Get Rid of It.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


What if I reverse the order of this verse


Christ forgave me
Forgive each other
Be kind and compassionate
Get rid of malice
Get rid of slander
Get rid of brawling
Get rid of rage
Get rid of anger
Ger rid of bitterness

Because Christ Forgave ME

Lord, cleanse my heart of any slander, rage, anger, bitterness,

and replace this with COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS, because

Christ Forgave ME

What, me WORRY?

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own

(Matthew 6:31-34


I have spent many nights worrying about things that were not really that important or I was afraid to leave in God's hands. That's not healthy for a strong Christian life.

Jesus suggests something different!

I focus my energy on seeking God.

I think a lot of  stress is really worry, and I usually worry about are the things I can't do much  about.
It's funny how I am, really; I worry most about what I can do the least about. Somehow, though, I seem to be under the impression that by obsessing over it and fretting about it, lying awake all night turning it over in my head, and driving everyone I know crazy endlessly retelling and rehashing it, I can somehow solve it.

That's why I don't like it that Jesus seems dismissive of the things that stress us. "Don't worry," he says, and being wired the way I am it's little wonder that my knee-jerk response is something along the lines of, "Yeah, right." I try to tune him out, because  he suggests is that worry is a theological problem. I worry, he claims, because the God I believe in isn't powerful enough or loving enough or concerned enough to watch over me.

Thankfully, he reminds me  the God I'm supposed to believe in is MY "heavenly Father," and that

he cares for ME!

Jesus suggests that I learn some life lessons from the birds and the grass. Neither are strong. Yet, God cares for them. The birds seem to have all they need to eat. They do what they do and live their lives, and God cares for them. 

"Are you not much more valuable to God?" Jesus asks us – who are made in his image, shaped by his hands. "Don't you think your Father in heaven will care for you at least that well?"

Instead of worry, Jesus suggests that I focus my energy on seeking God: his reign over my heart and life, his righteousness lived out in what I do and say. It's kind of a nice way, I think, of telling me to just try to do what God says and be the person he made me to be, and leave the planning to him. That's scary!.

 To live with joy and expectation and trust, instead of anxiety, worry, and gloom?

That's my prayer for a spirit filled life in Christ!

Look at my heart again
Look at the mess I've got it in
I'm trying to trust in You
To know that you'll see me through
Through my pride
Through my shame
Into Your love
Into Your grace
I'm not looking back
Till I see Your face
And I'm running straight to You
Because

All I really want to do is to fall into
The emptiness that is
The space in-between us
To break this division
All I really want to do is to fall into
The emptiness that is
The space in-between us
Erase it and bring us together again

My life's like an open book
Nothing is hidden when you look
You break through my boundaries
Revealing my insecurities
But through my pride
And through my shame
You show me love
You show me grace
I'm not looking back
Till I see your face
And I'm running straight to you
Because

Here I am saying I need you
I know I need you
Here I am, I'm coming to meet you
Cause I want to see you

Must have been written for me!

Building 429

ALWAYS

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,


ALWAYS

CONTINUALLY


ALL

Looks like there is no Plan B!


Lord,

Help me to be joyful ALWAYS


Pray CONTINUALLY


and Give THANKS in ALL Circumstances


In this way I will know I can rely and trust in you as you care for me and love me.

POWER AND LOVE

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:6-7

Some times I think that God gave me the spirit of love and Power and it was my own doing. I think the 3rd one is the telling attribute of what God gives me if I really rely on him. He gives me the self-discipline to use the first two gifts. It is the self discipline that really makes me aware that if these gifts do not come from him then there will be no self discipline. Self-discipline is something hard to see. Power and Love are very visible things others can see. Self-discipline is something that really cannot be seen by others, In order for it to happen, I must have the spirit of God in me.

God wants me to have the

The Spirit of


LOVE

POWER


But what he really wants me to exercise is the Power of Self-discipline so I know whatever ever I do I am doing with his goal in mind, NOT MINE!


Lord,

Give me a spirit of self-discipline so I may better minister in your name and really feel the power of your spirit.

Use it or Lose it

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose
or forfeit his very self?
 Luke 9:25

What I looked at during periods of my life  was seeking gain from worldly things. Not necessarily material things but things that took away from my focus on Christ and what he had in store for me. This is  not what God wants me to do. He wants me use myself for him so I do lose myself in the world.

If we lose our souls in the pursuit of things, what of lasting value have we
gained? Is it worth losing the only things that really matter, including myself?

No!

Lord, help me keep my eyes on what is truly valuable and use the other blessings in my life to bring you glory and bless those who are around me.

A S K

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8,

Jesus asks us to :

ASK

SEEK

KNOCK

Not in our own doing like we are rubbing the magic lamp waiting for our wishes to be granted.

It is the heartfelt reliance on God as we move towards him in times of decision, struggle and ministry decisions and not on our own strength.

Let me put my trust and hope in you and you make me the person you want me to be.

Let me be like Ralphie

Ralph, our dog is strange , at best. His real name is Sir Ralphsalot. On the way home from picking him up, he threw up many times on Caitlin's lap. Thankfully there was a blanket.

Ralph is alot like all of us.

Ralph is a very sensitive dog. He likes order and routine. When someone new comes to the house and heads up the steps to the porch, Ralph does not bark. He goes to the corner and shakes. He is afraid of something, not really sure what!

All you need to do is go and pick him up and tell him it will be ok. He usually calms right down as long as you hold on to him.

This is how I want to be before God,

Run to him for safety and comfort.

Lord, Help me sek you for my source of love and comfort as I look to grow more in your spirit.

Show me your heart

Slightly modified from it's original words

You, O, Lord are a holy God,
Your ways are perfect and just -
Slow to anger and abounding in love,
You have shown ME Your Father's heart.
But I, Your servant have turned from You
Resisted Your power and grace.
Taking my life into my hands,
I have stumbled and lost MY way.
So I humble myself before You.
And confess my unfaithfulness toward You.
Forgive my sin, remove my shame,
Restore the church that bears Your name,
That revival may come to this land once again.

Revival in the church starts not in some organization or in a program, it starts with me.

Loving people, helping people and showing the compassion of Christ in all I do.

Lord make me an instrument for revival in your church and you use me according to your purposes , not MINE

Compassion of Jesus

"Jesus Wept" (John 11:35)

When I reexamine the compassion of Jesus and what it means to me, I am amazed at the level of care and concern Jesus shows in all his encounters with people. In this well known story, Jesus waits 4 days to go his his dead friend Lazarus.

What is striking is what Jesus does...

If it was me, I would:

Get everyone organized;
Find out where the tomb is located;
Ask someone to put something over my mouth, because it stinks;
Ask everyone to get out of the way because a big healing was going to happen.


What Jesus did...

He wept!

He certainly knew Lazarus was dead, he knew what God was going to do through him, but he was touched by the dedication and care of those around who knew and loved Lazarus.

So...

Before he did the work of God, he emotionally connected to those around him BEFORE he did the work of God

What can I learn about the compassion of Jesus?

Even though he knew what was going to happen, he connected with those around him, and felt their pain before he did the work of God.

Help me Lord to continue to look at Jesus as the example of compassion. Let me be more compassionate in YOUR way, not mine.

Bad Attitude?

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus
Phil 2:5

This somewhat changes the game of life. How many times did I have a bad attitude, or say an unkind word, or not help someone with a Christ like attitude. Well, The answer is here. My attitude should be that of Jesus Christ. What does this mean?

More to follow...

Lord, make my attitude the SAME as you as YOU make me who you want me to be!

Amazing!

Proverbs 30:18-19

There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman

Three things mentioned in this proverbs are the Land, the Sea, and the Sky. All things God has made and are under his control. He also made women. As I try to understand the sky, the sea and the land and the great power of God, help me love Julie because God made her just as he made nature..

Except he made her to Love too!

Lord, let me be more gentle and loving as I look to you for your LOVE and guidance.

108 Steps

Each day I walk up 108 steps probably 3-5 times a day. Family court is in our building and many times there are people fighting in the elevator and it can get somewhat dangerous. Also, Probation is on the 2nd floor and has its own set of difficulties.

So, I take the steps, all 108 of them up to the 6th floor. While I am plodding along making my way to the office, I use the opportunity to pray every few steps for concerns in my extended life situations. Some times I just stop and spend a little extra time, praying for a concern or stop to take a rest. God uses this time that would otherwise be wasted thinking about myself.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

The Right Path

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight


Trusting in my own understanding is not a good idea nor one what God wants me to follow.

Too many times I trusted my knowledge and wisdom which lead to a longer path to what God really wanted to do with me.

So...

In all my ways, I need to acknowledge him, trust him and look to him for wisdom,


My path will be straight and in the right direction.

Lead me Lord, your way

Daily?

Luke 9:23

New International Version (NIV)

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

I try to exercise regularly and don't do too bad a job at it. God, also, asks me to do something everyday.

Give up myself and give it to him.

It is only when we are immersed in his presence we can really see the work on the cross and the gift that God gives us every day as we listen to him.


In giving up I am receiving,

In losing myself, I am gaining,

In relying on him, I can feel the warmth of his grace.

Lord, let me give myself up for you today.

A Hot Day

All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep (we sing)

Come Lord Jesus come
[repeat 3 times]

Holy Spirit come
[repeat 3 times]

As deep cries out to deep
[repeat 2 times


Let me thirst for you!

Abounding

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding
in love.

Psalm 103:8, New International Version


I looked up the word abounding and it basically means "you have more than you need"

I am amazed at the clearness of scripture in this passage. God is a god who can be angered. As I look back at the old testament, his anger and wrath are evident. But in this Psalm, it is said God is slow to anger. This means he is patient with me. That is a good thing!

If I got what I deserved, I would be hit by a lightning bolt and be taken away.

BUT,

He has abounding love. God is the author of grace and forgiveness. Lord, let me be more like you....

SLOW to Anger

and Abounding in LOVE

A NEW WAY

Romans 7:6

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code


Looking back is easy... but painful. I see all the unfulfilled promises, broken relationships and lingering pain.

Forever you are faithful, forever you are strong,

Looking back, I see the sin of my human desire, selfishness and the broken road to glory

Looking back, I see the desert and wasteland of hurt and self deception.

Looking back, I saw the face of Jesus and did not look him in the eyes for what I am

Looking at the eyes if Jesus, I see the reflection of my soul, created in his image.



Looking forward,

God sees....

A new WAY in me, crafted by HIM.

Forever your are faithful, forever you are strong,

FOREVER,

Whatever...

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him
(Colossians3:17 TNIV).

Whatever, is a common phrase used in the English language as a dismissive form to put someone off or to just ignore what they are saying.

What a contrast to the "whatever" God tells us about in Colossians.

God speaks of the , "whatever" as all that we do and say should be done in the name of Jesus.

I pray that God will be with me in my interactions so the "Whatever" is done in his name.

A Gift

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32


In reading " No Man is an Island", I can only do this by looking at others through the eyes of God and gain the understanding of who they are through "HIS" eyes, not mine.  My filter is one that conforms to my desires and wishes. Looking at others through his eyes, allows me to to look deeper to see the image of God made in that person.

Lord,  Open my eyes so I can see your face and look at others through you!

Pay it FORWARD

When someone does you a big favor, don't pay it back … Pay It Forward.

This was the premise of a 2000 movie , "Pay it Forward" It was about a 12 year old boy who was given a project by his social studies teacher to change the world. I really need to watch this movie again.

Scripture has a more power example of what it means to "Pay it Forward"

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all
things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in
every good work.
-- 2 Corinthians 9:8


God has freely given us his grace, even though we don't deserve it. What a gift!

It demonstrates how I need to let God use me as his servant, not for my own purposes but for his good works and build relationships that show the grace of God at work.

Pay it Forward, God's way!

An Uplifting Experience

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord (echo)
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord (echo)
And He shall lift you up
Higher and higher
and He Shall lift you up

So I will humble myself in the sight of the Lord (echo)
Humble myself in the sight of the Lord (echo)
And He shall lift me up
Higher and higher
and He Shall lift me up

So I will humble myself in the sight of You, Lord (echo
Humble myself in the sight of You, Lord (echo)
And You will lift me up
Higher and higher
And You will lift me up

Yesterday in Church, I was distracted and was having trouble focusing until we got to the praise songs.

God showed me how to lift myself up, I need to humble myself. But not humble myself for my own needs and desires but the desires of my heart, changed and molded by God.

If I do this, I will be lifted up as I humble myself.

An HE will lift me up!

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love

Maintaining Joy

Verses for meditation and memorization this week.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you

(John 15:10-12 NIV).


If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves

(Philippians 2:1-3)

When I surrender my will to His, get rid of my ego, sacrifice for the good of others, welcome God's presence into my life, and express my love to others, the Scriptures promise that our joy can be complete. I can experience this by giving my life to Him completely. 

Joy is His promise to us

Give it all up

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

Philippians 3:8

I pray that God would keep my eye on the prize, Jesus Christ!

Where is our hope?

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose


Let that verse sink in...ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, to them that LOVE GOD and to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Do I believe this? As one who follows Jesus Christ, all things work together for good. Am I the called according to His purpose? I serve the Lord and the best place I can be is in the center of His will. God works all things out for our good. Trust in the Lord! Believe His promises in His Word. The Lord will never fail.

Through the eyes of God

Thomas Merton, in "No Man is an Island" says,

The closer we are to God the closer we are to those who are close to him. We can come to understand others only by loving him who understands them from within the depths of their own being. Otherwise we know them only by the surmises that are formed within the mirror of our own soul.

To see through the Eyes of God is to see humanity as Christ sees humanity. With unconditional love.

In order to see with the Eyes of God, we first have to see God.

And when I understand how God sees me, I can look at all my relationships and fully understand what God sees in each and every one of them.

“ For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” -1 Samuel 16: 7

The Sharpening Stone

Sharpening a knife with a stone is a unique process. You start with a rough stone to get out the imperfections and get to a flat and level surface. Next you proceed to a medium stone to put the bevel on the knife. The third stone is the honing stone. You add a few drops of oil and hone the edge with slow strokes to get the best possible edge. It takes a long time to get a good edge.

This is what our Christian friends should be in our life. Help us take out the rough edges and be with us as God hones us just the way he wants us to be.

Thanks to a good friend for last night.

May I be a good Christian friend and allow myself to be "honed" by God.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17

Amazing Grace

After a tough weekend, God came to the rescue again just with a simple word, GRACE. No matter how many times I fall, I can get back up again with God's grace. Seems really simple. He rescues us from our insecurities, our in inadequacies, and incompetence,

He rescues us from ourselves!


Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Eph 2:

For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you;

it is the gift of God

Good thing I have nothing to do with it!

In Who Do We Trust

Yesterday I was working at a raffle table for the Backstretch organization and I had a good deal of money as ticket sales were brisk for the SMART car we had for a prize. I was counting the money at the end of the day and realized how many times a day people, including me, look at the back of a dollar bill, a twenty or a fifty, or a hundred and look at the words:


"In God WE Trust"

This is not something we even notice as we carry out our day to day business.

What if every time we took out a bill, we looked at it , turned it over and read and meditated on:

"In God We Trust"

What would happen if everyone in the country did this every time. God certainly would be honored if the God we honored was the God and Savior, Jesus.

What would happen if I did the same every time....

In times of Joy...

And Times of Sorrow

"On mine arm shall they trust." 
             -- Isaiah 51:5


May I put my trust in God minute by minute