Psalm 138:8
"Finish what you started in me, God.
Your love is eternal—don't quit on me now."
Get used to praying this prayer. Pray it in times when you've moved your whole life and family in a certain direction and path, things are moving along fine and dandy, and then after subtle and not so subtle circumstances you are halted - stopped dead in your tracks as things aren't moving and going anywhere anymore. Pray this in times when you feel like you've been making progress on an issue you're dealing with in your insides and then someone does something to make you mad, make you jealous, make you insecure and make you feel alone. Then you're left feeling like you're back at square one.
You're not done, your life isn't over and you're not really a mess. God hasn't forgotten you, and the eternal love He painfully feels for you every moment of every second of every minute, is the only true reason you haven't broken under the pressure of waiting waiting waiting (whatever it is you're waiting for). It's the reason that you're in the place you're at and His love is the most powerful beautiful, powerful force one can experience. His eternal love will distract you into peace, and He will not-no-way-never-ever-ever-ever forget what He has started in you, and with your precious life. Keep looking into the eyes of His eternal love. Your life will continue to unfold- it will happen. It will be finished.
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Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
188
Ephesians 1:3-6
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."
You are wanted. If nothing else, be confident in that. You were wanted before the beginning of time and you have been wanted, very wanted, ever since. Jesus loved you, lost you, saw you, made the trip to get you, and when He gave His life up for you, the adoption papers were signed (the deal was sealed) and you became someone's someone.
Some of us are someone's someone, and some of us feel like we don't belong to anyone. Some of us were once wanted, and then we picked up the phone one day to find out we weren't quite wanted anymore like perhaps we once were. Just like adopted children on this earth have a little extra special-ness to them because someone paid a huge amount of time and love up front to find their baby to raise and adore, in even more ways than the greatest love a parent can have on this earth, so were you and I adopted by our heavenly Father.
What an overwhelming thought. That someone loved you with such ridiculous and extravagant love that the biggest price you can pay (one's life) was paid for you to belong to someone. And a celebrity (Jesus our Christ) at that. Hold your head high because you belong to royalty.
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"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."
You are wanted. If nothing else, be confident in that. You were wanted before the beginning of time and you have been wanted, very wanted, ever since. Jesus loved you, lost you, saw you, made the trip to get you, and when He gave His life up for you, the adoption papers were signed (the deal was sealed) and you became someone's someone.
Some of us are someone's someone, and some of us feel like we don't belong to anyone. Some of us were once wanted, and then we picked up the phone one day to find out we weren't quite wanted anymore like perhaps we once were. Just like adopted children on this earth have a little extra special-ness to them because someone paid a huge amount of time and love up front to find their baby to raise and adore, in even more ways than the greatest love a parent can have on this earth, so were you and I adopted by our heavenly Father.
What an overwhelming thought. That someone loved you with such ridiculous and extravagant love that the biggest price you can pay (one's life) was paid for you to belong to someone. And a celebrity (Jesus our Christ) at that. Hold your head high because you belong to royalty.
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187
Romans 8:37 (New King James Version)
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
You want your confidence to be in Jesus Christ: all that He has done for you and all that He made you to be. This will take hard work because the devil throws lies at you all day, all night and all day again. This will be hard work because it's extremely easy to lose yourself in the eighty or so years we walk the planet earth. Everything we read about, talk about or watch on TV pretty much contradicts all that Jesus is trying to drum into our heads through His Word and Spirit. His message is wonderful, and the world's message is not. You are more than able to win the fight you're fighting.
So let's tackle one thing at a time: this verse and chapter in Romans says that nothing about the state of the world really matters because Jesus loves you. You will always win because you are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is with you, you are a winner.
Whatever battle you're facing- whatever war is raging in your world, your family, your marriage, your finances or your job can't beat you because Jesus is on your side. Nothing can be against you, and you win because you are MORE than a winner with Christ Jesus in you and His love all around you and all over you.
Be confident, you will win in the end. Keep fighting.
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"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
You want your confidence to be in Jesus Christ: all that He has done for you and all that He made you to be. This will take hard work because the devil throws lies at you all day, all night and all day again. This will be hard work because it's extremely easy to lose yourself in the eighty or so years we walk the planet earth. Everything we read about, talk about or watch on TV pretty much contradicts all that Jesus is trying to drum into our heads through His Word and Spirit. His message is wonderful, and the world's message is not. You are more than able to win the fight you're fighting.
So let's tackle one thing at a time: this verse and chapter in Romans says that nothing about the state of the world really matters because Jesus loves you. You will always win because you are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is with you, you are a winner.
Whatever battle you're facing- whatever war is raging in your world, your family, your marriage, your finances or your job can't beat you because Jesus is on your side. Nothing can be against you, and you win because you are MORE than a winner with Christ Jesus in you and His love all around you and all over you.
Be confident, you will win in the end. Keep fighting.
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Saturday, September 25, 2010
186
Proverbs 3:26 (New King James Version)
"For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught."
The devil will try to steal your confidence. He will take a mean word here and there, a subtle or not so subtle jab by a friend, co-worker or parent, the mirror, the bank account, your business, your kids, your home, your car... let me promise you that anything and everything he can use to bring you and your wonderful mind and spirit and body down to feeling 1-inch tall, believe me, he will. He delights in you feeling weak, pathetic, failure-ish, ugly and stupid. Every perfect and fabulous (you) child of God has lived this. You're not the only one. When we start looking at some of the realities of life - where we're at, or how quickly anything we think we've accomplished can be crushed to the ground and stomped on by mean people and stupid demons, the reality that it's hard to stay confident in this world in which we live sinks in. Through some days, months, and seasons it's hard to be the person you know you can be, or the person you read that you are in the Bible.
There is nothing in the Bible that says you aren't good enough and absolutely nothing that says you can't be and do anything that is in your heart to do. Don't let the devil use ANYONE to take away your God given confidence. And, don't be fooled into thinking you created your own confidence. If you're a child of God, you don't want the fake confidence (the type you made up on your own with status, money clothes, cars, stuff, humor, talent etc. although not bad things), you want to be confident because of Jesus Christ and who He says you are and what He says you can do.
Goodbye devil. Say it out loud.
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"For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught."
The devil will try to steal your confidence. He will take a mean word here and there, a subtle or not so subtle jab by a friend, co-worker or parent, the mirror, the bank account, your business, your kids, your home, your car... let me promise you that anything and everything he can use to bring you and your wonderful mind and spirit and body down to feeling 1-inch tall, believe me, he will. He delights in you feeling weak, pathetic, failure-ish, ugly and stupid. Every perfect and fabulous (you) child of God has lived this. You're not the only one. When we start looking at some of the realities of life - where we're at, or how quickly anything we think we've accomplished can be crushed to the ground and stomped on by mean people and stupid demons, the reality that it's hard to stay confident in this world in which we live sinks in. Through some days, months, and seasons it's hard to be the person you know you can be, or the person you read that you are in the Bible.
There is nothing in the Bible that says you aren't good enough and absolutely nothing that says you can't be and do anything that is in your heart to do. Don't let the devil use ANYONE to take away your God given confidence. And, don't be fooled into thinking you created your own confidence. If you're a child of God, you don't want the fake confidence (the type you made up on your own with status, money clothes, cars, stuff, humor, talent etc. although not bad things), you want to be confident because of Jesus Christ and who He says you are and what He says you can do.
Goodbye devil. Say it out loud.
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Friday, September 24, 2010
187
Romans 8:37 (New King James Version)
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
You want your confidence to be in Jesus Christ: all that He has done for you and all that He made you to be. This will take hard work because the devil throws lies at you all day, all night and all day again. This will be hard work because it's extremely easy to lose yourself in the eighty or so years we walk the planet earth. Everything we read about, talk about or watch on TV pretty much contradicts all that Jesus is trying to drum into our heads through His Word and Spirit. His message is wonderful, and the world's message is not. You are more than able to win the fight you're fighting.
So let's tackle one thing at a time: this verse and chapter in Romans says that nothing about the state of the world really matters because Jesus loves you. You will always win because you are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is with you, you are a winner.
Whatever battle you're facing- whatever war is raging in your world, your family, your marriage, your finances or your job can't beat you because Jesus is on your side. Nothing can be against you, and you win because you are MORE than a winner with Christ Jesus in you and His love all around you and all over you.
Be confident, you will win in the end. Keep fighting.
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"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
You want your confidence to be in Jesus Christ: all that He has done for you and all that He made you to be. This will take hard work because the devil throws lies at you all day, all night and all day again. This will be hard work because it's extremely easy to lose yourself in the eighty or so years we walk the planet earth. Everything we read about, talk about or watch on TV pretty much contradicts all that Jesus is trying to drum into our heads through His Word and Spirit. His message is wonderful, and the world's message is not. You are more than able to win the fight you're fighting.
So let's tackle one thing at a time: this verse and chapter in Romans says that nothing about the state of the world really matters because Jesus loves you. You will always win because you are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is with you, you are a winner.
Whatever battle you're facing- whatever war is raging in your world, your family, your marriage, your finances or your job can't beat you because Jesus is on your side. Nothing can be against you, and you win because you are MORE than a winner with Christ Jesus in you and His love all around you and all over you.
Be confident, you will win in the end. Keep fighting.
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Sunday, September 19, 2010
185
Colossians 3:14 (The Message)
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
I want to give people a reason to say they were loved by someone.
We must accept the fact that there are people out there - wonderful human souls - who have not been loved well. Not loved too well at all. Most of us have been broken by one or more people, but most of us can also say that we know what love is because of a parent, a friend, a relative or someone who just took the time to reach out to us (and I do realize that some of us can't).
Jesus Christ was the walking, talking and dying epitome of love. He adored, forgave and covered people in love better than anyone on this earth, and it's His love that helps us go and cover (like a blanket) with love the person next to us. In every situation there must be compassion, kindness, humility, strength and discipline, basking in the undeserved love that was poured out over our lives.
Know Jesus more, one day at a time. Ask that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the Father's love. And go give it away.
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"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
I want to give people a reason to say they were loved by someone.
We must accept the fact that there are people out there - wonderful human souls - who have not been loved well. Not loved too well at all. Most of us have been broken by one or more people, but most of us can also say that we know what love is because of a parent, a friend, a relative or someone who just took the time to reach out to us (and I do realize that some of us can't).
Jesus Christ was the walking, talking and dying epitome of love. He adored, forgave and covered people in love better than anyone on this earth, and it's His love that helps us go and cover (like a blanket) with love the person next to us. In every situation there must be compassion, kindness, humility, strength and discipline, basking in the undeserved love that was poured out over our lives.
Know Jesus more, one day at a time. Ask that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you the Father's love. And go give it away.
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Thursday, September 16, 2010
184
Psalm 78:35
"Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer."
I was speaking with my sweet friend about this tonight. We were two girls on opposite sides of the world and in that moment talking about the same wonderful, brilliant friend and Lord, Jesus. He is the rock of our hearts and souls and whole beings. He is all we know and everything we are and ever hope to be, is because of Him.
It's interesting when you get to a point in your life when you've had the opportunity to do some things that you thought you really wanted to do with your life. Cool things that you feel blessed to have experienced. You get the chance to take that "dream" job where you may be really using your gifts and your strengths, or you get to know the people you thought would maybe make you feel somewhat more complete and wanted. You take the job, meet the right people, or fulfill one (or if you're lucky some) of your life long goals. Then you kind of realize that the thing you thought you really wanted to do, the places you thought you really wanted to be, and the person you thought you really wanted to become, isn't (after all) what you wanted. You catch yourself wanting something more or something else. You wake up one day and realize that it's just earthly stuff, these are all just human beings, you thought you would feel different, but it's still just me. You begin to think that you don't really know anything.
So me and my Jaynie came to the conclusion that we don't know much, (anything, really), we thought we wanted some stuff and maybe we really don't want it after all, we aren't ever going to be models, and we know that God is the only thing that we know to be true and real. He is the only thing that we want, and if God is all that we get, no frills and thrills, then He will be enough. Even though "the fairy floss and rainbows are fun" (Jaynie), we don't care anymore. We just want Him.
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"Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer."
I was speaking with my sweet friend about this tonight. We were two girls on opposite sides of the world and in that moment talking about the same wonderful, brilliant friend and Lord, Jesus. He is the rock of our hearts and souls and whole beings. He is all we know and everything we are and ever hope to be, is because of Him.
It's interesting when you get to a point in your life when you've had the opportunity to do some things that you thought you really wanted to do with your life. Cool things that you feel blessed to have experienced. You get the chance to take that "dream" job where you may be really using your gifts and your strengths, or you get to know the people you thought would maybe make you feel somewhat more complete and wanted. You take the job, meet the right people, or fulfill one (or if you're lucky some) of your life long goals. Then you kind of realize that the thing you thought you really wanted to do, the places you thought you really wanted to be, and the person you thought you really wanted to become, isn't (after all) what you wanted. You catch yourself wanting something more or something else. You wake up one day and realize that it's just earthly stuff, these are all just human beings, you thought you would feel different, but it's still just me. You begin to think that you don't really know anything.
So me and my Jaynie came to the conclusion that we don't know much, (anything, really), we thought we wanted some stuff and maybe we really don't want it after all, we aren't ever going to be models, and we know that God is the only thing that we know to be true and real. He is the only thing that we want, and if God is all that we get, no frills and thrills, then He will be enough. Even though "the fairy floss and rainbows are fun" (Jaynie), we don't care anymore. We just want Him.
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Tuesday, September 14, 2010
183
Ephesians 3:1
"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth..."
It's the divine appointments God sets throughout our days and weeks and months that make Him even more cool, kind and loving than we know He already is. I love serving a God who is so big and above it all, and also walking daily with a God who can bring it all down to focus on the tiny teeny details of our day.
I don't know why some things don't work out, and then some things seem to be divinely orchestrated. But I do know that like this verse says, there are reasons and seasons for everything that happens on this earth.
Don't be discouraged when things don't happen, but be encouraged that there are times and places just waiting for you to walk into! There is a right time for everything on this earth.
Selah
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"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth..."
It's the divine appointments God sets throughout our days and weeks and months that make Him even more cool, kind and loving than we know He already is. I love serving a God who is so big and above it all, and also walking daily with a God who can bring it all down to focus on the tiny teeny details of our day.
I don't know why some things don't work out, and then some things seem to be divinely orchestrated. But I do know that like this verse says, there are reasons and seasons for everything that happens on this earth.
Don't be discouraged when things don't happen, but be encouraged that there are times and places just waiting for you to walk into! There is a right time for everything on this earth.
Selah
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Friday, September 10, 2010
182
Matthew 2:11
"And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh..."
Read the Bible, and remember scenes like this actually happened. Close your eyes with this one and take in the blissful reality that the king had arrived as a baby, and then realize that the scene that followed had to be divine. It has to be a moment that this earth couldn't have created because it's too bizarre and beautiful and simple and chaotic and special all at the same time to be normal. Grown men - very smart grown men sought out this BABY. Think about it - a little screaming, squished-faced newborn baby! They found him nestled in a dirty and messy stable. Then they saw Him, and these grown-very-smart-men got down on their knees and worshiped Him. Maybe they were older men and their backs were bad and they had to kind of adjust to the side as they got on their knees, or maybe they had to put one hand on something to shift their weight as they got on one knee, then the other. Then they put their heads down and maybe they even wept as they realized who this child was, and (according to the prophets that had gone before them all) they realized what He would eventually do for the heart and soul of the human race.
This was an amazing moment in history. It was a moment of peace. And after all the waiting, heaven finally met earth, and Jesus the Christ arrived. You may feel like you're too old and smart and put-together to get on your hands and knees in surrender. Maybe you won't even raise your hands in the privacy of your own home as an act of worship and letting go, but I promise, if you do, you will be changed.
Selah.
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"And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh..."
Read the Bible, and remember scenes like this actually happened. Close your eyes with this one and take in the blissful reality that the king had arrived as a baby, and then realize that the scene that followed had to be divine. It has to be a moment that this earth couldn't have created because it's too bizarre and beautiful and simple and chaotic and special all at the same time to be normal. Grown men - very smart grown men sought out this BABY. Think about it - a little screaming, squished-faced newborn baby! They found him nestled in a dirty and messy stable. Then they saw Him, and these grown-very-smart-men got down on their knees and worshiped Him. Maybe they were older men and their backs were bad and they had to kind of adjust to the side as they got on their knees, or maybe they had to put one hand on something to shift their weight as they got on one knee, then the other. Then they put their heads down and maybe they even wept as they realized who this child was, and (according to the prophets that had gone before them all) they realized what He would eventually do for the heart and soul of the human race.
This was an amazing moment in history. It was a moment of peace. And after all the waiting, heaven finally met earth, and Jesus the Christ arrived. You may feel like you're too old and smart and put-together to get on your hands and knees in surrender. Maybe you won't even raise your hands in the privacy of your own home as an act of worship and letting go, but I promise, if you do, you will be changed.
Selah.
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Tuesday, September 7, 2010
181
Mark 12:33 (New King James Version)
"...And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
It's about surrender. It's about lifting up your little (or big and obnoxious) white flag to Jesus and letting go. This scripture may not fully seem like a "let go of control" verse at face value, but it gripped my heart and mind as the words sunk into my spirit. There is a fervency to this command - a fierce love and determination that doesn't allow any of ones "self" to get in the way. The love and life of this verse looks directly into the face of Jesus every day and says, "I surrender to you today- it's all or nothing.."
Let go of your own fears and pain that humanity has broken you with, and let yourself love Him with every fiber of your being. Let go of the concern that you seem too radical and search and pray for a depth of understanding of the perfect Jesus Christ that goes beyond your years and education. Let go of your composure and put-togetherness and exhaust yourself loving Him.
Every morning get up and say, "I surrender all to you today, Lord, and I will love you with all of my heart and soul and mind and strength." And walk out of your house and do it.
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"...And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
It's about surrender. It's about lifting up your little (or big and obnoxious) white flag to Jesus and letting go. This scripture may not fully seem like a "let go of control" verse at face value, but it gripped my heart and mind as the words sunk into my spirit. There is a fervency to this command - a fierce love and determination that doesn't allow any of ones "self" to get in the way. The love and life of this verse looks directly into the face of Jesus every day and says, "I surrender to you today- it's all or nothing.."
Let go of your own fears and pain that humanity has broken you with, and let yourself love Him with every fiber of your being. Let go of the concern that you seem too radical and search and pray for a depth of understanding of the perfect Jesus Christ that goes beyond your years and education. Let go of your composure and put-togetherness and exhaust yourself loving Him.
Every morning get up and say, "I surrender all to you today, Lord, and I will love you with all of my heart and soul and mind and strength." And walk out of your house and do it.
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Friday, September 3, 2010
180
Ephesians 4:2-3 (niv)
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
It's all very equal and placid when we look at humanity and the world from the eyes of this scripture. It's not really very competitive, it's not really a rat-race - it's all pretty much the Holy Spirit as the big blanket of peace over all of us, then it's clear that it's meant to be - "you go before me in all things, and I will be a servant to all."
I know we need to be peaceful and always exalt the Holy Spirit in all things (because He is everywhere and in us and all around us, and He is the perfect Holy one), but here the Bible says that we need to "make every effort" to keep unity and peace through the Holy Spirit. Push hard for peace, love over the top, bring people together, talk about the good things God is doing in the world and in the church, and stay humble - listen to others as they talk, ask questions about their heart and life.
I definitely don't do this all the time. Looking back over my week, I don't really exert all my energy within my family, circle of friends, and work place to put the Holy Spirit at the top as the main source of peace that brings us all together. This may all seem vague, but maybe throughout the day it's just saying a prayer for the ones around you (that they would be filled with life and peace and joy), doing something for them that will make them look good and bring no attention to you, maybe it's thinking before you say something to the person you love. Stay gentle (think before you speak - maybe you're in fact not right in this situation) and humble, and remember that the sweet peace of the Holy Spirit of Jesus brings us together as one. Pray for peace among your family, your friends, and your church.
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"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
It's all very equal and placid when we look at humanity and the world from the eyes of this scripture. It's not really very competitive, it's not really a rat-race - it's all pretty much the Holy Spirit as the big blanket of peace over all of us, then it's clear that it's meant to be - "you go before me in all things, and I will be a servant to all."
I know we need to be peaceful and always exalt the Holy Spirit in all things (because He is everywhere and in us and all around us, and He is the perfect Holy one), but here the Bible says that we need to "make every effort" to keep unity and peace through the Holy Spirit. Push hard for peace, love over the top, bring people together, talk about the good things God is doing in the world and in the church, and stay humble - listen to others as they talk, ask questions about their heart and life.
I definitely don't do this all the time. Looking back over my week, I don't really exert all my energy within my family, circle of friends, and work place to put the Holy Spirit at the top as the main source of peace that brings us all together. This may all seem vague, but maybe throughout the day it's just saying a prayer for the ones around you (that they would be filled with life and peace and joy), doing something for them that will make them look good and bring no attention to you, maybe it's thinking before you say something to the person you love. Stay gentle (think before you speak - maybe you're in fact not right in this situation) and humble, and remember that the sweet peace of the Holy Spirit of Jesus brings us together as one. Pray for peace among your family, your friends, and your church.
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Wednesday, September 1, 2010
179
Micah 6:8 (The Message)
"But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously — take God seriously."
Everything can be quite simple if we let it. Don't take yourself too seriously. When you start to think of yourself more often than you think of God or the souls of others around you, things get complicated, ugly and God-less. We should take ourselves (and the things that we do on a day to day basis) much less seriously than we sometimes do, and we should take our precious almighty ever-present God, king of the universe, and sweet savior of our hearts much more seriously than we (most of the time) do. We get flippant and lazy about our walk with Him and His love for us, and we find ourselves up-tight, anxious and high strung about the house being messy, what the guy from work thinks of us, and being stuck in a traffic jam. If we think about it, our minds are consumed with ourselves, our needs, our wants, our jobs, us us us too much. Way too much.
When the day to day get's serious and overwhelming (Side note: sometimes it is out of our control when things get complex and messed up. Even when we desire simplicity and purity in love, other people complicate and hurt things that could have been left alone), we must stop, open the big and beautiful Bible, and be centered again. We must see what God is actually desiring to create out of our lives.
When we feel lost, get too serious about things, and make things far too complicated, we can be brought back close to the Father's heart by this simple and perfect piece of promise: be fair and just to those around you, be compassionate to people, love with a fierce dedication (stick by people even when it's not popular or they accidentally hurt you) and don't think of yourself more importantly than God.
"But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously — take God seriously."
Everything can be quite simple if we let it. Don't take yourself too seriously. When you start to think of yourself more often than you think of God or the souls of others around you, things get complicated, ugly and God-less. We should take ourselves (and the things that we do on a day to day basis) much less seriously than we sometimes do, and we should take our precious almighty ever-present God, king of the universe, and sweet savior of our hearts much more seriously than we (most of the time) do. We get flippant and lazy about our walk with Him and His love for us, and we find ourselves up-tight, anxious and high strung about the house being messy, what the guy from work thinks of us, and being stuck in a traffic jam. If we think about it, our minds are consumed with ourselves, our needs, our wants, our jobs, us us us too much. Way too much.
When the day to day get's serious and overwhelming (Side note: sometimes it is out of our control when things get complex and messed up. Even when we desire simplicity and purity in love, other people complicate and hurt things that could have been left alone), we must stop, open the big and beautiful Bible, and be centered again. We must see what God is actually desiring to create out of our lives.
When we feel lost, get too serious about things, and make things far too complicated, we can be brought back close to the Father's heart by this simple and perfect piece of promise: be fair and just to those around you, be compassionate to people, love with a fierce dedication (stick by people even when it's not popular or they accidentally hurt you) and don't think of yourself more importantly than God.
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