We have lots of different kinds of fear... Fear of the unknown, fear of a new place, fear of new people, fear of God...
The last one though is the most prevalent! I don't think we have the fear of God we need in our lives. I don't think we understand what this means to have a fear of God. We think of fear in negative terms, but its not. It's being in awe at an amazing God that has the power of life and death!
I was reading a book about Rahab and it really shook me...she didn't know God, she didn't see the miracles he preformed like the Israelites did. All she knew was what she heard about Him and yet she had a fear of God. Not until she saw Jericho crumble and her life sparred did she see the mightiness of the God of the Israelites. She had faith that many people did not understand....She had a fear of the Lord that no fear of men could overcome!
And it shakes me because here I sit, and think do i have a fear of God...or am i more scared of what that person may say about me, or what would happen if...
But when you live in fear of man, you are not allowing God to write your destiny, you are not allowing him to use you.
I challenge you, this week...find what it means to fear God, move out of your comfort zone and allow him in to search your heart and make changes in your life! Allow him to use you to reach others, to go and make disciples!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
You are Gods ugly duckling!
I read an article this week commenting on the "fact" that all newborns are ugly. That is to everyone except for the newborns parents, of course. No matter how cradle cap, baby acne, chubby,drooly or bald YOUR baby is.... he/she is YOUR baby and your love for them is hard to put into words! When my sweet baby Joshy was born he was prefect from the start and no one could/would tell me or my husband different :)
God feels the same about us! He is not naive to our flaws, instead he made a wonderful plan, an ultimate sacrifice to bring us closer to Him once again.
God doesn't look down from Heaven and see a lump of people, he sees YOU!
Hebrews 10:14 NIV
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Can you view yourself as Gods precious newborn?
God feels the same about us! He is not naive to our flaws, instead he made a wonderful plan, an ultimate sacrifice to bring us closer to Him once again.
God doesn't look down from Heaven and see a lump of people, he sees YOU!
Hebrews 10:14 NIV
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Can you view yourself as Gods precious newborn?
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Future Glory
Lately I have been easily discouraged about my present situations...I try to stay positive and take my thoughts captive #lifegroup And as we all know this is harder then it sounds!
So, I wanted to share what God has been teaching me through this time.
Romans 8 talks about living in the Spirit, it shows us that our present state is not worth comparing to the future glory ahead of us. We share in the sufferings that we may also share in HIS GLORY. There is nothing that could be worth more. And God works for the good of those who love him.
Ecclesiastes 3 A time for everything-
vs 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
vs 22 ...For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Isaiah 55:9 As the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my ways higher then your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Everything has a season... every trial we face has a season, it comes and it goes. What is important is how we face that trial, what our attitude is like in our suffering.
Whenever I start to get discouraged I think about my future Glory, HIS Glory and I am encouraged. His will for me is far better then my plan. It is a part of life to have trials and sufferings, and I need to use it as a time to learn, to grow deeper in him, it then becomes easier for me to trust him to lean on him.
I pray that you too are encouraged and that you can run to a lovely amazing Father who is ready to take on your every need! His arms are open as he waits patiently for us to turn from our plans and run to him!
Whenever I start to get discouraged I think about my future Glory, HIS Glory and I am encouraged. His will for me is far better then my plan. It is a part of life to have trials and sufferings, and I need to use it as a time to learn, to grow deeper in him, it then becomes easier for me to trust him to lean on him.
I pray that you too are encouraged and that you can run to a lovely amazing Father who is ready to take on your every need! His arms are open as he waits patiently for us to turn from our plans and run to him!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tree Hugger! Part Two!
Last time we talked about being a healthy/prosperous tree. Yay! We looked at Psalm 1:3 (NIV)
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
A healthy/prosperous tree yields the right fruit in the right season, and has beautiful green leaves! But this tree did not magically become so healthy/Strong/prosperous by accident... The verse gives a hint as to why this is a successful tree... see it? It is planted by the streams of water! What does that mean? Well for one, a stream is always flowing... it brings in fresh, cool, clean water. The heathly/prosperous tree is not planted by a stagnant pond, or in the middle of a parking lot. Okay, okay... I think we get the tree analogy...but what about the streams of water? To understand that more let's read the beginning again: it says "That person". Okay, that didn't help...what person? Great question! Let read the previous verse...Psalm 1:2 (NIV)
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
The stream is a constant flow of the word of God! This is the key to producing fruit, the right fruit... the key to the beautiful green leaves and the key to being that healthy/prosperous tree!
The plant's roots can drink in the fresh water and the tree does so continuously! Never do the roots pull themselves out and say..."okay I got my fill stream you can stop flowing" But we say that to God sometimes don't we. I know I do it by hitting the snooze button instead of getting up to drink in his word. I do it by pulling my roots out and letting the bugs of bitterness, or fear or anger eat at them. Take today to evaluate your the stream you are drinking from, who or what is feeding your roots. Pray that God will open your eyes to the areas that need washing by the stream ( Gods stream ) in your life! :)
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
A healthy/prosperous tree yields the right fruit in the right season, and has beautiful green leaves! But this tree did not magically become so healthy/Strong/prosperous by accident... The verse gives a hint as to why this is a successful tree... see it? It is planted by the streams of water! What does that mean? Well for one, a stream is always flowing... it brings in fresh, cool, clean water. The heathly/prosperous tree is not planted by a stagnant pond, or in the middle of a parking lot. Okay, okay... I think we get the tree analogy...but what about the streams of water? To understand that more let's read the beginning again: it says "That person". Okay, that didn't help...what person? Great question! Let read the previous verse...Psalm 1:2 (NIV)
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
The stream is a constant flow of the word of God! This is the key to producing fruit, the right fruit... the key to the beautiful green leaves and the key to being that healthy/prosperous tree!
The plant's roots can drink in the fresh water and the tree does so continuously! Never do the roots pull themselves out and say..."okay I got my fill stream you can stop flowing" But we say that to God sometimes don't we. I know I do it by hitting the snooze button instead of getting up to drink in his word. I do it by pulling my roots out and letting the bugs of bitterness, or fear or anger eat at them. Take today to evaluate your the stream you are drinking from, who or what is feeding your roots. Pray that God will open your eyes to the areas that need washing by the stream ( Gods stream ) in your life! :)
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tree Hugger! PART ONE!
I want to be a tree! but not just any tree...Psalm 1:3 (NIV) says:
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
I want/need to be a HEALTHY, a PROSPEROUS tree. What is a healthy/prosperous tree? One that yields the right fruit in the right season! God has called you to be a certain kind of tree. You may be bearing fruit, but is it the right kind? If you planted an apple tree and one season it produced cherries, or what if after that mid season it switched to lemons!? Yes, you would still have fruit, but not the kind you planted/purposed for that tree! Matthew 12:13 (NIV) talks about a "tree is recognized by its fruit." Most people won't know a walnut tree or a pear tree or a whatelse grows on trees? .... until they see the fruit! (Unless you are my husband, but my little horticultural geek does not count) God has a purpose and a plan for all of the trees that he plants! Ask yourself: 1) are you bearing fruit?
2) are you bearing the fruit that He (God) designed you for?
If you answered "no" or "maybe" or "I'm not sure" to either questions then talk to God, seek and pray AND stay tuned for "part two" because we will dig into more of Ps 1:3!
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
I want/need to be a HEALTHY, a PROSPEROUS tree. What is a healthy/prosperous tree? One that yields the right fruit in the right season! God has called you to be a certain kind of tree. You may be bearing fruit, but is it the right kind? If you planted an apple tree and one season it produced cherries, or what if after that mid season it switched to lemons!? Yes, you would still have fruit, but not the kind you planted/purposed for that tree! Matthew 12:13 (NIV) talks about a "tree is recognized by its fruit." Most people won't know a walnut tree or a pear tree or a whatelse grows on trees? .... until they see the fruit! (Unless you are my husband, but my little horticultural geek does not count) God has a purpose and a plan for all of the trees that he plants! Ask yourself: 1) are you bearing fruit?
2) are you bearing the fruit that He (God) designed you for?
If you answered "no" or "maybe" or "I'm not sure" to either questions then talk to God, seek and pray AND stay tuned for "part two" because we will dig into more of Ps 1:3!
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Friday, July 22, 2011
The CALL to be Married
Where does time go! Its been almost a month since our last post!!! But good things come to those who wait :) And whats better then talking about marriage! Right?!
Lately I have been struggling/pondering/wrestling with the idea of what a wife is supposed to look like. I have read and re-read many verses that talk about being a wife...but I was having trouble grasping the idea to walk it out.
In Ephesians it says: Wives submit to your Husbands as unto the Lord, and Husbands love your Wives as Christ loves the church.
This passage about marriage is so rich! This is what marriage was created for, to show the world a glimpse of God's love for his people, his church!!
As a wife I am called to submit to my husband, to come under his authority, to trust that he will take care of me. A husband is then called to give unconditional, self-sacrificing love to his wife as Jesus did for us!
This verse explains to us that Men are to reflect the strength, love and sacrifice of Christ. And Women are to reflect the character, grace and beauty of the bride He redeemed.
We are showing the world what Jesus looks like... How many times I have fallen short of this worthy calling?
The character, grace and beauty of the bride he redeemed....this is our model. We are showing the world the beauty of the church that is betrothed to Jesus.
Submission is a choice, it is surrendering your will and voluntarily deciding to come under your husband and support him, in everything. To respect him.
We are a parable to a redemptive plan that is far outside our understanding. We are in a beautiful mystery that began when the world was created!
I encourage you to read Ephesians for yourself. Read about this wonderful mystery of God's love for his bride!
Lately I have been struggling/pondering/wrestling with the idea of what a wife is supposed to look like. I have read and re-read many verses that talk about being a wife...but I was having trouble grasping the idea to walk it out.
In Ephesians it says: Wives submit to your Husbands as unto the Lord, and Husbands love your Wives as Christ loves the church.
This passage about marriage is so rich! This is what marriage was created for, to show the world a glimpse of God's love for his people, his church!!
As a wife I am called to submit to my husband, to come under his authority, to trust that he will take care of me. A husband is then called to give unconditional, self-sacrificing love to his wife as Jesus did for us!
This verse explains to us that Men are to reflect the strength, love and sacrifice of Christ. And Women are to reflect the character, grace and beauty of the bride He redeemed.
We are showing the world what Jesus looks like... How many times I have fallen short of this worthy calling?
The character, grace and beauty of the bride he redeemed....this is our model. We are showing the world the beauty of the church that is betrothed to Jesus.
Submission is a choice, it is surrendering your will and voluntarily deciding to come under your husband and support him, in everything. To respect him.
We are a parable to a redemptive plan that is far outside our understanding. We are in a beautiful mystery that began when the world was created!
I encourage you to read Ephesians for yourself. Read about this wonderful mystery of God's love for his bride!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Like A Seal
When I think about Blogging, I can easily get lost in the world of knowledge, it seems there is so much to say and so much to share...but to not overload you I instead want to post a passage from Song of Solomon. Meditate on this word, let it bring you to a new revelation of God's love for you!
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death. its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Song of Solomon 7:6-7
This youtube video is of one of my favorite songs right now...watch it and let the words penetrate!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death. its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Song of Solomon 7:6-7
This youtube video is of one of my favorite songs right now...watch it and let the words penetrate!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps
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