God

Practice, practice, practice. Everything we want to be truly good at takes practice, or doing something over an over again. Have you ever fanned anything into flames? I truly try to avoid open fires for the most part, so this hasn’t happened to me very often, but I do watch Survivor (don’t hold that against me) and it’s really hard work for them to get a fire going. After they finally get a spark, they have to fan it into flames to get a fire worth using started. Our faith is the same way. If we leave it alone and don’t tend to it, it will diminish, or even peter out. But if we fan it into flames, by reading the word of God and renewing our mind we will be transformed. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

What are you fanning into flames?

 

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2012 in 2 Timothy, My God is empowering

 

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My God is…a teacher Exodus 4:11-12

06 Dec

Exodus 4:11-12 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?stage-fright Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”

I’m feeling like Moses

This weekend is our Women’s tea at our church. I am scheduled as the speaker. Now I am quite a talker. I talk all the time, sometimes finishing other people’s sentences (which by the way some people really hate). I have always loved to talk, and I feel like it’s one of my gifts, but taking the gift of gab and transferring that to the skill of a speaker is something I have not yet conquered. In the verses leading up to our reading, Moses pretty much says what I’m feeling today, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.”

What does God say to me (and you)? 

The verses we’re looking at today is God’s response to Moses’ insecurities with being a public speaker. God says (in essence), Dude, I made your mouth, I made you able to form words, I can also fill your mouth with the words I want you to say.

God is not a ventriloquist

It’s not that God makes us say specific words or is physically speaking through us (without our participation), He’s teaching us what to say. You know that old proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I believe that’s what God is doing here for Moses, and in turn for you and I when we are to speak about His love for us. He’s not just putting the words in our mouth, He’s teaching us.

I’m a hands on learner

There are all sorts of ways people learn. Some learn best by reading, some by hearing and some by doing. I’m pretty much a learn by doing kind of person. I can learn something by hearing, but if I’ve done it myself it really sticks. I think our whole lives are learning experiences that are to be used for God’s glory. Whether it’s speaking to 100 people or your neighbor in your living room over  a cup of coffee. Our experiences, good and bad, are what allow us to point others to Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (The Living Bible) it reads, “What a wonderful God we have – He is our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same helps and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement. We are in deep trouble for bringing you God’s comfort and salvation. But in our trouble God had comforted us – and this, too, to help you: to show you from our personal experience how God will tenderly comfort you when you undergo these same sufferings. He will give you the strength to endure.”

What are you learning? 

As we go through hardships, pain and struggle, there is a purpose, and that purpose (for everything in our lives) is to point back to Christ Jesus. Giving God the glory in all circumstances. Now I don’t know if I’ll be amazing or embarrassing on Saturday, but either way, I trust the Lord will use it for His glory. I pray it’s amazing! I hate being embarrassing.

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2012 in My God is a Teacher

 

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