Maybe you say . . . or at the very least think . . . I’m only . . .
a daughter
a mother
a wife
a sister
an aunt
Or maybe you define yourself according to your job? I’m just . . .
a secretary
a teacher
a dishwasher
a house cleaner
or whatever
None of these define who you/we are!
God recently spoke to me and said, I'M YOUR IDENTITY!
God defines who we are!!!
a chosen people
royal priests
a holy nation
God’s very own possession
to show others the goodness of God
you are called out of the darkness into his wonderful light
once you had no identity as a people
now you are God’s people.
1 Peter 2:9a-11
We are chosen to show others the goodness of God!!!
We are called into HIS light . . . NOT into our light!
Don’t hide HIS light!
SHINE!!!
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Won’t let Satan blow it out
I’m gonna let it shine
Won’t let Satan blow it out
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
SHINE ON!!!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Do You Even Care What Happened to Me?
While at the Easterday Rec Center this afternoon to get information about summer camps for Brandy, a man in a wheel chair approached me as I waited to talk to the director. He said hello as he wheeled past me . . . then stopped and asked, “What is your name?” I told him my first name and asked him his. “Tim,” as he reached out his hand to me for a handshake.
Tim appeared to be a man around 50 years old. His speech and his mouth drooping on one side made me wonder if he had had a stroke.
The next 2 questions he asked me have marked my soul and my heart forever!!!
Tim: “Do you want to know what happened to me?”
Me: "Yes"
Tim: Looking me square in the eyes . . . “Do you even really care what happened to me?”
Me: Locking my eyes on his, “Yes, I care. What happened to you?”
Tim: “When I was 33 years old, I had brain surgery. During the surgery, the doctor dropped the scalpel, which cut my carotid artery. I nearly died.”
He is now 47.
With no further conversation, he wheeled on.
A few minutes later, I heard him call my name and say something. But because of the noisy group at a table to the side of us, I had to ask him to repeat his question.
Tim: “Can you understand me when I talk.”
Me: “Yes, I can; but the noise from this group of people makes it hard for me to hear.”
Tim: “It’s important to me that people can understand me when I talk. Have a nice day.”
End of conversation.
He turned and wheeled away.
Inside myself, I wept.
"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'
Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth:
Whenever you did one of these things
to someone overlooked or ignored,
that was me — you did it to me.'
Matthew 25:31-40
(Message Bible, emphasis added)
One does not have to be disabled to be overlooked or ignored!
Tim appeared to be a man around 50 years old. His speech and his mouth drooping on one side made me wonder if he had had a stroke.
The next 2 questions he asked me have marked my soul and my heart forever!!!
Tim: “Do you want to know what happened to me?”
Me: "Yes"
Tim: Looking me square in the eyes . . . “Do you even really care what happened to me?”
Me: Locking my eyes on his, “Yes, I care. What happened to you?”
Tim: “When I was 33 years old, I had brain surgery. During the surgery, the doctor dropped the scalpel, which cut my carotid artery. I nearly died.”
He is now 47.
With no further conversation, he wheeled on.
A few minutes later, I heard him call my name and say something. But because of the noisy group at a table to the side of us, I had to ask him to repeat his question.
Tim: “Can you understand me when I talk.”
Me: “Yes, I can; but the noise from this group of people makes it hard for me to hear.”
Tim: “It’s important to me that people can understand me when I talk. Have a nice day.”
End of conversation.
He turned and wheeled away.
Inside myself, I wept.
"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?'
Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth:
Whenever you did one of these things
to someone overlooked or ignored,
that was me — you did it to me.'
Matthew 25:31-40
(Message Bible, emphasis added)
One does not have to be disabled to be overlooked or ignored!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Rest for Your Soul
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28, emphasis added)
We usually stop quoting at the end of this verse, envisioning physical rest in the arms of Jesus. Physical rest does come, but not until we have done verses 29 and 30, which read . . .
“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (emphasis added)
When 2 oxen are yoked together on a wagon, one does not pull and the other one just lies down to watch. No, they work together, sharing the load, making the load easier.
Jesus will not put the yoke on us . . . WE are to take the yoke. To yoke or not to be yoked . . . that is the question! It's our choice! We are a PERFECT fit with Jesus!!! Why do we fight the yoke so??? Because we are meat heads . . . carnally minded!!!
The benefit of the yoke is to give us rest . . . rest for our souls . . . our minds, our wills, and our emotions! We are very good at finding physical rest for ourselves but struggle with finding rest/peace in our soul. We fight against the very yoke, Jesus, who will give rest to our souls!
Jesus knows the battle(s) in our soul . . . our mind . . . our will . . . and our emotions! And He cares! When we are going through a soul battle, we need to RUN to Jesus, saying Wait a second while I put on this yoke! Say to Him . . . I don’t understand why I’m thinking this way. . . I don’t understand why I’m feeling what I’m feeling . . . I don’t understand why my will wants to rule and reign . . . BUT YOU LORD JESUS know and understand everything I’m thinking and feeling. I submit myself to you and NEED you to speak to me, to calm my soul. I choose to walk through this TOGETHER with you.
My soul has been fighting the yoke these past 6 days. But because I made the choice to put on the yoke and cried out to Him saying, I need to hear you, Jesus! . . . TONIGHT . . . I heard Jesus speak to me . . . and He is bringing rest to my soul as we share the yoke!!!
Why are we always amazed each time we realize we do not know what is best for our lives. We fight rest for our soul when we walk in the natural, rather than in the spiritual!
Thank you, Jesus, for patiently waiting for me to put on the yoke! Thank you that I don’t have to do this alone . . . that you are walking THROUGH this WITH me.
We usually stop quoting at the end of this verse, envisioning physical rest in the arms of Jesus. Physical rest does come, but not until we have done verses 29 and 30, which read . . .
“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (emphasis added)
When 2 oxen are yoked together on a wagon, one does not pull and the other one just lies down to watch. No, they work together, sharing the load, making the load easier.
Jesus will not put the yoke on us . . . WE are to take the yoke. To yoke or not to be yoked . . . that is the question! It's our choice! We are a PERFECT fit with Jesus!!! Why do we fight the yoke so??? Because we are meat heads . . . carnally minded!!!
The benefit of the yoke is to give us rest . . . rest for our souls . . . our minds, our wills, and our emotions! We are very good at finding physical rest for ourselves but struggle with finding rest/peace in our soul. We fight against the very yoke, Jesus, who will give rest to our souls!
Jesus knows the battle(s) in our soul . . . our mind . . . our will . . . and our emotions! And He cares! When we are going through a soul battle, we need to RUN to Jesus, saying Wait a second while I put on this yoke! Say to Him . . . I don’t understand why I’m thinking this way. . . I don’t understand why I’m feeling what I’m feeling . . . I don’t understand why my will wants to rule and reign . . . BUT YOU LORD JESUS know and understand everything I’m thinking and feeling. I submit myself to you and NEED you to speak to me, to calm my soul. I choose to walk through this TOGETHER with you.
My soul has been fighting the yoke these past 6 days. But because I made the choice to put on the yoke and cried out to Him saying, I need to hear you, Jesus! . . . TONIGHT . . . I heard Jesus speak to me . . . and He is bringing rest to my soul as we share the yoke!!!
Why are we always amazed each time we realize we do not know what is best for our lives. We fight rest for our soul when we walk in the natural, rather than in the spiritual!
Thank you, Jesus, for patiently waiting for me to put on the yoke! Thank you that I don’t have to do this alone . . . that you are walking THROUGH this WITH me.
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Lord's Servant
“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
This verse keeps rumbling around in my spirit. God’s Word says many things about us, about who we are in Christ Jesus, and is filled with promises for our lives. We want everything God has said about us and promised to us to manifest in our lives. So we do our part . . . believe . . . ask in faith . . . speak in faith . . . give in faith . . . wait patiently, or so we think . . .
But there is a qualifier . . .the verse begins with . . . “I am the Lord’s servant.”
Jesus . . . the greatest servant of all . . .
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace –
a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
to care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
(Isaiah 61:1-3 Message Bible)
The Spirit of God, the Master is on me . . . Is the Holy Spirit our Master or do we think of Him and treat Him as our servant?
We are servants of the Spirit of God, our Master, and are anointed/empowered by Him to bring the good news of God’s love, forgiveness, joy, peace, healing, freedom to the people brought across our path each day . . . to the people in our sphere of influence.
This verse keeps rumbling around in my spirit. God’s Word says many things about us, about who we are in Christ Jesus, and is filled with promises for our lives. We want everything God has said about us and promised to us to manifest in our lives. So we do our part . . . believe . . . ask in faith . . . speak in faith . . . give in faith . . . wait patiently, or so we think . . .
But there is a qualifier . . .the verse begins with . . . “I am the Lord’s servant.”
Jesus . . . the greatest servant of all . . .
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace –
a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
to care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
(Isaiah 61:1-3 Message Bible)
The Spirit of God, the Master is on me . . . Is the Holy Spirit our Master or do we think of Him and treat Him as our servant?
We are servants of the Spirit of God, our Master, and are anointed/empowered by Him to bring the good news of God’s love, forgiveness, joy, peace, healing, freedom to the people brought across our path each day . . . to the people in our sphere of influence.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Blessings of Obedience
If you listen obediently to the Voice of GOD, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, GOD, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world.
All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of GOD, your God:
GOD's blessing inside the city,
GOD's blessing in the country;
GOD's blessing on your children,
the crops of your land,
the young of your livestock,
the calves of your herds,
the lambs of your flocks.
GOD's blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
GOD's blessing in your coming in,
GOD's blessing in your going out.
GOD will defeat your enemies who attack you. They'll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.
GOD will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he'll bless you in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you.
GOD will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of GOD, your God, and live the way he has shown you.
All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of GOD and hold you in respectful awe.
GOD will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that GOD promised your ancestors that he would give you.
GOD will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand.
You will lend to many nations but you yourself won't have to take out a loan.
GOD will make you the head, not the tail; you'll always be the top dog, never the bottom dog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of GOD, your God, that I am commanding you today.
Don't swerve an inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.
Deut. 28:1-14 (Message)
All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of GOD, your God:
GOD's blessing inside the city,
GOD's blessing in the country;
GOD's blessing on your children,
the crops of your land,
the young of your livestock,
the calves of your herds,
the lambs of your flocks.
GOD's blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
GOD's blessing in your coming in,
GOD's blessing in your going out.
GOD will defeat your enemies who attack you. They'll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.
GOD will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he'll bless you in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you.
GOD will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of GOD, your God, and live the way he has shown you.
All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of GOD and hold you in respectful awe.
GOD will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that GOD promised your ancestors that he would give you.
GOD will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand.
You will lend to many nations but you yourself won't have to take out a loan.
GOD will make you the head, not the tail; you'll always be the top dog, never the bottom dog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of GOD, your God, that I am commanding you today.
Don't swerve an inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.
Deut. 28:1-14 (Message)
Monday, January 10, 2011
No Withholding
“Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son . . . I will bless you . . . and through your descendents all the nations of the earth will be blessed – all because you have obeyed me.” (Gen. 22:16-18)
We are blessed these hundreds and hundreds of years later because Abraham chose to obey God, to not withhold from God.
Do we understand that the same spiritual principle continues in motion today?
What will our children, our grandchildren, and future generations receive . . . the blessings of our obedience or the consequences of our withholding from God?
A “Mary heart” . . . one of obedience, willing to lay down its own agenda, its own dreams, its own “Isaac” . . . willing not to withhold anything from God.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Here We Go . . . Again!?!
Aaahh . . . A new year
A fresh start . . . a clean slate
I can get a handle on my life
I can stop the old habits
I can start the new ones
I CAN do this!
I WILL be . . .
T-minus . . . until failure
Then condemnation
Back to the old because I’ve messed up
Oh well . . . next January 1st . . . try again
Oh well . . . next January 1st . . . try again
Each January 1st . . . INSANITY
Doing the same thing over and over
Expecting different results
Declare the changes needed!
Set goals . . . But . . .
Who is in control?
Who can bring the lasting change?
Every January 1st . . . “I” tries to rule and reign
I cannot bring lasting change to my life
But With GOD, ALL things are possible!
I can do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us!
Don’t wait until the NEXT . . . January 1st
Minute by minute . . . day by day
Take the “start overs” to Jesus
And His cleansing blood!
How ?
“It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us . . . Say the welcoming word to God—‘Jesus is my Master’—embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not ‘doing’ anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!" (Romans 10:9-10 Message Bible)
HAPPY. . . new year . . . IN JESUS !
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