Posts Tagged ‘Blessings’
God’s Intimates
Posted on: 7-15-112015
I came across the following statement in my devotional a few days ago:
“God doesn’t have favorites. He has intimates – those who are willing to walk in His will and rely upon Him to show the way. This requires trust, faith, and complete surrender.” Charles Stanley
I’m sure most of us have felt that someone else has been favored over us at one time or another in our lives. As a child, we can feel that our parents favor another child over us. We can feel our teacher favors another student over us. As an adult, we may feel that one of our co-workers is the favorite of our boss. And for many of us, we may feel that another Christian is favored by God over us. The truth is, as Charles Stanley said, God has no favorites. He loves each and every single person who He created exactly the same. However, there are those people who set themselves up for His blessings to be very evident in their lives, thus giving the appearance of favoritism. These people are dedicated to their pursuit of God and they put great effort into working on their relationship with Him. They spend time in prayer, they spend time in His Word, they spend time praising Him, they spend time serving Him, etc. They do not let their fears get in their way of serving God. They trust Him unconditionally, even when they don’t understand the whole picture. They are willing to put in the things required of having an intimate relationship with Him because they know the more intimate their relationship with Him, the more favor he lavishes upon their lives. His favor upon our lives is ours for the taking…we just have to be willing to pursue Him with everything in us.
“For God does not show favoritism…” Romans 2:11
What Heights Will You Reach?
Posted on: 7-15-112014
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Many of us often wonder what God’s will is for us and this verse gives us one definite part of His will. We are to “give thanks in ALL circumstances…” (emphasis mine). If we know nothing else about His will for us in a particular situation, we can know this. So, if we know this is God’s will for us, why don’t we always do it? We may know that we should be thankful in all situations, but sometimes, it’s easier said than done. Sometimes, we have to really dig deep in order to find something to be thankful about in the trials and tribulations in our lives. Often, we can’t get our eyes off of the gloom and doom long enough to see all of the ways that God is working through the difficulties. We can zero in on the negative and forget to look for the positive. We can ask God a hundred times why something has to be a certain way instead of asking Him how we can use it for His glory. We can wallow in our pit of sorrow instead of counting our blessings. We can easily be greedy for more instead of being grateful for what we have already been given. It’s been said that “our attitude determines our altitude”. Based on your attitude today, what heights will you reach?
God Misses You
Posted on: 7-15-112014
- In: God | Jesus
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Yesterday, we had all of our children and grandchildren over for Grandparent’s Day. Having them all together under one roof for the day was the best present I could ever ask for, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the day. Last night, after all of the little ones were gone, I walked around from room to room picking up cups, toys, articles of clothing, and other remnants left over from their visit. I stopped and listened and for the first time that day, it was quiet. And even though they had only been gone for a few minutes, I missed them! I missed the pitter patter of little feet, the deep down in the belly laughter, the shrieks and squeals, the smiles, the sound of their little voices calling “Nana”, the toys strewn all over the floor…I missed it all. And while I was thinking of how much I missed them, I was reminded of how much God misses us when we are away from Him. I often forget that God enjoys spending time with us, that He delights in us, and that we bring smiles to His face in much the same way as my grandchildren do to me. God created us because He loves us and desires a relationship with us…an up close, personal relationship with us. Just as I anxiously await another day with my grandchildren, God anxiously awaits our return if we’re gone away from Him. No matter how far we are from Him, all we have to do is call out His name, and He will be there…arms opened wide, just waiting to pour out His love on us.
“For the Lord delights in you…” Isaiah 62:4
Posted on: 7-15-112014
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A few weeks ago someone told me I had to understand that some people had “real” problems. I’m not sure what kind of problems she thinks I have (or don’t have), but I can assure you they are very “real”. They may not be the same as the problems she is having, but they are definitely real. Every single one of us can attest to the fact that we face problems in our lives. Sometimes those problems are minor, but sometimes, they are earth-shattering! Sometimes those problems are resolved quickly and sometimes those problems linger for what seems like an eternity. Sometimes those problems can be resolved with little effort, but sometimes resolution comes only after much pain and heartache. No matter what kind of problem we are facing, we have a Father who is ready, willing, and able to come to our rescue and help us make it through. He gives us the strength we need to keep on going when we think we cannot possibly go on one more step. He gives us the courage to face our trials head on instead of allowing them destroy us. He gives us the grace we need to endure those trials even if He just gives it to us one breath at a time. No matter where you are right now, God’s grace can and will find you and it is more than enough to carry you through whatever you’re facing.
“Your Grace Finds Me” by Matt Redman
It’s there in the newborn cry
There in the light of every sunrise
There in the shadows of this life
Your great grace
It’s there on the mountain top
There in the everyday and the mundane
There in the sorrow and the dancing
Your great grace
Oh such grace
[CHORUS:]
From the creation to the cross
There from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me, yes your grace finds me
It’s there on a wedding day
There in the weeping by the graveside
There in the very breath we breathe
Your great grace
The same for the rich and poor
The same for the saint and for the sinner
Enough for this whole wide world
Your great grace
Oh such grace
There in the darkest night of the soul
There in the sweetest songs of victory
Your grace finds me
Yes your grace finds me
Your great grace
Oh such grace
Your great grace
Oh such grace
So I’m breathing in Your grace
And breathing out Your praise
I’m breathing in Your grace
Forever I’ll be
God’s Grace Will Find You
Posted on: 7-15-112014
- In: God | Jesus | Uncategorized
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“Sometimes when you wonder why you can’t hear God’s voice during your trials, remember the teacher is always silent during a test.”
I’ve seen the quote above many times, but when I came across it a few days ago, it really jumped out at me. Recently I have been going through some trials in which I feel like God is keeping completely silent. I keep begging for answers, but feel like I am getting no response. I keep waiting for Him to reveal His plan to me, yet no plan has been shared with me as of yet. Some moments, I dig deep and hold on in faith waiting for Him, while other moments I fall completely apart. Tonight is one of those nights when His silence is deafening! I am more than ready for this “test” to be over and for my Teacher to give me the answers I am seeking. However, it is apparent that God isn’t ready to give me those answers just yet. Maybe I’m not ready for the answers He is going to give me, so He’s waiting until I am able to handle it. Maybe He’s working in not only my life, but the lives of others as well, to pave the way for His plans to come to pass. Maybe He’s teaching me to pry my grip off of things that I have no control over and trust Him to take care of it. Maybe He’s going to use this difficult time in my life to equip me to help someone else down the road. Who knows what God is up to? I certainly don’t! However, what I do know is that, even in His silence, He is present! He has not left me or abandoned me! I do know that, even in His silence, He has a purpose and a plan being carried out, and I know that His purpose and His plan will never fail me. I know that everything He does is for my good…even when it feels like it is going to destroy me! I do know that, even in His silence, He hears me and He knows every moment of my struggle. I also know that, even in His silence, His grace is enough to see me through!
“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
When God is Silent
Posted on: 7-15-112014
- In: God | Jesus | Uncategorized
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Yesterday at church, my pastor told us about a sinkhole in Bowling Green, Kentucky that had caved in beneath the National Corvette Museum. At one point, 8 Corvettes had fallen into the sinkhole. Museum personnel have been working with a team of excavators to try to recover these automobiles whose value has yet to be determined. They have successfully recovered 5 of the cars at this time, but 3 remain trapped in the sinkhole. A spokesperson for the museum reported that one of the cars that remains in the sinkhole had an estimated value of one and a half million dollars. Right now, the museum personnel is at a standstill in determining how to proceed because the team of excavators doesn’t want to continue the recovery process. They are afraid that any further recovery efforts may cause the sinkhole to cave in even more. Understandably, they don’t want to risk their lives in an attempt to recover these cars, no matter how valuable they are. Our pastor used this story as a symbol of how we’re all in a sinkhole on the verge of collapse…the sinkhole of our sin. As I thought about this analogy, I had to agree that we are all trapped by our sin with no way out on our own. However, unlike these Corvettes, there is Someone who was willing to brave the “sinkhole” in an effort to save us…Jesus! He looked upon us in the deepest, darkest sinkhole of sin that we could get ourselves in to and He knew that He couldn’t leave us there. He knew He had to come and rescue us…even if it cost Him His life, which it did. He knew that we would be rescued from the “sinkhole” of our sin, but He also knew full well that He would die saving us. He knew that the full weight of our sin would fall upon Him and crush Him. Knowing all of this, He still willingly went to the cross to rescue us for, unlike the Corvettes who can have a monetary value placed upon them, we are of infinite value to Him.
“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
Trapped in a Sinkhole
Posted on: 7-15-112014
- In: God | Jesus | Uncategorized
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Most of us who drive a car know how important it is to do regular maintenance on our vehicles. One thing we need to do is get regular oil changes. If we don’t, we may get by for a while, but eventually, we run the risk of ruining our engine. In much the same way an oil change helps a car keep running smoothly and perform at maximum efficiency, a daily devotional helps Christians’ lives stay on track and running smoothly. Recently in my daily devotional, I came across this interesting piece of information: the Manadarin Chinese phrase that refers to a Christian’s daily devotional is “ling xiu”. Ling means “spirit” or “soul” and xiu means “to repair”. So, basically, a Christian’s daily devotional is basically equivalent to “spirit/soul repair” What a fitting description of what a daily devotional is! When we spend time each day with the Lord, He brings repair to our spirit. He gives us renewed strength for whatever we may face. He gives us power to continue fighting the enemy. He gives us joy in the midst of despair. He gives us hope when the situations surrounding us seem hopeless. He gives us peace even as the storms of life rage on around us. He gives us courage and boldness to face the unknown. He gives us the confidence to do the impossible. We all face insurmountable obstacles in our lives and on our own, we’re defeated before we even begin the fight. However, when we make spending time with God a priority, He gives us everything we need to do whatever He’s called us to do.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Spirit Repair
Posted on: 7-15-112014
- In: God | Jesus | Uncategorized
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Tonight, my husband and I saw the movie “God’s Not Dead” which I highly recommend. It’s a story of a college freshman who has to defend his Christian beliefs because he refuses to sign a paper for his philosophy professor stating that God is dead. Upon accepting the challenge, the young man faces opposition from those who should be his greatest supporters and encouragers…those who worried about more about the earthly ramifications of his actions than what God had to say about it. He had no allies in the classroom…everyone else had signed the paper stating that God was dead without the slightest hesitation. The battle he faces is not an easy one. The odds are not stacked in his favor. However, with great courage, he takes a stand for the God he believes in. He doesn’t cave to the easier and more convenient road. He doesn’t allow the opinions of others to dictate what he would do. He knew what standing for his beliefs could cost him and he decided that standing for God was worth the risk. I wish I could say I’ve always stood up for Christ as this young man did. I wish I could say I’ve never remained silent when I should have spoken up on His behalf. I wish I could say I’ve never allowed what others say or think to matter to me more than what Christ says. I wish I could say I always proclaim my faith openly and without hesitation. I wish I could say all of these things, but I can’t. Fortunately what I do or don’t do doesn’t change who God is. He is the same despite my faulty beliefs or lack of understanding. He is the Creator of the universe whether I say He is or not. He is worthy of my worship whether I worship Him or not. He deserves my love and devotion whether I give it to Him or not. He has shown Himself faithful and trustworthy whether I choose to believe it or not. He has perfect plans for me whether I choose to follow them or not. He has given the gift of my salvation through the death of His Son, Jesus, on the cross whether I choose to accept it or not. God’s not dead…He is alive…whether I believe it or not is up to me.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
God Never Changes
Posted on: 7-15-112014
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Yesterday I watched a young mom and dad try to wrestle their four-year old into the car. She was not the least bit interested in getting in the car, however. She wanted to pick flowers and play with the toys in the yard and pretty much do anything except get in the car. The family was all dressed up with gifts and food in tow, so I figured they were on their way to a party and by the mom’s exasperated tone, I knew they were probably running a little behind. The more she pleaded with the little girl to get in the car, the more adamant the little girl was that she was going to do anything but that. After a little bit, it was evident by the mom’s tone that she was losing her patience. But, the little girl continued to run around the yard playing. Finally, the mom had had enough. She went and scooped the little girl up and put her in the car. As I watched this encounter, I couldn’t help but laugh. As a mom, I’ve been there before on more than one occasion. I know how frustrating it can be to tell your child to do something only to have them ignore you and do exactly as they please. I know how easy it is to become angry when they don’t do what you tell them to do. I know how hard it is to administer grace and mercy when they have stretched your patience beyond the breaking point. We, as children of God, often behave as the little girl did. He tells us to do something and we are determined to do anything except what He asked us to do. We are all experts at disobedience! Fortunately for us, God’s patience can stretch way farther than ours can. No matter how trying our behavior is, God always seasons His responses to us with mercy. He never grows weary or gets to the end of His rope with us. Discipline may come, but it is always given with an abundance of love and grace.
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23
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