Romans 8: 5,6,9,14.
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace... But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
So walking with Jesus has to be more than a moral nudging about what is right and wrong. It has to be more than Sunday at church and doing good things for people. Because those without Jesus can also do good things for people and go to church. It has got to come down to a moment by moment relationship with His Holy Spirit... about taking time throughout your day to still your mind and body and listen for what He is prompting you to do and say next. It has to be more than a one way conversation at prayer time where we say all the stuff we're worried about and need help with. We can't just hang up the phone and not listen for the response and what action to take or not to take. Prayer is not just about asking for what you want. Prayer is your relationship with God. Prayer is like talking to your spouse or parent or friend. It's the act of being 'one' with Jesus and knowing Him. Prayer is a state of living.
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
220//stop thinking about yourself//
Philippians 1:3,4 (the message)
"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart."
I must say this over and over until it sinks into my thick skull. My life isn't always about me... it's not about me...it's not about me... it's not about me. The day to day to day to day isn't just about what God is doing in my life. I always think about myself. And then I think about myself more. Sometimes I'm so sick of the sound of my own thoughts and life that I want to scream. I am always thinking about this season of my life and what God is doing in ME and for ME, but I rarely think about what He is doing THROUGH me - through me for someone else who may need me in this moment of time. It's a shocking thought that maybe God has more for you to do here than just take care of you and your needs and your emotions and your career and your stuff.
And the beautiful magnificent truth is, you don't have to always be thinking about you because that's God's job. God is honestly always thinking about you, obsessed with thoughts of you and your beauty, and loving every fiber of your being. He is thinking of how He can use you, make you full of joy and make your life shine. The Bible says (Romans 8:34) that Jesus is seated beside His Father, God, praying for you non-stop. For once, stop thinking of yourself and go help someone, talk to someone and listen to things about their life. Relax.
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"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart."
I must say this over and over until it sinks into my thick skull. My life isn't always about me... it's not about me...it's not about me... it's not about me. The day to day to day to day isn't just about what God is doing in my life. I always think about myself. And then I think about myself more. Sometimes I'm so sick of the sound of my own thoughts and life that I want to scream. I am always thinking about this season of my life and what God is doing in ME and for ME, but I rarely think about what He is doing THROUGH me - through me for someone else who may need me in this moment of time. It's a shocking thought that maybe God has more for you to do here than just take care of you and your needs and your emotions and your career and your stuff.
And the beautiful magnificent truth is, you don't have to always be thinking about you because that's God's job. God is honestly always thinking about you, obsessed with thoughts of you and your beauty, and loving every fiber of your being. He is thinking of how He can use you, make you full of joy and make your life shine. The Bible says (Romans 8:34) that Jesus is seated beside His Father, God, praying for you non-stop. For once, stop thinking of yourself and go help someone, talk to someone and listen to things about their life. Relax.
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Thursday, February 3, 2011
219//it is well//
2 Kings 4:26
"...Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”And she answered, “It is well.”
This is a story faith, courage and hope. It follows the lives of two faithful gems of the Old Testament, Elisha (one of God's incredible prophets and servants) and a certain older women from the village of Shunem.
The story goes that she was a notable women who, along with her older husband, loved and served the man of God (Elisha) so much so that she convinced her husband to add a room onto their home so when he was in town he had a place to stay. Throughout this time, Elisha had prophesied that she and her husband would have a son. Eventually, it came to pass. And at a ripe old age, God blessed them with their first and only son.
And now their darling son had died and she had to move fast. Facing this disaster, tragedy and loss, she held a strong and steady spirit of faith and peace. "It is well," was all she said to those who asked. She had to get the man of God, Elisha, to her son, the whole time declaring, "it is well." I want this woman's all-in-one faith and peace. Placing her son on the man of God's bed (the one in their home) she ran ran ran as fast as she could to get to the man of God's side, still declaring, "it is well" to all who asked, and maybe even to herself. Not once did she waver in her peace and faith..."It is well" was her mantra. She made it to Elisha and begged him to come to her son's side. She knew the power of His almighty God could fix her problem and she would not take no for an answer. "It is well" was all she had to say.
I don't know if she actually felt "well" in her soul, or if she felt the most fear and dread she had ever felt in her entire life. Perhaps she was actually just being strong and faithful because that's all she could do. Who knows? Sometimes, it's just by God's grace that it is well with our insides, and other times you may feel it. It turns out, the Shunammite woman's boy was brought back to life by their faith. I don't know how your story will end or how it has already turned out, but throughout the course of your life when things are in shambles..."it is well." Either loudly from the mountain tops or a whisper in your bedroom, however you feel in the midst of your pain and heartbreak..."it is well." Amen.
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"...Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”And she answered, “It is well.”
This is a story faith, courage and hope. It follows the lives of two faithful gems of the Old Testament, Elisha (one of God's incredible prophets and servants) and a certain older women from the village of Shunem.
The story goes that she was a notable women who, along with her older husband, loved and served the man of God (Elisha) so much so that she convinced her husband to add a room onto their home so when he was in town he had a place to stay. Throughout this time, Elisha had prophesied that she and her husband would have a son. Eventually, it came to pass. And at a ripe old age, God blessed them with their first and only son.
And now their darling son had died and she had to move fast. Facing this disaster, tragedy and loss, she held a strong and steady spirit of faith and peace. "It is well," was all she said to those who asked. She had to get the man of God, Elisha, to her son, the whole time declaring, "it is well." I want this woman's all-in-one faith and peace. Placing her son on the man of God's bed (the one in their home) she ran ran ran as fast as she could to get to the man of God's side, still declaring, "it is well" to all who asked, and maybe even to herself. Not once did she waver in her peace and faith..."It is well" was her mantra. She made it to Elisha and begged him to come to her son's side. She knew the power of His almighty God could fix her problem and she would not take no for an answer. "It is well" was all she had to say.
I don't know if she actually felt "well" in her soul, or if she felt the most fear and dread she had ever felt in her entire life. Perhaps she was actually just being strong and faithful because that's all she could do. Who knows? Sometimes, it's just by God's grace that it is well with our insides, and other times you may feel it. It turns out, the Shunammite woman's boy was brought back to life by their faith. I don't know how your story will end or how it has already turned out, but throughout the course of your life when things are in shambles..."it is well." Either loudly from the mountain tops or a whisper in your bedroom, however you feel in the midst of your pain and heartbreak..."it is well." Amen.
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
218//true friends//
Proverbs 18:24 (The Message)
"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family."
It's true. Do you have friends like this? Is there anyone in your life where the water is equal to or even thicker than the blood? Given the nature of the world, these special friends are hard to come by and even harder to keep close by. My one piece of advice in a world where families are breaking down at a rapid rate and the loss of power and money causes people to jump off buildings, is to cherish these people who love you with all of their hearts. Pray that you find them, and once you have found them, don't let them go. Work hard and invest your time and heart and resources into these peoples' lives. Love them well - show them how much you love them and don't want them to go anywhere. Love them with a selfless love that expresses how much above all you want them to be happy, and things to work out for them.
People walk in, set up shop in your heart, and then unfortunately, sometimes they walk out. But don't let the ones who have walked out on you ruin it for the rest of the good ones who aren't planning on going anywhere. I guess this goes for all sorts of love and loss (spouses, friends, business partners...). Keep your heart soft and inviting for the friends who will stick by you like family. And more importantly-times-a-million, keep letting Jesus in... every day. While on earth He was a companion, help and good company to the guys and gals who followed Him, supported Him and believed in Him. He loved them and made things different by taking their Messiah and turning Him into a friend. It was a foreign concept to them at the time, but it was the beginning of the revolution.
He is the ultimate selfless friend who prays for you, is beside you and in your corner always - with you when absolutely no one else is. Your best friend should always be Jesus ... and He will then send you friends who stick close to you like a good family.
Pray for these friends, be generous towards them. Look after them, they are precious.
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"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family."
It's true. Do you have friends like this? Is there anyone in your life where the water is equal to or even thicker than the blood? Given the nature of the world, these special friends are hard to come by and even harder to keep close by. My one piece of advice in a world where families are breaking down at a rapid rate and the loss of power and money causes people to jump off buildings, is to cherish these people who love you with all of their hearts. Pray that you find them, and once you have found them, don't let them go. Work hard and invest your time and heart and resources into these peoples' lives. Love them well - show them how much you love them and don't want them to go anywhere. Love them with a selfless love that expresses how much above all you want them to be happy, and things to work out for them.
People walk in, set up shop in your heart, and then unfortunately, sometimes they walk out. But don't let the ones who have walked out on you ruin it for the rest of the good ones who aren't planning on going anywhere. I guess this goes for all sorts of love and loss (spouses, friends, business partners...). Keep your heart soft and inviting for the friends who will stick by you like family. And more importantly-times-a-million, keep letting Jesus in... every day. While on earth He was a companion, help and good company to the guys and gals who followed Him, supported Him and believed in Him. He loved them and made things different by taking their Messiah and turning Him into a friend. It was a foreign concept to them at the time, but it was the beginning of the revolution.
He is the ultimate selfless friend who prays for you, is beside you and in your corner always - with you when absolutely no one else is. Your best friend should always be Jesus ... and He will then send you friends who stick close to you like a good family.
Pray for these friends, be generous towards them. Look after them, they are precious.
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
217//the same//
Hebrews 13:8 (the message)
"For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself."
There are times in life when the emotions are flying high in your love for Jesus and nothing can get in the way of your relationship with Him. You're excited, you feel His presence and the sense of hope you have for the future is tangible... fireworks and cupcakes all the time!
And then the fireworks are over, and everyone ate all the cupcakes. You find yourself in dark and boring situations. You know He is there, you certainly don't love Him any less deep down, but things are different and you know it. Life circumstances may have changed, things aren't working like they used to and maybe you can't put your finger on it.
This is when your walk-by-faith-not-by-sight kinda faith must kick in. This is when you get in your bedroom or some peaceful place where you can be alone, or outside under the stars at the calm of midnight and pray. Then you believe that He doesn't change, has never changed and will never change in the way He loves you. He has loved you since the beginning of time and He still loves you. His love for you has not grown dim (probably even gotten more beautiful and intense), He has not changed His mind about the hope and plans He has for your life, and He is still Lord of Lords and King of Kings...every knee will bow one day and every tongue will confess His precious and holy name.
His perfect love and character and nature doesn't change and will never die... the world changes, life changes, things break, doors open, dreams come true, people change their minds. His character cannot stop loving you. Remain true to Him the whole way Home.
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"For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself."
There are times in life when the emotions are flying high in your love for Jesus and nothing can get in the way of your relationship with Him. You're excited, you feel His presence and the sense of hope you have for the future is tangible... fireworks and cupcakes all the time!
And then the fireworks are over, and everyone ate all the cupcakes. You find yourself in dark and boring situations. You know He is there, you certainly don't love Him any less deep down, but things are different and you know it. Life circumstances may have changed, things aren't working like they used to and maybe you can't put your finger on it.
This is when your walk-by-faith-not-by-sight kinda faith must kick in. This is when you get in your bedroom or some peaceful place where you can be alone, or outside under the stars at the calm of midnight and pray. Then you believe that He doesn't change, has never changed and will never change in the way He loves you. He has loved you since the beginning of time and He still loves you. His love for you has not grown dim (probably even gotten more beautiful and intense), He has not changed His mind about the hope and plans He has for your life, and He is still Lord of Lords and King of Kings...every knee will bow one day and every tongue will confess His precious and holy name.
His perfect love and character and nature doesn't change and will never die... the world changes, life changes, things break, doors open, dreams come true, people change their minds. His character cannot stop loving you. Remain true to Him the whole way Home.
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
216//love//
Psalm 90:14 (the message)
"Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long."
It all boils down to the love of God toward us. It's got to be the bottom line of our faith, our devotion to Him, and all that is important and worth living for on this earth. Why else would we do what we do? If we didn't do this thing because we knew how much He loved us, following after Jesus, our spirituality, would in some ways be weird and pointless. God's love has to be the thing that gets us out of bed each day for the pursuit of bringing His beautiful kingdom to this earth. It must be His undying love, and His love alone that primarily drives us to action on this earth. Because when you love someone and you know how much that someone loves you back, there is nothing more delightful, satisfying and beautiful than making that someone (who loves you and is proud of you and would die for you) happy.
But it's got to be more than simply knowing of His love in our heads...it's got to get down into where we feeeeeel it. It's got to be more than words and actions. I think at some point, it must be a feeling. Some may disagree with me, others may not. But if it is meant to be a real deal "relationship" with God (supposedly the only true and perfect relationship we can utterly rely on), every now and then we have to have those sublime, surreal moments. Those moments when God's love makes your heart beat a little faster, the smile on your face is hard to wipe off and makes you happy knowing someone loves you.
For today, think about someone on earth who loves you a whole lot.. and His love can't even be compared to that person's love for you. Take a few minutes and THINK, MEDITATE on His love for you. As you do, pray the scripture above ...surprise me with your love early in the morning so I can be happy and joyful for the rest of the day.
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"Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip and dance all the day long."
It all boils down to the love of God toward us. It's got to be the bottom line of our faith, our devotion to Him, and all that is important and worth living for on this earth. Why else would we do what we do? If we didn't do this thing because we knew how much He loved us, following after Jesus, our spirituality, would in some ways be weird and pointless. God's love has to be the thing that gets us out of bed each day for the pursuit of bringing His beautiful kingdom to this earth. It must be His undying love, and His love alone that primarily drives us to action on this earth. Because when you love someone and you know how much that someone loves you back, there is nothing more delightful, satisfying and beautiful than making that someone (who loves you and is proud of you and would die for you) happy.
But it's got to be more than simply knowing of His love in our heads...it's got to get down into where we feeeeeel it. It's got to be more than words and actions. I think at some point, it must be a feeling. Some may disagree with me, others may not. But if it is meant to be a real deal "relationship" with God (supposedly the only true and perfect relationship we can utterly rely on), every now and then we have to have those sublime, surreal moments. Those moments when God's love makes your heart beat a little faster, the smile on your face is hard to wipe off and makes you happy knowing someone loves you.
For today, think about someone on earth who loves you a whole lot.. and His love can't even be compared to that person's love for you. Take a few minutes and THINK, MEDITATE on His love for you. As you do, pray the scripture above ...surprise me with your love early in the morning so I can be happy and joyful for the rest of the day.
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Monday, January 17, 2011
215//be ready//
Isaiah 43:16-19 (the message)
"This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves ... "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands..."
What freshness and hope that floods our souls and minds when we read this miracle word. Maybe there isn't even too much to elaborate on with this beauty, but rather much to meditate on as we try to comprehend our precious Father. This is our perfect and beautiful God: the One who makes a way when there is no way in sight. The God who sees your situation and breathes fresh life into it when it seems like all hope is gone. The God who isn't satisfied for you to be doing the same stuff over and over again, but wants something more for you (and thinks you can handle something more, bigger, better, more cost etc. etc.).
And the advice we get is to be alert and to be present. Present in today. We must know where we have come from, and at the same time (even more so), ready in the here and now for what is to come. He is about to do something brand-new and something wonderful in your heart and life. We must not get caught up relishing in the goodness of an era gone by (although memories and good old times are wonderful and necessary for the heart and soul), but we must always be moving forward and ready for the next new exciting thing God wants to do in our families, our work place, our art, our churches and our community. He is so good, and He is always evolving our insides and making us perfect. Keep growing and desiring to change and be a better person. You will need it for what God wants to do in your life. Start making a list of the things you want and need God's new, divine life in, think about the history of your life and what part of it you give too much of your mind to. He creates roads in the most deadest of deadest ends, He brings life into death, and He brings something new to the old areas of your life. Be alert, be present. Don't fall behind, be ready.
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"This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves ... "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands..."
What freshness and hope that floods our souls and minds when we read this miracle word. Maybe there isn't even too much to elaborate on with this beauty, but rather much to meditate on as we try to comprehend our precious Father. This is our perfect and beautiful God: the One who makes a way when there is no way in sight. The God who sees your situation and breathes fresh life into it when it seems like all hope is gone. The God who isn't satisfied for you to be doing the same stuff over and over again, but wants something more for you (and thinks you can handle something more, bigger, better, more cost etc. etc.).
And the advice we get is to be alert and to be present. Present in today. We must know where we have come from, and at the same time (even more so), ready in the here and now for what is to come. He is about to do something brand-new and something wonderful in your heart and life. We must not get caught up relishing in the goodness of an era gone by (although memories and good old times are wonderful and necessary for the heart and soul), but we must always be moving forward and ready for the next new exciting thing God wants to do in our families, our work place, our art, our churches and our community. He is so good, and He is always evolving our insides and making us perfect. Keep growing and desiring to change and be a better person. You will need it for what God wants to do in your life. Start making a list of the things you want and need God's new, divine life in, think about the history of your life and what part of it you give too much of your mind to. He creates roads in the most deadest of deadest ends, He brings life into death, and He brings something new to the old areas of your life. Be alert, be present. Don't fall behind, be ready.
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