"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life." Proverbs 10:11a
Think of the most beautiful fountain you have ever seen? I am sure your body just immediately relaxed a little and you let out a huge breath! The refreshing noise of running water and the beauty of cascading falls immediately brings peace and restores the soul to all who pass by! However, that refreshment only comes when the fountain is plugged into a water source. Otherwise, it is just a big chunk of cement that can be more of an eyesore than a thing of beauty. The key... it must be plugged in!
The Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs that our mouth can be a fountain of life! God will allow our lips to be a refreshing agent of Him. However, we must be plugged into Christ and His Words, we must be connected to the "River of Life" (Revelations 22:1). Unless our lips speak from the overflow of His Words and Presence in our life, they are empty and meaningless to those who pass by.
The question is simple, today are your lips going to be a refreshing fountain of beauty or simply a chunk of cement not being used for what it was created? If today you want to be a fountain, then first you must be plugged into the River of Life! If you have never acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, admitted that you are a sinner who has fallen short of God's Glory incapable of ever working your way to Heaven on your own, thanked Jesus for dying on the cross for your sins, and asked Him to be Lord of your life: you must do that first! Remember, a fountain MUST be plugged in! Second, if you have made this decision, spend some time with Him today so that you can overflow His presence in your life.
Today... be a fountain!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
"Stop whining! It is driving Mommy crazy!"
Your kids have been whining all day. What you want to say is, "We have so much to be thankful for! Did you know the Bible tells us to do all things without grumbling or disputing, to be thankful in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus and that a joyful heart doth good like a medicine?" It is easy to recall theses verses in the peaceful moments of prayer and contemplation. However, in this moment you have two kids on the floor of your kitchen crying and the only thing you can think of is, " Stop whining! It is driving Mommy crazy!"
Please tell me I am not alone! It is truly my heart's desire to raise my children to grow to know and love the Lord, and to grow to be more like Jesus. I want to take everyday moments and teach them Biblical truths. However, I find my parenting has focused more on trying to get them to stop doing sinful behaviors (losing their temper, not sharing, being unkind, using harsh words, etc.) instead of teaching them why these behaviors are wrong. My own sin nature gets in the way, and I lose my patience instead of using these times to teach them about our Savior.
Maybe in the heat of the moment you are able to recall verses with ease that deal with the issue on hand. However, I need a little help! At the end of this post is a link to an online document. Over the past few weeks as I have been a mulling over trying to raise my children to be Godly, I have begun to compile verses that deal with sinful behaviors in my home (ex. anger, not sharing, whining, fear, using ugly words, being unkind, not listening, etc.). I have compiled a spreadsheet that I have posted on my refrigerator, so that in the moment, I can easily point them to God's word.
I truly believe Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.". Only the Word of God is capable of changing the hearts and minds of my children to make them more like Jesus! I am praying that God uses this tool to keep my children, and myself, in tune with His desires for our life!
If you think this tool would be helpful, please feel free to download it and post it in your home too: Click here to download!
Please tell me I am not alone! It is truly my heart's desire to raise my children to grow to know and love the Lord, and to grow to be more like Jesus. I want to take everyday moments and teach them Biblical truths. However, I find my parenting has focused more on trying to get them to stop doing sinful behaviors (losing their temper, not sharing, being unkind, using harsh words, etc.) instead of teaching them why these behaviors are wrong. My own sin nature gets in the way, and I lose my patience instead of using these times to teach them about our Savior.
Maybe in the heat of the moment you are able to recall verses with ease that deal with the issue on hand. However, I need a little help! At the end of this post is a link to an online document. Over the past few weeks as I have been a mulling over trying to raise my children to be Godly, I have begun to compile verses that deal with sinful behaviors in my home (ex. anger, not sharing, whining, fear, using ugly words, being unkind, not listening, etc.). I have compiled a spreadsheet that I have posted on my refrigerator, so that in the moment, I can easily point them to God's word.
I truly believe Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.". Only the Word of God is capable of changing the hearts and minds of my children to make them more like Jesus! I am praying that God uses this tool to keep my children, and myself, in tune with His desires for our life!
If you think this tool would be helpful, please feel free to download it and post it in your home too: Click here to download!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Pray About Everything!
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
Tonight, our precious Lord revealed himself to my girl and it was wonderful. My precious little girl got a new toy today. The toy has little pieces and as bed time approached she realized she was missing a couple of the pieces. She is very much like me, and was having a hard time letting it go. She was not able to rest knowing it was lost. During her nighttime prayer she asked Jesus to help her find her missing pieces. As soon as prayer time was over she got up from my husband's lap and went and looked inside a box on her dresser. Low and behold it held her lost pieces! She told me that God told her where to look. Then she threw up her hands and said, "Praise the Lord!"
I was able to explain to her how God intimately cares about the details of our life. He desires to have a relationship with us and when we talk to Him in prayer, He will talk back either through that "still small voice", the Bible or through other believers.
Do you believe this? Do you believe that God truly desires us to pray about everything and be anxious for nothing? I know your worry is probably not a lost toy, but something much bigger. However, I believe that if the God of the universe cares about my four year olds lost toy, He cares about your problem. Scripture tells us in Matthew 6 to "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?".
If you find yourself in a season of worry, pray. Talk to the one who holds the universe in His hands and did not even spare His own Son for your eternal salvation.
If you are a parent of young children, start now praying about everything. Whether it is being able to find their favorite snack in the store when it seems to be sold out, for it to stop raining just long enough to allow you to run inside from the car, or to find something that is missing. Give God the opportunity to show up in their lives and teach them to give all praise to Him!
I praise you Lord for pursuing my children now and drawing Their hearts to you! Thanks for redeeming my parenting when I so often fail and being my All Sufficient One!
Tonight, our precious Lord revealed himself to my girl and it was wonderful. My precious little girl got a new toy today. The toy has little pieces and as bed time approached she realized she was missing a couple of the pieces. She is very much like me, and was having a hard time letting it go. She was not able to rest knowing it was lost. During her nighttime prayer she asked Jesus to help her find her missing pieces. As soon as prayer time was over she got up from my husband's lap and went and looked inside a box on her dresser. Low and behold it held her lost pieces! She told me that God told her where to look. Then she threw up her hands and said, "Praise the Lord!"
I was able to explain to her how God intimately cares about the details of our life. He desires to have a relationship with us and when we talk to Him in prayer, He will talk back either through that "still small voice", the Bible or through other believers.
Do you believe this? Do you believe that God truly desires us to pray about everything and be anxious for nothing? I know your worry is probably not a lost toy, but something much bigger. However, I believe that if the God of the universe cares about my four year olds lost toy, He cares about your problem. Scripture tells us in Matthew 6 to "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?".
If you find yourself in a season of worry, pray. Talk to the one who holds the universe in His hands and did not even spare His own Son for your eternal salvation.
If you are a parent of young children, start now praying about everything. Whether it is being able to find their favorite snack in the store when it seems to be sold out, for it to stop raining just long enough to allow you to run inside from the car, or to find something that is missing. Give God the opportunity to show up in their lives and teach them to give all praise to Him!
I praise you Lord for pursuing my children now and drawing Their hearts to you! Thanks for redeeming my parenting when I so often fail and being my All Sufficient One!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Waging War and Winning!
There will be a time in every Christian's life where they will have a "crisis of faith". A time when they must decide who they believe and what they believe, regardless of the circumstances. It is not a time to bemoan or belittle. This is not a time to feel guilty for having a "lack of faith". This is a time to be excited that you are facing something bigger than yourself, of which you have no control, because you serve a God that is big enough to bring you through victoriously. Be excited that you are about to see Eph 3:20 alive in your life (to Him who is able to do FAR MORE abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us).
The Bible offers us some specific promises when we find ourselves in the midst of extreme spiritual warfare:
1. James 4:7 - "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he WILL flee from you."
2. Romans 8:37 - "in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (We have the power to OVERWHELMINGLY Conquer!)
3. Isaiah 26:3 - "He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you"
The revised version reads, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose imagination is stayed on thee." Steadfast means to be firmly established, anchored, stayed, leaning wholly upon. The Bible promises that He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is firmly established, anchored, leaning wholly upon the Lord.
When spiritual warfare begins to creep in (whether in the form of fear, doubt, etc.) follow this formula outlined in the Bible over and over:
1. Bind up and rebuke the spirit of fear in the name and blood of Jesus Christ. Command the spirit to leave and bind it to the dry and waterless places. (See Matthew 12 for this. I don't understand it all, but I know it works. I have seen the power of this over and over in my life)
2. Ask that in place of the spirit of fear, the Lord would fill you with the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) - Galatians 5:22-23
3. Obey Phil 4:8 ( Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things).
4. Renew your mind in the word (Romans 12:2). (Ex. If your main spiritual battles involve fear, MEMORIZE scriptures that help you fight your fear) - See a great list to get you started below, but also ask God to reveal Scriptures to you. Also remember to pray and not doubt: "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6
5. Start praising the Lord. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people, meaning he dwells in the atmosphere of praise. (Ps 22:3) There are 100s of things to be thankful for if for nothing else that you are standing, that you can breathe on your own, you have a family that loves you, etc.
6. Move on. Don't stay defeated. Trust God to answer your prayers. Get up and go. (See 2 Tim 1:7 and Gal 5:1)
Pray these scriptures back to God. Tell Him you believe that these promises are truth and then speak them over your life. (These deal with fear because that is what my main spiritual battles involve)
Prov 3:5-8 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. (ex. prayer: Lord I want to trust in you with all my heart. I do not want to lean upon my own understanding. Today I am resolving that in all my ways I am going to acknowledge you and I know you will make my path straight. I don't want to be wise in my own eyes. Help me to fear you Lord and turn away from evil. I believe your promise that this will be healing to my body and refreshment to my bones).
Romans 8:15 - For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “ Abba! Father!” (ex. prayer: You did not give me a spirit of slavery to fear. I have a spirit of sonship where I can call you Father! Please help me to not be enslaved by fear, but enslaved to my recognition of my place in your family!)
Proverbs 3:24-26 - When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught (ex. prayer: Lord I will NOT be afraid! My sleep will be sweet. Thank you that I don't have to be afraid for you are my confidence!)
2 TImothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control (ex. prayer: Lord I thank you that you did not create me with a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control! Help me to walk in the power, love and self-control you provide!)
Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread
James 4:8-9 - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
Isaiah 55:8-13
Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Psalm 46:1-2 -God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea
Ps 62:1-2, 7-8 - My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken... On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Ps 4:8 - In peace I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety
John 14:1 - Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
Ps 112:7 -He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Ps 34:3-5 - O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
Jer 17:5-8 - Thus says the Lord, Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes;But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
Is 12:2 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation
Ps 127:1 - Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain
Is 41:10 - Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Ps 34:17 - The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles
Read Mark 9:14-29, esp. verse 24
Jeremiah 30:17 - For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord.
The Bible offers us some specific promises when we find ourselves in the midst of extreme spiritual warfare:
1. James 4:7 - "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he WILL flee from you."
2. Romans 8:37 - "in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (We have the power to OVERWHELMINGLY Conquer!)
3. Isaiah 26:3 - "He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you"
The revised version reads, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose imagination is stayed on thee." Steadfast means to be firmly established, anchored, stayed, leaning wholly upon. The Bible promises that He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is firmly established, anchored, leaning wholly upon the Lord.
When spiritual warfare begins to creep in (whether in the form of fear, doubt, etc.) follow this formula outlined in the Bible over and over:
1. Bind up and rebuke the spirit of fear in the name and blood of Jesus Christ. Command the spirit to leave and bind it to the dry and waterless places. (See Matthew 12 for this. I don't understand it all, but I know it works. I have seen the power of this over and over in my life)
2. Ask that in place of the spirit of fear, the Lord would fill you with the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) - Galatians 5:22-23
3. Obey Phil 4:8 ( Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things).
4. Renew your mind in the word (Romans 12:2). (Ex. If your main spiritual battles involve fear, MEMORIZE scriptures that help you fight your fear) - See a great list to get you started below, but also ask God to reveal Scriptures to you. Also remember to pray and not doubt: "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6
5. Start praising the Lord. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people, meaning he dwells in the atmosphere of praise. (Ps 22:3) There are 100s of things to be thankful for if for nothing else that you are standing, that you can breathe on your own, you have a family that loves you, etc.
6. Move on. Don't stay defeated. Trust God to answer your prayers. Get up and go. (See 2 Tim 1:7 and Gal 5:1)
Pray these scriptures back to God. Tell Him you believe that these promises are truth and then speak them over your life. (These deal with fear because that is what my main spiritual battles involve)
Prov 3:5-8 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. (ex. prayer: Lord I want to trust in you with all my heart. I do not want to lean upon my own understanding. Today I am resolving that in all my ways I am going to acknowledge you and I know you will make my path straight. I don't want to be wise in my own eyes. Help me to fear you Lord and turn away from evil. I believe your promise that this will be healing to my body and refreshment to my bones).
Romans 8:15 - For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “ Abba! Father!” (ex. prayer: You did not give me a spirit of slavery to fear. I have a spirit of sonship where I can call you Father! Please help me to not be enslaved by fear, but enslaved to my recognition of my place in your family!)
Proverbs 3:24-26 - When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught (ex. prayer: Lord I will NOT be afraid! My sleep will be sweet. Thank you that I don't have to be afraid for you are my confidence!)
2 TImothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control (ex. prayer: Lord I thank you that you did not create me with a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control! Help me to walk in the power, love and self-control you provide!)
Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread
James 4:8-9 - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
Isaiah 55:8-13
Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Psalm 46:1-2 -God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea
Ps 62:1-2, 7-8 - My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken... On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Ps 4:8 - In peace I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety
John 14:1 - Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
Ps 112:7 -He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Ps 34:3-5 - O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
Jer 17:5-8 - Thus says the Lord, Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes;But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
Is 12:2 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation
Ps 127:1 - Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain
Is 41:10 - Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Ps 34:17 - The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles
Read Mark 9:14-29, esp. verse 24
Jeremiah 30:17 - For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Are you Sacrifing Your Children?
Leviticus 20:1-7 (Click on reference to read text)
My children have decided they want to share a room. That means I spent the past few days turning my daughter's girly room into a gender neutral room. In the midst of moving furniture, I am having to patch holes and paint. It seemed I couldn't get three consecutive minutes to work without interruption. Didn't they know I was doing all that work for them? The icing on the cake came when my daughter brought me a broken pencil sharpener. In exasperation I asked her why she didn't ask me for help. She replied, "I didn't want to make you upset by asking you a question." In shame, I put the roller down and immediately dropped to my knees. I wrapped her in a big hug, told her I was wrong and asked for her forgiveness. You see... I had placed her upon the altar of a false god, and I needed to take her off!
The Ammonites worshipped a god named Molech and served him by sacrificing their children upon an altar built for him (Lev 18:21). Although this seems utterly appalling, I would be so bold to say that in some form we all do that, if not on a daily, at least a weekly basis. I have sacrificed my children to the god of personal time, a well decorated house, and exercise. I have given dirty looks and talked in ugly tones to my children for the sake of these "gods." My most precious blessings have been sacrificed for things I have convinced myself I needed more than their well-being. Even worse, I have taught them the opposite of the Gospel. Are my actions teaching them that God delights in them (Zeph 3:17), that God will always answer when they call (Jeremiah 33:3), and that nothing can separate them from the love of God (Romans 8:38)? No, I was teaching them the antithesis of every reason that God sent Jesus to die for them.
Praise the Lord that God loves me enough to kick me in the tail and not allow me to continue on a path of destruction. As I often say, "He loves me to much to leave me where I am." The Bible tells me that I should be the one on the altar, offering myself as a "living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2). The world tells me that I deserve personal time, and to spend as much time as necessary to make my house and body look good... no matter the cost. The only way to "not conform to the patter of this world" is to renew my mind in His Word every day. To take my family off the altar of false gods and put myself on the altar of the one true God. That is where true life, resurrected new life, begins!
We may not be placing our children on a burnt offering, but we may be sacrificing their hearts and skewing their understanding of the Gospel for gods that need to be destroyed. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 tells us that though we walk by the flesh, we do not wage war in the flesh. We have divine power to demolish strongholds. Time to take our kids off the altar and put ourselves there. That is a picture of the Gospel they can understand.
For further reading, PLEASE read: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank
My children have decided they want to share a room. That means I spent the past few days turning my daughter's girly room into a gender neutral room. In the midst of moving furniture, I am having to patch holes and paint. It seemed I couldn't get three consecutive minutes to work without interruption. Didn't they know I was doing all that work for them? The icing on the cake came when my daughter brought me a broken pencil sharpener. In exasperation I asked her why she didn't ask me for help. She replied, "I didn't want to make you upset by asking you a question." In shame, I put the roller down and immediately dropped to my knees. I wrapped her in a big hug, told her I was wrong and asked for her forgiveness. You see... I had placed her upon the altar of a false god, and I needed to take her off!
The Ammonites worshipped a god named Molech and served him by sacrificing their children upon an altar built for him (Lev 18:21). Although this seems utterly appalling, I would be so bold to say that in some form we all do that, if not on a daily, at least a weekly basis. I have sacrificed my children to the god of personal time, a well decorated house, and exercise. I have given dirty looks and talked in ugly tones to my children for the sake of these "gods." My most precious blessings have been sacrificed for things I have convinced myself I needed more than their well-being. Even worse, I have taught them the opposite of the Gospel. Are my actions teaching them that God delights in them (Zeph 3:17), that God will always answer when they call (Jeremiah 33:3), and that nothing can separate them from the love of God (Romans 8:38)? No, I was teaching them the antithesis of every reason that God sent Jesus to die for them.
Praise the Lord that God loves me enough to kick me in the tail and not allow me to continue on a path of destruction. As I often say, "He loves me to much to leave me where I am." The Bible tells me that I should be the one on the altar, offering myself as a "living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2). The world tells me that I deserve personal time, and to spend as much time as necessary to make my house and body look good... no matter the cost. The only way to "not conform to the patter of this world" is to renew my mind in His Word every day. To take my family off the altar of false gods and put myself on the altar of the one true God. That is where true life, resurrected new life, begins!
We may not be placing our children on a burnt offering, but we may be sacrificing their hearts and skewing their understanding of the Gospel for gods that need to be destroyed. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 tells us that though we walk by the flesh, we do not wage war in the flesh. We have divine power to demolish strongholds. Time to take our kids off the altar and put ourselves there. That is a picture of the Gospel they can understand.
For further reading, PLEASE read: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank
Thursday, April 19, 2012
What is God's Will for My Life?
Acts 9:1-19 (Click on reference to read text)
"What is God's will for my life?" I must have asked myself this question 100s of times. My entire life I have weighed every decision trying to figure it out. Studying the life of Paul has given me a glimpse of the answer.
Paul had a single calling. He was to bear the name of Jesus Christ before the Gentiles, Kings, and sons of Israel (vs.15). God did not give him a step by step road map as to where he was to proclaim the name of Jesus, but in His sovereignty God allowed Paul to be in certain places and blocked him from going to other places (Acts 16:6-7). However, throughout the book of Acts, we see that he never misses an opportunity to talk about Jesus Christ and the resurrection. Wherever Paul found himself, he simply opened his mouth.
You and I have the same calling. We are to go into all the world and make disciples teaching them to observe all that God has commanded us (Mathew 28:19-20). We don't have to know where we are going to live five years from now, 10 years or even 1 year. We don't have to know who we are going to marry, how many kids we are going to have, what ministry opportunities we might be involved in or what job we are going to have. We just have to open our mouth and proclaim Christ wherever we are. That means when He gives me an opportunity to share at the grocery store, I need to be obedient. I need to teach Christ to my children in my home now, regardless whether I have any more children in the future. The details are irrelevant. God in His sovereignty has us where we are now for a reason. Just obey. It is really that simple!
Paul states towards the end of his life that he had lived his life with a perfectly good conscience before God to that very day (Acts 23:1). Oh to be able to say these words, but the truth is we can! We have a single calling: to glorify God and proclaim the hope of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Join me. Let's start today where we are and trust God to take us the next step in His perfect timing!
"What is God's will for my life?" I must have asked myself this question 100s of times. My entire life I have weighed every decision trying to figure it out. Studying the life of Paul has given me a glimpse of the answer.
Paul had a single calling. He was to bear the name of Jesus Christ before the Gentiles, Kings, and sons of Israel (vs.15). God did not give him a step by step road map as to where he was to proclaim the name of Jesus, but in His sovereignty God allowed Paul to be in certain places and blocked him from going to other places (Acts 16:6-7). However, throughout the book of Acts, we see that he never misses an opportunity to talk about Jesus Christ and the resurrection. Wherever Paul found himself, he simply opened his mouth.
You and I have the same calling. We are to go into all the world and make disciples teaching them to observe all that God has commanded us (Mathew 28:19-20). We don't have to know where we are going to live five years from now, 10 years or even 1 year. We don't have to know who we are going to marry, how many kids we are going to have, what ministry opportunities we might be involved in or what job we are going to have. We just have to open our mouth and proclaim Christ wherever we are. That means when He gives me an opportunity to share at the grocery store, I need to be obedient. I need to teach Christ to my children in my home now, regardless whether I have any more children in the future. The details are irrelevant. God in His sovereignty has us where we are now for a reason. Just obey. It is really that simple!
Paul states towards the end of his life that he had lived his life with a perfectly good conscience before God to that very day (Acts 23:1). Oh to be able to say these words, but the truth is we can! We have a single calling: to glorify God and proclaim the hope of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Join me. Let's start today where we are and trust God to take us the next step in His perfect timing!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
"But I said I was sorry..."
Numbers 21:4-9 (click on reference to read text)
Honesty time... how many times have we said we were sorry, repented for our sins, and then were frustrated when God didn't take away the situation we found ourselves in? I mean, we said we were sorry, right?! When this happens we often begin to go on an entirely new line of questions... Does that mean that God didn't truly accept my repentance? Is He not sovereign enough to pull me out of this mess? I think today, the Lord gave me an answer!
In this passage we once again find the Israelites grumbling. They become impatient with the long journey and complain, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food" (vs. 5). God just one chapter earlier brought water from a rock! Clearly He is taking care of them, and the only reason they are still in the wilderness in the first place is because they refused to go in and capture the Promised Land like He asked (Numbers 13-14). So what does God do? He sends poisoness snakes among the camp, and the people who were bit died.
They were not stupid, and neither are we when bad stuff starts to happen as a result of our sin. We realize what we have done and we repent. God honored their repentance and he gave a plan of action: "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live"(vs.8). However, there is a key point: notice God did not REMOVE the snakes. He just provided away out from death.
There will be times when our sin will wreak havoc in our lives. There will be consequences, and most likely, they will be unpleasant. However, just as God provided a means from death for the Israelites, He provided a means for us from Eternal Damnation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His forgiveness of our sins will always provide away from "death", but it may not always remove the consequences. We must always remember that God's sovereignty is not dependent or affected by our present circumstances!
So... find yourself in a mess? Need a way out? Choose Jesus and remember, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" (Psalm 103:11-13).
Honesty time... how many times have we said we were sorry, repented for our sins, and then were frustrated when God didn't take away the situation we found ourselves in? I mean, we said we were sorry, right?! When this happens we often begin to go on an entirely new line of questions... Does that mean that God didn't truly accept my repentance? Is He not sovereign enough to pull me out of this mess? I think today, the Lord gave me an answer!
In this passage we once again find the Israelites grumbling. They become impatient with the long journey and complain, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food" (vs. 5). God just one chapter earlier brought water from a rock! Clearly He is taking care of them, and the only reason they are still in the wilderness in the first place is because they refused to go in and capture the Promised Land like He asked (Numbers 13-14). So what does God do? He sends poisoness snakes among the camp, and the people who were bit died.
They were not stupid, and neither are we when bad stuff starts to happen as a result of our sin. We realize what we have done and we repent. God honored their repentance and he gave a plan of action: "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live"(vs.8). However, there is a key point: notice God did not REMOVE the snakes. He just provided away out from death.
There will be times when our sin will wreak havoc in our lives. There will be consequences, and most likely, they will be unpleasant. However, just as God provided a means from death for the Israelites, He provided a means for us from Eternal Damnation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His forgiveness of our sins will always provide away from "death", but it may not always remove the consequences. We must always remember that God's sovereignty is not dependent or affected by our present circumstances!
So... find yourself in a mess? Need a way out? Choose Jesus and remember, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" (Psalm 103:11-13).
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Fear or Faith?
Numbers 14:2-9 (Click on reference to read text)
The 40+ years that Israel spent wandering around the dessert was full of ups and downs. They had seen God do amazing things: part the Red Sea, bring water from a rock, feed them from the Heavens, and many more. The Bible even says that their shoes and clothes did not even wear out (Deut 29:5)... after 40+ years! That in itself is a miracle. Yet, despite all of these great acts of God, they struggled with their faith. Fear crept in and then Faith walked out.
After hearing the report of the 12 spies, the Israelites begin to grumble. The became afraid of the overwhelming task of conquering the promised land. They went so far as to say "let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt" (vs. 4). This was absurd! They began to see the very place where they were enslaved as the Promised Land. It can happen to us!
Fear drives you to bondage! You begin to think the present circumstances you find yourself in is just too hard. You begin to romanticize the past and remember it a lot better than it actually was, and if you are not careful, will convince yourself to return to a life of enslavement.... a life apart from the complete indwelling and control of the Holy Spirit. Be Aware!
Fear may drive you to bondage, but Faith drives you to blessing!! Joshua and Caleb, who were also apart of the 12 spies, tell a different story. They choose to believe the promise of their God and keep moving foward! They speak in faith, "If the Lord is pleased with us, then HE will bring us into this land and give it to us- a land which flows with milk and honey... Do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them" (vs. 8-9). Obstacles, no matter how large, disappear when you are standing with the Great God of the Universe. God always keeps His promises! It may not always be easy, but the Promised Land is worth it!
Are you living in Fear or Faith? Do you find yourself hesitant to continue in the way God has called you? Are you romanticizing the past and wishing things could go back, before you stepped out in faith? Make sure you are not making decisions out of Fear! The Bible warns us to, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:16-19). Walk by faith!
The 40+ years that Israel spent wandering around the dessert was full of ups and downs. They had seen God do amazing things: part the Red Sea, bring water from a rock, feed them from the Heavens, and many more. The Bible even says that their shoes and clothes did not even wear out (Deut 29:5)... after 40+ years! That in itself is a miracle. Yet, despite all of these great acts of God, they struggled with their faith. Fear crept in and then Faith walked out.
After hearing the report of the 12 spies, the Israelites begin to grumble. The became afraid of the overwhelming task of conquering the promised land. They went so far as to say "let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt" (vs. 4). This was absurd! They began to see the very place where they were enslaved as the Promised Land. It can happen to us!
Fear drives you to bondage! You begin to think the present circumstances you find yourself in is just too hard. You begin to romanticize the past and remember it a lot better than it actually was, and if you are not careful, will convince yourself to return to a life of enslavement.... a life apart from the complete indwelling and control of the Holy Spirit. Be Aware!
Fear may drive you to bondage, but Faith drives you to blessing!! Joshua and Caleb, who were also apart of the 12 spies, tell a different story. They choose to believe the promise of their God and keep moving foward! They speak in faith, "If the Lord is pleased with us, then HE will bring us into this land and give it to us- a land which flows with milk and honey... Do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them" (vs. 8-9). Obstacles, no matter how large, disappear when you are standing with the Great God of the Universe. God always keeps His promises! It may not always be easy, but the Promised Land is worth it!
Are you living in Fear or Faith? Do you find yourself hesitant to continue in the way God has called you? Are you romanticizing the past and wishing things could go back, before you stepped out in faith? Make sure you are not making decisions out of Fear! The Bible warns us to, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:16-19). Walk by faith!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Faithful in the Silence...
Exodus 31 and 32:1-10 (Click on reference to read text)
Moses found himself on the mountain top with God receiving detailed instructions about Israel and Aaron's priestly line. Aaron was in the valley alone. He had been called by God too. He had been used by God. Yet while God was unfolding His plans to Moses, Aaron was surrounded by silence, except the voices of the Israelites saying, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him" (Ex 32:2). How did Aaron so quickly forget and abandon His walk with God and create an idol to worship? How do we so quickly do the same thing?
Sometimes we can become so immersed in our circumstances, what we can physically see, that we forget God is still moving and working. He is working out a plan, a plan that may involve you, yet you don't know about it yet. The question is are you, am I, going to be faithful where we are... in the silence? Just because Aaron did not hear God's detailed plans for his life and the lives of his descendants, didn't mean that God was not speaking them.
I became extremely convicted last night while at a missions festival at our church. I realized this week that I was angry... very angry at my precious Lord because of what is happening/happened in the lives of my Dads. I felt the silence of unanswered questions and great disappointment. However, when faced with the awesome global size of my God and His purpose to bring the nations to a saving knowledge of Him, I wept. I had belittled God to fit Him into the details of my life, instead of seeing my life in the details of His ETERNAL plan. I had become the clay telling the potter what to do with me (Is 29:16).
We don't know why we find ourselves in the wilderness. We don't know why sometimes God chooses to speak to others and not us. We don't know why it seems the only voices we hear are pulling us into defeat and disillusionment. However, we must cling to what we know. God is working. God is moving. God is sovereign. God is Good! He who did not spare His own Son gave us everything we need to run this race with endurance (Ro 8:32).
Time to get our eyes off of what we can see and focus them upwards. God just may be about to reveal His master plan. Don't settle for an idol... settle for a King!
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
Moses found himself on the mountain top with God receiving detailed instructions about Israel and Aaron's priestly line. Aaron was in the valley alone. He had been called by God too. He had been used by God. Yet while God was unfolding His plans to Moses, Aaron was surrounded by silence, except the voices of the Israelites saying, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him" (Ex 32:2). How did Aaron so quickly forget and abandon His walk with God and create an idol to worship? How do we so quickly do the same thing?
Sometimes we can become so immersed in our circumstances, what we can physically see, that we forget God is still moving and working. He is working out a plan, a plan that may involve you, yet you don't know about it yet. The question is are you, am I, going to be faithful where we are... in the silence? Just because Aaron did not hear God's detailed plans for his life and the lives of his descendants, didn't mean that God was not speaking them.
I became extremely convicted last night while at a missions festival at our church. I realized this week that I was angry... very angry at my precious Lord because of what is happening/happened in the lives of my Dads. I felt the silence of unanswered questions and great disappointment. However, when faced with the awesome global size of my God and His purpose to bring the nations to a saving knowledge of Him, I wept. I had belittled God to fit Him into the details of my life, instead of seeing my life in the details of His ETERNAL plan. I had become the clay telling the potter what to do with me (Is 29:16).
We don't know why we find ourselves in the wilderness. We don't know why sometimes God chooses to speak to others and not us. We don't know why it seems the only voices we hear are pulling us into defeat and disillusionment. However, we must cling to what we know. God is working. God is moving. God is sovereign. God is Good! He who did not spare His own Son gave us everything we need to run this race with endurance (Ro 8:32).
Time to get our eyes off of what we can see and focus them upwards. God just may be about to reveal His master plan. Don't settle for an idol... settle for a King!
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
How Do You Pray in the Pain?
2 Samuel 12:13-20 (Click on reference to read text)
Sorry for the long absence. My family received extremely difficult news at the beginning of this month. My precious Dad-in-law was diagnosed with cancer in his bone marrow. One night while praying my husband turned to me and confessed he didn't know how to pray. We would obviously love to see our Dad healed, but what if it is not God's will? How do you pray for a miracle and still pray according to the Lord's will? Maybe you have had this same thought. After much prayer and seeking Scriptures, I feel confident the Lord has given me a Biblical answer.
When David's son was dying, David fasted and prayed for a miracle. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep. For seven days David laid face down begging the Lord to heal his child. Yet when the child died, he got up, worshiped the Lord and ate. He prayed for God to heal his child, but he accepted what God allowed.
I also read about Paul. Paul prayed 3 times for the "tormenting thorn in his flesh" to leave, yet he accepted God's grace to persevere when God did not remove it (2 Cor 12:7-10). He was not afraid to ask God for relief, but His faith was not shaken when God answered no.
The Disciplers Bible Study Commentary for the book of Acts states, " They...were putting God to the test. They were questioning God after His will had been revealed."
I truly believe it is Biblical to ask the Lord for healing, restoration, or whatever is needed in the lives of your family or yourself. After all, God is our Heavenly Father and desires to hear our hearts cry. However, we must not put God to the test by questioning God after He reveals His will by either answering or denying our request. We must choose to follow David's lead, offer a sacrifice of praise in the midst of our pain. Praising God in the pain is not easy, but it is necessary in keeping our hearts stayed on Him (Heb 13:15).
I urge you... pray! Pour your heart out to your Heavenly Father. Ask to see the mighty movements of His hand. Expect to see His power displayed. However, resolve now to believe that God is good no matter His answer. Turn to Him whether the outcome is wonderful or painful, and know that in the tears, you are not alone!
"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Ps 34:18
Sorry for the long absence. My family received extremely difficult news at the beginning of this month. My precious Dad-in-law was diagnosed with cancer in his bone marrow. One night while praying my husband turned to me and confessed he didn't know how to pray. We would obviously love to see our Dad healed, but what if it is not God's will? How do you pray for a miracle and still pray according to the Lord's will? Maybe you have had this same thought. After much prayer and seeking Scriptures, I feel confident the Lord has given me a Biblical answer.
When David's son was dying, David fasted and prayed for a miracle. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep. For seven days David laid face down begging the Lord to heal his child. Yet when the child died, he got up, worshiped the Lord and ate. He prayed for God to heal his child, but he accepted what God allowed.
I also read about Paul. Paul prayed 3 times for the "tormenting thorn in his flesh" to leave, yet he accepted God's grace to persevere when God did not remove it (2 Cor 12:7-10). He was not afraid to ask God for relief, but His faith was not shaken when God answered no.
The Disciplers Bible Study Commentary for the book of Acts states, " They...were putting God to the test. They were questioning God after His will had been revealed."
I truly believe it is Biblical to ask the Lord for healing, restoration, or whatever is needed in the lives of your family or yourself. After all, God is our Heavenly Father and desires to hear our hearts cry. However, we must not put God to the test by questioning God after He reveals His will by either answering or denying our request. We must choose to follow David's lead, offer a sacrifice of praise in the midst of our pain. Praising God in the pain is not easy, but it is necessary in keeping our hearts stayed on Him (Heb 13:15).
I urge you... pray! Pour your heart out to your Heavenly Father. Ask to see the mighty movements of His hand. Expect to see His power displayed. However, resolve now to believe that God is good no matter His answer. Turn to Him whether the outcome is wonderful or painful, and know that in the tears, you are not alone!
"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Ps 34:18
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