Mark 6:7 (the message)
"Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition..."
Jesus will give you who you need. Jesus will give you what you need. Jesus picked the guys he knew would be slightly crazy enough to get to know Him and believe in Him, and passionate enough to risk their lives, jobs, reputation and relationships to take His message of hope and love to the broken world. When He picked these extremely earthy yet extraordinary men to do this, even then, He knew that they couldn't do it alone. He sent them out in pairs. He gave them one another because He knew that life and love and facing the devil every day cannot be done alone.
No matter how you find yourself dealing with "evil opposition" out there (because we all are in one way or another), you can't do it alone. Don't do it alone. Do it in twos or threes or fours... but don't do it by yourself. You need someone or sometwo to help you do what you've been put on earth to do. Be it a spouse, a best friend, a relative, a pastor or a distant pen pal, you need people.
Don't be alone; life is way more fun in pairs.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
203
2 Corinthians 12:9 (the message)
"My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."
God's grace is probably the most beautiful and powerful force in your life. With a fierce loyalty, she is behind you, holding you in the day to day of living and surviving this life. And more present than you can imagine. Maybe we don't realize grace's magnitude or the reality of her holding us together every moment of the day. If we didn't have God's constant and perfect presence, which He divinely designs for the situation we are facing, I'm sure as I can be that our minds and bodies would break under the pressure and heartache we experience and watch on this earth.
And it comes in all shapes and forms. I think that God sends us grace however He can get it to us. Sometimes He sends us very large doses of His grace in human form. They hold us and save us on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. God is kind and sends them (husband/friend/parent) to us when we need them at the exact right time. He may send us a stranger to give us a word of encouragement or even just a smile on a crummy day; He may drop a scripture into you heart, one that you hadn't thought of in a while, and it may just save the day for you. However God's grace gets to you, receive it, immerse yourself in it and relish the treasure that you have been so lavishly and wonderfully given. And don't worry; every morning ask God for His wonderful grace and it will get from heaven to you in an instant; it will get you through each moment of your day.
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"My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."
God's grace is probably the most beautiful and powerful force in your life. With a fierce loyalty, she is behind you, holding you in the day to day of living and surviving this life. And more present than you can imagine. Maybe we don't realize grace's magnitude or the reality of her holding us together every moment of the day. If we didn't have God's constant and perfect presence, which He divinely designs for the situation we are facing, I'm sure as I can be that our minds and bodies would break under the pressure and heartache we experience and watch on this earth.
And it comes in all shapes and forms. I think that God sends us grace however He can get it to us. Sometimes He sends us very large doses of His grace in human form. They hold us and save us on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. God is kind and sends them (husband/friend/parent) to us when we need them at the exact right time. He may send us a stranger to give us a word of encouragement or even just a smile on a crummy day; He may drop a scripture into you heart, one that you hadn't thought of in a while, and it may just save the day for you. However God's grace gets to you, receive it, immerse yourself in it and relish the treasure that you have been so lavishly and wonderfully given. And don't worry; every morning ask God for His wonderful grace and it will get from heaven to you in an instant; it will get you through each moment of your day.
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Monday, November 22, 2010
202
Psalm 37: 34 (the message)
"Wait passionately for God, don't leave the path..."
The waiting is the hardest part (oh so true, Tom Petty) - it really is. "Waiting" is a law of God and we can't run from it. Sometimes this life gives us things quite instantaneously and sometimes even God does a quick work if that's what it takes. But I have come to learn in my short life that with God, waiting is one of the key ingredients in His promises. We have to wait for the baby to bake, the sun to rise again, the paint to dry, the photo to develop, the medicine to kick in, the song to be written, the promises of God to be fulfilled in our lives.
Read read read Psalm 37 - the law of waiting is written all over it: "trust in the Lord...for they shall SOON be cut down...He SHALL bring it to pass...but those who wait on the Lord, they SHALL inherit the earth...wait patiently for Him...wait on the Lord...he SHALL exalt you..." there is a lot more language like that in that tiny piece of Bible. And what beautiful and tormenting language Eugene Peterson translates in The Message: "Wait PASSIONATELY for God." It's like balancing the tension of trust and control where you're consciously abandoned to God yet doing everything you can to push toward what He has called you to do.
Keep waiting. Keep working. And keep waiting.
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"Wait passionately for God, don't leave the path..."
The waiting is the hardest part (oh so true, Tom Petty) - it really is. "Waiting" is a law of God and we can't run from it. Sometimes this life gives us things quite instantaneously and sometimes even God does a quick work if that's what it takes. But I have come to learn in my short life that with God, waiting is one of the key ingredients in His promises. We have to wait for the baby to bake, the sun to rise again, the paint to dry, the photo to develop, the medicine to kick in, the song to be written, the promises of God to be fulfilled in our lives.
Read read read Psalm 37 - the law of waiting is written all over it: "trust in the Lord...for they shall SOON be cut down...He SHALL bring it to pass...but those who wait on the Lord, they SHALL inherit the earth...wait patiently for Him...wait on the Lord...he SHALL exalt you..." there is a lot more language like that in that tiny piece of Bible. And what beautiful and tormenting language Eugene Peterson translates in The Message: "Wait PASSIONATELY for God." It's like balancing the tension of trust and control where you're consciously abandoned to God yet doing everything you can to push toward what He has called you to do.
Keep waiting. Keep working. And keep waiting.
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010
201
Joshua 1:7 (nkjv)
"Only be strong and very courageous..."
I have so many friends I am extremely proud to know and simply love to be around. Whether they have built their own business', become awesome parents, decided to chase their dreams in the arts, or daily sow into the industry they find themselves in for this season of their lives, they are moving forward and being all that they feel like they can be and not letting the state of the world and the odds of success for our generation scare them out of trying.
God told Joshua to go and take the land that was promised to him and his people. God promised that every place Joshua put his feet would be his. Joshua had been promised from God to be prosperous and successful, but He had to go in, fight some kings and beat the odds against him. He wasn't too afraid to go. God had awesome things for Joshua, and He has called you to do some incredible stuff as well. He has called you to ownership in whatever you're doing. Be strong and brave and courageous in your family, your work, your relationships; own the territory where He has sent you. There is a calling over your life, and there is something for you to do right here and right now and tomorrow and the next day and next month and next year. Today and always, He is with you. Sometimes He will take you through the fire to refine your insides so you become who you need to be, and other seasons you will reap the years of sowing sowing sowing... Either way, He is with you so don't be afraid. Be strong. Everyday. Wake up, face what you have to face, and do it with everything in you. Take it all, it's yours.
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"Only be strong and very courageous..."
I have so many friends I am extremely proud to know and simply love to be around. Whether they have built their own business', become awesome parents, decided to chase their dreams in the arts, or daily sow into the industry they find themselves in for this season of their lives, they are moving forward and being all that they feel like they can be and not letting the state of the world and the odds of success for our generation scare them out of trying.
God told Joshua to go and take the land that was promised to him and his people. God promised that every place Joshua put his feet would be his. Joshua had been promised from God to be prosperous and successful, but He had to go in, fight some kings and beat the odds against him. He wasn't too afraid to go. God had awesome things for Joshua, and He has called you to do some incredible stuff as well. He has called you to ownership in whatever you're doing. Be strong and brave and courageous in your family, your work, your relationships; own the territory where He has sent you. There is a calling over your life, and there is something for you to do right here and right now and tomorrow and the next day and next month and next year. Today and always, He is with you. Sometimes He will take you through the fire to refine your insides so you become who you need to be, and other seasons you will reap the years of sowing sowing sowing... Either way, He is with you so don't be afraid. Be strong. Everyday. Wake up, face what you have to face, and do it with everything in you. Take it all, it's yours.
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Sunday, November 7, 2010
200
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
Place Your Life Before God
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Probably the most powerful remedy to cure a little bit of self-indulgent-pity-party is to put yourself out there far far far away from your cozy comfort zone to help out others. Sometimes when you feel that your life is lacking in areas you think you should be abundant in, or there are things you are disappointed about, or you think you're entitled to something you don't have, it's easy to get extremely inward focused. It then becomes all about self self self and the terrible self-destructive downward spiral begins... and it gets ugly. It gets ugly because it's so horribly self centered making it hard to find the heart of Jesus for the world and for others because you're only really thinking about yourself and your own needs.
Go get out there and pick up someones kids from school if they can't do it; rake someone's leaves when they're too sick to take care of it themselves; make someone a meal; take a lonely soul out for a cup of coffee. Keep it simple and practical, but get your hands dirty helping people and I promise it will cure your self-pity-party in about five minutes. You will be changed for the better. He will always take care of you so go and take care of others.
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Place Your Life Before God
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Probably the most powerful remedy to cure a little bit of self-indulgent-pity-party is to put yourself out there far far far away from your cozy comfort zone to help out others. Sometimes when you feel that your life is lacking in areas you think you should be abundant in, or there are things you are disappointed about, or you think you're entitled to something you don't have, it's easy to get extremely inward focused. It then becomes all about self self self and the terrible self-destructive downward spiral begins... and it gets ugly. It gets ugly because it's so horribly self centered making it hard to find the heart of Jesus for the world and for others because you're only really thinking about yourself and your own needs.
Go get out there and pick up someones kids from school if they can't do it; rake someone's leaves when they're too sick to take care of it themselves; make someone a meal; take a lonely soul out for a cup of coffee. Keep it simple and practical, but get your hands dirty helping people and I promise it will cure your self-pity-party in about five minutes. You will be changed for the better. He will always take care of you so go and take care of others.
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Tuesday, November 2, 2010
199
Psalm 31:3 (New King James Version)
"For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me."
Most mornings we wake up, get dressed, plan the day, walk out the door, and go about our business. Sometimes the plans we had for the day unfold without a glitch, and other days the things we thought we would accomplish are no where in sight. And I think that's the beauty of walking with the Holy Spirit on day-to-day moment-by-moment basis: we have the privilege of walking with and listening to God speak to us throughout our day.
This morning I started my day praying that God would order my steps and give me "divine appointments" throughout my day. Honestly, when I prayed it, I was praying in regards to my job as my work depends a lot on meeting random people who get the vision of the organization I work with, and then decide they want to be a part of it. And my "divine appointment" came on a lunch break in a cafe (out of town), where I would bump into a good friend also out of town with work and have a conversation that was just what we both needed in this season of our families' lives. I walked away knowing that God really does order our steps and that it didn't come in regards to what I was expecting, but it certainly did come.
Let the Holy Spirit into the mundane-ness of the minutes and hours of your day, be on the look out for the people who need you, or those who you need - you never know where there is something divine and powerful hiding.
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"For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me."
Most mornings we wake up, get dressed, plan the day, walk out the door, and go about our business. Sometimes the plans we had for the day unfold without a glitch, and other days the things we thought we would accomplish are no where in sight. And I think that's the beauty of walking with the Holy Spirit on day-to-day moment-by-moment basis: we have the privilege of walking with and listening to God speak to us throughout our day.
This morning I started my day praying that God would order my steps and give me "divine appointments" throughout my day. Honestly, when I prayed it, I was praying in regards to my job as my work depends a lot on meeting random people who get the vision of the organization I work with, and then decide they want to be a part of it. And my "divine appointment" came on a lunch break in a cafe (out of town), where I would bump into a good friend also out of town with work and have a conversation that was just what we both needed in this season of our families' lives. I walked away knowing that God really does order our steps and that it didn't come in regards to what I was expecting, but it certainly did come.
Let the Holy Spirit into the mundane-ness of the minutes and hours of your day, be on the look out for the people who need you, or those who you need - you never know where there is something divine and powerful hiding.
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