Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
~ 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many of you have read any of "The Voice of the Martyrs"? The Christian rap group, DC Talk, in association with The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. put together a book called "Jesus Freaks: stories of those who stood for JESUS: the ultimate Jesus Freaks". I picked this book up several years ago at a K-Mart, of all places, when I had a lengthy car maintenance appointment. Boy, did I not know what I was getting myself into! I have been moved, over and over again, in reading the stories of persecuted believers down through the ages, how their faith held firm in the midst of mind-numbing, pain-wracking torture, often unto death. (for more information, see The Voice of the Martyr's (VOM) official website at http://www.persecution.com/ and DC Talk's Jesus Freaks website at: http://www.jesusfreaks.net/)
I have often wondered how I would respond in their situation, and I pray my faith would hold as these dear brothers and sisters in Jesus did, in the face of the devil's attacks. Yet, here in suburban America, my chances of those encounters seem very remote, don't they? Do I face attacks from the evil one that try to shake my faith, even though I don't live in a communist-oppressed country? You bet I do, and so do you.
How does our faith get rocked? What causes us to question God's wisdom, sufficiency and sovereignty? Health issues, financial struggles, death of a loved one (especially of a child or through violent means). Our woes don't usually come from the butt of a soldier's gun or a dank prison cell, but they are woes nonetheless. And they can take our eyes off of Jesus quicker than you can shake a stick, if we aren't "alert, and self-controlled", if we're not putting faith in the Lord above all earthly circumstances. In fact, these schemes of the devil can work to his detriment, if you choose to allow them to deepen your faith, rather than destroy it.
Resist the devil's attempts to weaken your faith in the Strong One! Keep your eyes on the Lover of your soul, and stand firm. Jesus will carry you through your trials, and will stand with you as you stand firm in your faith in Him.
Be a Jesus Freak where you live, as you live for Jesus...
Love,
Joelene
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 57:15
For this is what the high and lofty One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. ~ Isaiah 57:15 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think some people in this world who hold lofty positions can be elitist in their attitude toward others. Their status seems to go their heads, and they wouldn't be caught dead rubbing shoulders with "common folk". Me, talk to a janitor? Are you kidding? Do you know who I am?!?
Maybe that's only in the movies, but I have a feeling there are some out there that are like that. If you're a waitress at a fancy restaurant, or a mechanic at a European car dealership, or a bellhop at a five-star hotel, you will probably face your share of snobbery from some of your customers. Sad, but true.
Good news for all of us -- GOD IS NOT LIKE THAT! He is the Holy One, the Almighty, and He knows in full the loftiness of His position and place. Yet, He says that He communes and comforts those who are humble before Him, who recognize their own sinfulness, who don't try to elevate themselves with their own self-righteousness. Wow...that's sort-of like the Queen of England hanging out at the local McDonald's, chatting it up with the clerk behind the counter, discussing the day's news with the patrons, and maybe even buying someone's lunch who doesn't have the money...
(from Dictionary.com)
contrite (adj.)
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse.
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner.
Those who go to God in contriteness and humility are guaranteed by the Holy One to be listened to, comforted, and lifted up. He will never turn up His nose at a bowed knee. Isn't it amazing to know that God isn't a snob, that He's approachable?
I hope you have an open relationship with Him. If you don't, all it takes is a contrite spirit and a humble heart. But then again, that's not as easy as it sounds, is it? Humbling ourselves and acknowledging our sinfulness can be the hardest thing in the world to do. But if you're able, you can enter into an eternal friendship through Jesus Christ with the most lofty Person you will ever know -- "He who lives forever and whose name is holy..."
Love,
Joelene
"I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. ~ Isaiah 57:15 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think some people in this world who hold lofty positions can be elitist in their attitude toward others. Their status seems to go their heads, and they wouldn't be caught dead rubbing shoulders with "common folk". Me, talk to a janitor? Are you kidding? Do you know who I am?!?
Maybe that's only in the movies, but I have a feeling there are some out there that are like that. If you're a waitress at a fancy restaurant, or a mechanic at a European car dealership, or a bellhop at a five-star hotel, you will probably face your share of snobbery from some of your customers. Sad, but true.
Good news for all of us -- GOD IS NOT LIKE THAT! He is the Holy One, the Almighty, and He knows in full the loftiness of His position and place. Yet, He says that He communes and comforts those who are humble before Him, who recognize their own sinfulness, who don't try to elevate themselves with their own self-righteousness. Wow...that's sort-of like the Queen of England hanging out at the local McDonald's, chatting it up with the clerk behind the counter, discussing the day's news with the patrons, and maybe even buying someone's lunch who doesn't have the money...
(from Dictionary.com)
contrite (adj.)
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse.
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent: a contrite sinner.
Those who go to God in contriteness and humility are guaranteed by the Holy One to be listened to, comforted, and lifted up. He will never turn up His nose at a bowed knee. Isn't it amazing to know that God isn't a snob, that He's approachable?
I hope you have an open relationship with Him. If you don't, all it takes is a contrite spirit and a humble heart. But then again, that's not as easy as it sounds, is it? Humbling ourselves and acknowledging our sinfulness can be the hardest thing in the world to do. But if you're able, you can enter into an eternal friendship through Jesus Christ with the most lofty Person you will ever know -- "He who lives forever and whose name is holy..."
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 29:13
The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." ~ Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every morning, I turn on my computer and go about finding a verse of Scripture to use for VOTD, using five different web sources. And this morning I thought as I opened the first couple of sites, as I've often thought, It's the same verses over and over again. It just seems like these websites tend to latch onto the familiar, the verses that are most commonly quoted or referenced. Where's the diversity? Where's the rest of the Bible?
And then I thought about Scripture memorization and how, for those of us who've been in church since we were kids or worked with children in church, verses are drilled into the brain. And I wondered how often it is that this is just a drill, an exercise, which becomes nothing more than a party trick to amaze your friends when you can rattle off this and that verse like you're doing a 'dog and pony show'. I thought, Is that all God's word is to us?
And then I had a slightly overwhelming sense of the reality that the Bible is truly the Word of God. Yes, I know this is true in my head -- you probably do, too. But knowing deep down in your heart that the leather-bound book you carry to church contains the heart message from God to you is a bit of a different matter. Rattling off Bible verses to win a prize is very different than acknowledging the words as the very words of God. To you. For you. In you.
And then I read today's verse. Not new to me, as I've read through Isaiah before. But it clicked with my thought process! We read our Bible and fill up our head with Scripture because that's what believers in Jesus are supposed to do, right? We teach our kids to become masters of Bible verse memorization. But are we taking it into our being? Is it making the connection from ink on a page to a change in the heart? Do we really understand that what we're reading is of divine passion, power and purpose?
Don't fall into the trap of the 'dog and pony show'. Take God's word for what it really is and allow Him to infiltrate your heart through His message. Be changed by the living Word of God. That is authentic worship!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Every morning, I turn on my computer and go about finding a verse of Scripture to use for VOTD, using five different web sources. And this morning I thought as I opened the first couple of sites, as I've often thought, It's the same verses over and over again. It just seems like these websites tend to latch onto the familiar, the verses that are most commonly quoted or referenced. Where's the diversity? Where's the rest of the Bible?
And then I thought about Scripture memorization and how, for those of us who've been in church since we were kids or worked with children in church, verses are drilled into the brain. And I wondered how often it is that this is just a drill, an exercise, which becomes nothing more than a party trick to amaze your friends when you can rattle off this and that verse like you're doing a 'dog and pony show'. I thought, Is that all God's word is to us?
And then I had a slightly overwhelming sense of the reality that the Bible is truly the Word of God. Yes, I know this is true in my head -- you probably do, too. But knowing deep down in your heart that the leather-bound book you carry to church contains the heart message from God to you is a bit of a different matter. Rattling off Bible verses to win a prize is very different than acknowledging the words as the very words of God. To you. For you. In you.
And then I read today's verse. Not new to me, as I've read through Isaiah before. But it clicked with my thought process! We read our Bible and fill up our head with Scripture because that's what believers in Jesus are supposed to do, right? We teach our kids to become masters of Bible verse memorization. But are we taking it into our being? Is it making the connection from ink on a page to a change in the heart? Do we really understand that what we're reading is of divine passion, power and purpose?
Don't fall into the trap of the 'dog and pony show'. Take God's word for what it really is and allow Him to infiltrate your heart through His message. Be changed by the living Word of God. That is authentic worship!
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Verse of the Day - John 17:15
Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ~ John 17:15 (CEV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got an email this morning from a friend who asked for prayer because of an uncomfortable feeling she has from a person she has to care for in a healthcare environment. She said, "something is just not right...", and she's quite unsettled by it. I told her it was very possible that the unrest she feels is due to the evil one. I reminded her to recognize that we battle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces, and encouraged her to stand firm in God's armor, as Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 6.
Have you ever sensed an evil presence? I know I have. Many years ago, when I was first entering the work force, I went to a place for a job interview. It was a small home on a busy street that had been converted to a business -- a video production/sales business, as I recall. But what struck me most strongly was a presence of evil. Very unsettling to my spirit . . . and I couldn't get out of there fast enough!
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have His Holy Spirit living within you. And believe me, He is a discerner of spirits! Far be it from me to think I understand the workings of the spiritual realm, but He does. And He guides us through our spirit to be sensitive, as needed, to the evil forces of the devil.
Jesus didn't ask the Father for our deliverance out of this evil world, but rather protection from the evil one. Of all people, Jesus knows the devil's tactics better than anyone -- He's been watching them since before the dawn of time! But He also knows that we have a job to do, a purpose for being on this earth, so bailing out is not an option. Yet, protection is.
This Halloween, you'll see alot of scary paraphernalia in the stores and in the workplace, as people decorate and dress up for the occasion. It may seem harmless enough, and for most people, it's meant in fun. But the reality is that there are definitely people who truly align themselves with the devil and declare it proudly. I sat behind a car the other day at a stop light, and on the back window were two signs: One said, "BEWARE! This car is driven by a witch!", along with a very clear pentagram. The other said, "667: Neighbor of the beast", along with a picture of a menacing, smoking skull. I wasn't afraid of this blatant declaration of allegiance to the evil one; I simply prayed for the occupants of that car, that God would infiltrate their lives.
We are in a spiritual battle. It's all around us, and sometimes we get a glimpse of it, where the Lord opens our eyes to the battle He and His children are facing every day. Please pray for the strength of God's children, as they go forth in the world through the protection of the Father. And remember that we've already seen the end of the movie, and read the last chapter of the book . . . Jesus wins! AMEN!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got an email this morning from a friend who asked for prayer because of an uncomfortable feeling she has from a person she has to care for in a healthcare environment. She said, "something is just not right...", and she's quite unsettled by it. I told her it was very possible that the unrest she feels is due to the evil one. I reminded her to recognize that we battle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces, and encouraged her to stand firm in God's armor, as Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 6.
Have you ever sensed an evil presence? I know I have. Many years ago, when I was first entering the work force, I went to a place for a job interview. It was a small home on a busy street that had been converted to a business -- a video production/sales business, as I recall. But what struck me most strongly was a presence of evil. Very unsettling to my spirit . . . and I couldn't get out of there fast enough!
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have His Holy Spirit living within you. And believe me, He is a discerner of spirits! Far be it from me to think I understand the workings of the spiritual realm, but He does. And He guides us through our spirit to be sensitive, as needed, to the evil forces of the devil.
Jesus didn't ask the Father for our deliverance out of this evil world, but rather protection from the evil one. Of all people, Jesus knows the devil's tactics better than anyone -- He's been watching them since before the dawn of time! But He also knows that we have a job to do, a purpose for being on this earth, so bailing out is not an option. Yet, protection is.
This Halloween, you'll see alot of scary paraphernalia in the stores and in the workplace, as people decorate and dress up for the occasion. It may seem harmless enough, and for most people, it's meant in fun. But the reality is that there are definitely people who truly align themselves with the devil and declare it proudly. I sat behind a car the other day at a stop light, and on the back window were two signs: One said, "BEWARE! This car is driven by a witch!", along with a very clear pentagram. The other said, "667: Neighbor of the beast", along with a picture of a menacing, smoking skull. I wasn't afraid of this blatant declaration of allegiance to the evil one; I simply prayed for the occupants of that car, that God would infiltrate their lives.
We are in a spiritual battle. It's all around us, and sometimes we get a glimpse of it, where the Lord opens our eyes to the battle He and His children are facing every day. Please pray for the strength of God's children, as they go forth in the world through the protection of the Father. And remember that we've already seen the end of the movie, and read the last chapter of the book . . . Jesus wins! AMEN!
Love,
Joelene
Monday, October 27, 2008
Verse of the Day - 2 Corinthians 9:7
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, the season for giving has almost begun. This Friday, little Treat-or-Treaters will swarm through the neighborhoods looking for treats -- from us. After that, it's Thanksgiving and the grocery stores and rescue missions will be after you to donate to help feed the hungry. And then of course, it's December, and the ringing in your ears is not a medical condition -- it's the Salvation Army with the endless droning of those bells, wanting you to fill up their pots...with your money.
Do you feel this way when you're asked for donations? Does the constant call to give your hard-earned cash get on your nerves? Do you go clear around the block to avoid those that seek your aid?
It's sad, but true -- we are selfish people by nature. Yet God has called us to a higher way -- to give instead of keep, to offer instead of avoid, to love instead of disdain. If you've been invaded by the Spirit of God, you have what it takes to love those who need help. If you have the mind of Christ, you have the capacity to be generous in meeting needs, and in doing so, are being obedient to your Father in heaven.
When you give with a cheerful heart, there is a definite heart blessing that returns to you, because you're doing what the Lord desires you to do. When you give grudgingly, you can set in motion a whole host of hostile feelings about 'what's yours' and 'why don't people just get a job' and 'I work hard for what I have'...
So I ask you: what are you willing to purpose, in advance, in your heart during this season of giving? Can you decide, on purpose and in advance, to sponsor a meal donation bag at the grocery store? What about looking up your local rescue mission's phone number, in advance, and asking where you can send a Thanksgiving donation? And then, there's the ol' Salvation Army ringers that you will undoubtedly meet during the Christmas rush of shopping. What if you chose to have a giving heart -- in advance? What if every time you saw a bell ringer, you reached in your pocket or pulled out your wallet and offered a little something, along with a smile? Although we often look people in the eye and say we don't have anything, we know it's usually a lie. How in the world is that honoring to God, huh?
If you struggle with having a cheerful heart to give, ask God to help you. Ask Him to give you a cheerful heart, to release the stranglehold you have on your chump change. Because really, that's all that most are asking for. Yet, when many give small amounts, it can make a big difference! God desires us to be part of the human solution, to be generous in spirit as He is generous in spirit, and to love others as we see needs arise.
I realize that this Scripture passage is talking about meeting needs in the church and in missionary ventures, but the need to have a right heart and a purposeful plan for giving to meet needs is applicable for whatever giving situation you face. Let's open our arms to the prospect of giving this season, and not fold our hands and our wallets shut in stinginess. Let's decide in advance what to give and be glad about it! Let's make this the year that our hearts are changed in how we look at those in need, and how we respond to those needs.
Of course, it's very debatable about whether your little doorbell-ringing Trick-or-Treaters "need" candy....but, hey, they are so cute -- how can you resist, huh? :-)
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, the season for giving has almost begun. This Friday, little Treat-or-Treaters will swarm through the neighborhoods looking for treats -- from us. After that, it's Thanksgiving and the grocery stores and rescue missions will be after you to donate to help feed the hungry. And then of course, it's December, and the ringing in your ears is not a medical condition -- it's the Salvation Army with the endless droning of those bells, wanting you to fill up their pots...with your money.
Do you feel this way when you're asked for donations? Does the constant call to give your hard-earned cash get on your nerves? Do you go clear around the block to avoid those that seek your aid?
It's sad, but true -- we are selfish people by nature. Yet God has called us to a higher way -- to give instead of keep, to offer instead of avoid, to love instead of disdain. If you've been invaded by the Spirit of God, you have what it takes to love those who need help. If you have the mind of Christ, you have the capacity to be generous in meeting needs, and in doing so, are being obedient to your Father in heaven.
When you give with a cheerful heart, there is a definite heart blessing that returns to you, because you're doing what the Lord desires you to do. When you give grudgingly, you can set in motion a whole host of hostile feelings about 'what's yours' and 'why don't people just get a job' and 'I work hard for what I have'...
So I ask you: what are you willing to purpose, in advance, in your heart during this season of giving? Can you decide, on purpose and in advance, to sponsor a meal donation bag at the grocery store? What about looking up your local rescue mission's phone number, in advance, and asking where you can send a Thanksgiving donation? And then, there's the ol' Salvation Army ringers that you will undoubtedly meet during the Christmas rush of shopping. What if you chose to have a giving heart -- in advance? What if every time you saw a bell ringer, you reached in your pocket or pulled out your wallet and offered a little something, along with a smile? Although we often look people in the eye and say we don't have anything, we know it's usually a lie. How in the world is that honoring to God, huh?
If you struggle with having a cheerful heart to give, ask God to help you. Ask Him to give you a cheerful heart, to release the stranglehold you have on your chump change. Because really, that's all that most are asking for. Yet, when many give small amounts, it can make a big difference! God desires us to be part of the human solution, to be generous in spirit as He is generous in spirit, and to love others as we see needs arise.
I realize that this Scripture passage is talking about meeting needs in the church and in missionary ventures, but the need to have a right heart and a purposeful plan for giving to meet needs is applicable for whatever giving situation you face. Let's open our arms to the prospect of giving this season, and not fold our hands and our wallets shut in stinginess. Let's decide in advance what to give and be glad about it! Let's make this the year that our hearts are changed in how we look at those in need, and how we respond to those needs.
Of course, it's very debatable about whether your little doorbell-ringing Trick-or-Treaters "need" candy....but, hey, they are so cute -- how can you resist, huh? :-)
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Verse of the Day - Psalm 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea...
~ Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched a fascinating documentary yesterday on the Dust Bowl of the '30s. Wow...unbelievable the devastation that was wrought on the mid-section of America. I was so unaware of this part of our nation's history! Completely unprecedented in so many ways. So many died of what was called 'dust pneumonia'. Some died in their tracks from 'black blizzards', huge dust storms that rose out of nowhere. Everything suffered from the constant dust in the air. And when next-to-no rain fell for years, it seemed to feed the devastatingly vicious cycle of drought and dust, drought and dust. So much top-soil was lifted from the earth during this period of much of the Plains, that some parts would never again support agriculture. What a dreadful time to live in...
One of the researchers of this period said that the church was an obvious place for people to go during this dust crisis. They went to God and prayed for rain! Yet, one dust-bowl survivor said, "I guess God is perfect, but He just didn't put the rain in the places and times where we needed it...", as if to say that somehow, God just didn't get it right. I can see how faith would be shaken at a time like that.
When hard times hit, are we shaken in our faith, or do we cling to our Creator? Does God lose rank in our eyes when times get tough, or do we believe in His sovereignty regardless of externals?
Testing of our faith is exactly that, a test. And some are tested mightily through many difficult circumstances. I pray that you can authentically claim God as your refuge as you face hard times. When the dust storms of life are upon you and threaten to strip your life of faith and hope, cover your face and get on your knees before God and cling to Him for your survival. Don't be swept away like the top soil in the Dust Bowl. Be like a tree whose roots go down deep...
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
Love,
Joelene
~ Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched a fascinating documentary yesterday on the Dust Bowl of the '30s. Wow...unbelievable the devastation that was wrought on the mid-section of America. I was so unaware of this part of our nation's history! Completely unprecedented in so many ways. So many died of what was called 'dust pneumonia'. Some died in their tracks from 'black blizzards', huge dust storms that rose out of nowhere. Everything suffered from the constant dust in the air. And when next-to-no rain fell for years, it seemed to feed the devastatingly vicious cycle of drought and dust, drought and dust. So much top-soil was lifted from the earth during this period of much of the Plains, that some parts would never again support agriculture. What a dreadful time to live in...
One of the researchers of this period said that the church was an obvious place for people to go during this dust crisis. They went to God and prayed for rain! Yet, one dust-bowl survivor said, "I guess God is perfect, but He just didn't put the rain in the places and times where we needed it...", as if to say that somehow, God just didn't get it right. I can see how faith would be shaken at a time like that.
When hard times hit, are we shaken in our faith, or do we cling to our Creator? Does God lose rank in our eyes when times get tough, or do we believe in His sovereignty regardless of externals?
Testing of our faith is exactly that, a test. And some are tested mightily through many difficult circumstances. I pray that you can authentically claim God as your refuge as you face hard times. When the dust storms of life are upon you and threaten to strip your life of faith and hope, cover your face and get on your knees before God and cling to Him for your survival. Don't be swept away like the top soil in the Dust Bowl. Be like a tree whose roots go down deep...
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:19-21
Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
~ Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got an email today from my mom to warn me about debit card skimming fraud she heard on her evening news. I checked it out on Snopes.com (nothing), but searched the internet, and MSNBC has posted some recent, rather disturbing news about debit card skimming at the gas pumps. (http://pindebit.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumping-gas-just-got-more-riskier-msnbc.html) In these tough, economic times, we need to be savvy about new ways that thieves are attempting to steal our "treasure". Yet from Jesus' words in Matthew 6, thievery is obviously nothing new. Technology might not've been there, but evil intent has been around since the fall of man. People have been getting ripped off for a very long time.
Obviously, we need to eat, have a roof over our heads, and have some clothes on -- basic stuff. But Jesus asks us to examine where our heart is in relation to money and plain ol' "stuff". Is our heart grappling for more money, more stuff? Is that what consumes our mental and physical energies? Are we stuck in the material world, fighting and storing all we can get? And if so, what does that really afford us?
It's amazing how stressful it is to have a lot of money and stuff. People hover around the stock market news and make frantic calls to their broker. They install bigger and better home alarm systems to keep from getting their bigger and better treasures stolen. Cheapo cars don't command the need for a lo-jack, but they probably come standard on the high-end vehicles. We just gotta protect our treasures...
I'll never forget reading accounts of suicide after the Great Crash of 1929. Although overblown and sensationalized at the time, the point is when big money is lost and that is where your heart is, you are sunk! When your hope is lying at the bottom of a stock market crash or in a thief's sly tactics and not in the things of God, you put yourself at great heart risk. These things do not make a person, and they should not break a person. But they do . . . all the time.
Yes, we need to be wise stewards in how we handle what God has given us. We shouldn't be reckless in using our ATM/debit cards, we should lock our doors at night, we should be shrewd in dealing with folks who have opportunities that seem too good to pass up. But Jesus says that we should be storing up treasure in heaven, where outside earthly influences have no control or sway. How much mental and physical energy are we putting into the things of God's kingdom? Is our heart in these things, and if so, to what extent?
Are people's spiritual condition important to you? Do you desire people to see and know how wonderful God is, and want them to know how much He loves them? Are faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13) high on your priority list? (The Word says these things will remain.) Are you generous in helping others, even in small ways, or are you hoarding your time and money for yourself?
Money and stuff serve a purpose in this world, but they are so easily lost or destroyed. You are wise to understand this, and to determine in your heart that putting your energies into God's ways and God's kingdom -- things that really last -- is your safest investment, by far.
Love,
Joelene
~ Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got an email today from my mom to warn me about debit card skimming fraud she heard on her evening news. I checked it out on Snopes.com (nothing), but searched the internet, and MSNBC has posted some recent, rather disturbing news about debit card skimming at the gas pumps. (http://pindebit.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumping-gas-just-got-more-riskier-msnbc.html) In these tough, economic times, we need to be savvy about new ways that thieves are attempting to steal our "treasure". Yet from Jesus' words in Matthew 6, thievery is obviously nothing new. Technology might not've been there, but evil intent has been around since the fall of man. People have been getting ripped off for a very long time.
Obviously, we need to eat, have a roof over our heads, and have some clothes on -- basic stuff. But Jesus asks us to examine where our heart is in relation to money and plain ol' "stuff". Is our heart grappling for more money, more stuff? Is that what consumes our mental and physical energies? Are we stuck in the material world, fighting and storing all we can get? And if so, what does that really afford us?
It's amazing how stressful it is to have a lot of money and stuff. People hover around the stock market news and make frantic calls to their broker. They install bigger and better home alarm systems to keep from getting their bigger and better treasures stolen. Cheapo cars don't command the need for a lo-jack, but they probably come standard on the high-end vehicles. We just gotta protect our treasures...
I'll never forget reading accounts of suicide after the Great Crash of 1929. Although overblown and sensationalized at the time, the point is when big money is lost and that is where your heart is, you are sunk! When your hope is lying at the bottom of a stock market crash or in a thief's sly tactics and not in the things of God, you put yourself at great heart risk. These things do not make a person, and they should not break a person. But they do . . . all the time.
Yes, we need to be wise stewards in how we handle what God has given us. We shouldn't be reckless in using our ATM/debit cards, we should lock our doors at night, we should be shrewd in dealing with folks who have opportunities that seem too good to pass up. But Jesus says that we should be storing up treasure in heaven, where outside earthly influences have no control or sway. How much mental and physical energy are we putting into the things of God's kingdom? Is our heart in these things, and if so, to what extent?
Are people's spiritual condition important to you? Do you desire people to see and know how wonderful God is, and want them to know how much He loves them? Are faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13) high on your priority list? (The Word says these things will remain.) Are you generous in helping others, even in small ways, or are you hoarding your time and money for yourself?
Money and stuff serve a purpose in this world, but they are so easily lost or destroyed. You are wise to understand this, and to determine in your heart that putting your energies into God's ways and God's kingdom -- things that really last -- is your safest investment, by far.
Love,
Joelene
Friday, October 24, 2008
Verse of the Day - Proverbs 9:10
Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord, and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One. ~ Proverbs 9:10 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's interesting how people can attempt to understand the universe apart from God. Those that claim there is no God work so hard at contriving ways in which the universe and man himself arrived into existence. Big bang? Primordial soup? It seems ludicrous to me. But then again, I have knowledge of the Holy One.
Our hearts and minds are amazing pieces of virtual machinery, and psychologists have been trying for centuries to understand these great marvels. But how vain an attempt to conclude that man's heart and mind can achieve spiritual altitude on their own, that somehow we are the center of the universe, and perfection and divinity is within our inner grasp. When I hear people talk like that, I just shake my head in confusion. This thinking is not based on real understanding, but rather a godless pursuit of knowledge and spiritual attainment.
Here's the bottom line: The Almighty God is the source of all there is . . . all you can see, and all you can't. You can choose to believe it, or not. But that doesn't cease it to be the truth. So, if you desire understanding of how the universe and man were created, where should you go -- man, or God? If you desire to understand the psychological and spiritual side of yourself, where should you go -- man, or God?
The first part of this verse pretty much spells out the polarization in world views that we see all around us. "The fear (respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Those that give God the honor and glory that is rightly due Him are given wisdom and understanding from the Source of these things. Those that choose not to believe, not to respect, not to seek after God are taking a walk on the wild side, the dark side. And it's as if the lights have gone out on them...
They are so evil that they say no to the truth. The truth about God is plain to them. God has made it plain. Ever since the world was created it has been possible to see the qualities of God that are not seen. I'm talking about his eternal power and about the fact that he is God. Those things can be seen in what he has made. So people have no excuse for what they do. They knew God. But they didn't honor him as God. They didn't thank him. Their thinking became worthless. Their foolish hearts became dark. They claimed to be wise. But they made fools of themselves.
~ Romans 1:18-22 (NIrV)
It's interesting that Wikipedia.com references this under "enlightenment": "In the Western philosophical tradition, enlightenment is seen as a phase in cultural history marked by a faith in reason, generally accompanied by rejection of faith in revealed or institutional religion." hmm...
If you are trying to understand life and yourself from the standpoint of human reason, I must warn you that you're barking up the wrong tree. God Himself is the keeper of all wisdom and understanding -- without acknowledging Him, you'll lack knowledge. But the great thing is that He loves to pour out the blessings of wisdom and understanding when people respect Him for Who He is, and seek Him out! He's not stingy or selective, as if you have to be a seminary student to get enlightenment from God. All He asks is that you recognize and respect Who He is for Who He really is...
I think you'll be amazed at how you see and understand the world when you look through Almighty God glasses -- life will come into focus, because God always sees 20/20.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's interesting how people can attempt to understand the universe apart from God. Those that claim there is no God work so hard at contriving ways in which the universe and man himself arrived into existence. Big bang? Primordial soup? It seems ludicrous to me. But then again, I have knowledge of the Holy One.
Our hearts and minds are amazing pieces of virtual machinery, and psychologists have been trying for centuries to understand these great marvels. But how vain an attempt to conclude that man's heart and mind can achieve spiritual altitude on their own, that somehow we are the center of the universe, and perfection and divinity is within our inner grasp. When I hear people talk like that, I just shake my head in confusion. This thinking is not based on real understanding, but rather a godless pursuit of knowledge and spiritual attainment.
Here's the bottom line: The Almighty God is the source of all there is . . . all you can see, and all you can't. You can choose to believe it, or not. But that doesn't cease it to be the truth. So, if you desire understanding of how the universe and man were created, where should you go -- man, or God? If you desire to understand the psychological and spiritual side of yourself, where should you go -- man, or God?
The first part of this verse pretty much spells out the polarization in world views that we see all around us. "The fear (respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Those that give God the honor and glory that is rightly due Him are given wisdom and understanding from the Source of these things. Those that choose not to believe, not to respect, not to seek after God are taking a walk on the wild side, the dark side. And it's as if the lights have gone out on them...
They are so evil that they say no to the truth. The truth about God is plain to them. God has made it plain. Ever since the world was created it has been possible to see the qualities of God that are not seen. I'm talking about his eternal power and about the fact that he is God. Those things can be seen in what he has made. So people have no excuse for what they do. They knew God. But they didn't honor him as God. They didn't thank him. Their thinking became worthless. Their foolish hearts became dark. They claimed to be wise. But they made fools of themselves.
~ Romans 1:18-22 (NIrV)
It's interesting that Wikipedia.com references this under "enlightenment": "In the Western philosophical tradition, enlightenment is seen as a phase in cultural history marked by a faith in reason, generally accompanied by rejection of faith in revealed or institutional religion." hmm...
If you are trying to understand life and yourself from the standpoint of human reason, I must warn you that you're barking up the wrong tree. God Himself is the keeper of all wisdom and understanding -- without acknowledging Him, you'll lack knowledge. But the great thing is that He loves to pour out the blessings of wisdom and understanding when people respect Him for Who He is, and seek Him out! He's not stingy or selective, as if you have to be a seminary student to get enlightenment from God. All He asks is that you recognize and respect Who He is for Who He really is...
I think you'll be amazed at how you see and understand the world when you look through Almighty God glasses -- life will come into focus, because God always sees 20/20.
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Verse of the Day - Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's heavy loads. If you do, you will give the law of Christ its full meaning.
~ Galatians 6:2 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A bunch of people in my close circle of friends have really been going through the ringer lately. Severe undiagnosed pain, the suffering of a child (albeit grown) through a debilitating disease, the emotional and financial stress of needed dental surgery, upheaval on the housing and job front, fighting with medical insurance companies to adequately address an injury, failing health of aging parents ...wow. The list is long, and we're all just sorta numb at the rash of serious issues that are before us. Perhaps you are or have been in the same boat with your circle of friends.
But let me tell you what binds my friends together in this: Jesus. We are friends because of Him. We are family because of Him. And because of Christ's love in us, we can and do carry each other's burdens. As we can in practical ways, but always in prayer. God is our source of strength and we lean on Him, as we lean on each other.
The Word of God says that when one part of Christ's body hurts, the whole body hurts (1 Corinthians 12:26). That's because we are joined together,through Him, to form a single body. It's painful to watch and suffer alongside a brother or sister in Christ when they are going through various trials, but it is what it is. We're connected, plain and simple. AND our love for each other is spurred on by Jesus Himself, and we count it our pleasure to bear up each other's loads. Jesus carried many burdens for others when He was on this earth, and today is the Great Burden-bearer in heaven, interceding to the Father on our behalf (Romans 8:34). Although it weighed heavy on His spirit, He was and continues to be willing to lift up the fallen. All because of love.
One thing to note: it's impossible for someone to bear another's burdens if those burdens are not shared. Sometimes we don't tell people our heartaches and cares because we're afraid they won't care or they'll think we're whining, or whatever. We can get very good at keeping things secret, in order to "keep up appearances". All I can say is that if this is you, you're shooting yourself in the foot by doing that! Let others love you by opening yourself up -- let them help you carry the burdens you're trying to bear on your own.
I am grateful to be a part of the body of Christ. It is a blessed experience to be supported by people who love God and rely on Him for help. I hope you are connected to a local church body, and more importantly, a smaller circle of friends who are committed to Jesus Christ, know you personally, and can bear your burdens in His love and in His power. If you're not connected in this way, I encourage you to become part of a small group in your local church. If you're not part of a local church, get connected there first, and then see how you can get in touch with a small group. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of His body. Don't stand alone as an arm in the middle of nowhere, wondering how in the world you're gonna get from here to there without any legs. :-)
Love,
Joelene
~ Galatians 6:2 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A bunch of people in my close circle of friends have really been going through the ringer lately. Severe undiagnosed pain, the suffering of a child (albeit grown) through a debilitating disease, the emotional and financial stress of needed dental surgery, upheaval on the housing and job front, fighting with medical insurance companies to adequately address an injury, failing health of aging parents ...wow. The list is long, and we're all just sorta numb at the rash of serious issues that are before us. Perhaps you are or have been in the same boat with your circle of friends.
But let me tell you what binds my friends together in this: Jesus. We are friends because of Him. We are family because of Him. And because of Christ's love in us, we can and do carry each other's burdens. As we can in practical ways, but always in prayer. God is our source of strength and we lean on Him, as we lean on each other.
The Word of God says that when one part of Christ's body hurts, the whole body hurts (1 Corinthians 12:26). That's because we are joined together,through Him, to form a single body. It's painful to watch and suffer alongside a brother or sister in Christ when they are going through various trials, but it is what it is. We're connected, plain and simple. AND our love for each other is spurred on by Jesus Himself, and we count it our pleasure to bear up each other's loads. Jesus carried many burdens for others when He was on this earth, and today is the Great Burden-bearer in heaven, interceding to the Father on our behalf (Romans 8:34). Although it weighed heavy on His spirit, He was and continues to be willing to lift up the fallen. All because of love.
One thing to note: it's impossible for someone to bear another's burdens if those burdens are not shared. Sometimes we don't tell people our heartaches and cares because we're afraid they won't care or they'll think we're whining, or whatever. We can get very good at keeping things secret, in order to "keep up appearances". All I can say is that if this is you, you're shooting yourself in the foot by doing that! Let others love you by opening yourself up -- let them help you carry the burdens you're trying to bear on your own.
I am grateful to be a part of the body of Christ. It is a blessed experience to be supported by people who love God and rely on Him for help. I hope you are connected to a local church body, and more importantly, a smaller circle of friends who are committed to Jesus Christ, know you personally, and can bear your burdens in His love and in His power. If you're not connected in this way, I encourage you to become part of a small group in your local church. If you're not part of a local church, get connected there first, and then see how you can get in touch with a small group. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are part of His body. Don't stand alone as an arm in the middle of nowhere, wondering how in the world you're gonna get from here to there without any legs. :-)
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Verse of the Day - Proverbs 15:10
Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
~ Proverbs 15:10 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since I have family in Seattle and we used to visit every summer when I was a kid, I remember a couple of visits to Seattle Center, home of the 1962 World's Fair and the Space Needle. One unassuming attraction for me as a kid was the little car I could drive by myself (with a parent with me, of course). It seems as if I can remember driving it as a very little kid (although memory may not be serving me correctly), but I definitely remember driving as a pre-teen. By then, I understood that there are rails that keep the car on the path, and that it really didn't matter what you did with the steering wheel -- you could take a nap behind the wheel and still not crash. :-) But the funny thing was that I still tried real hard, because I thought, you never know...you could still crash if you don't drive between the lines. It was something I wasn't willing to bet on, so I kept my hands on the wheel and kept my car between the rails.
Life and humanity are like that like amusement attraction. There are laws in place that, if we break them, can reap negative consequences. Break the speed limit, get a ticket. Smoke cigarettes, get lung cancer. Embezzle money, go to prison. If you stay within the lines and play by the rules of nature and society, you are more likely not to experience negative consequences.
And God's spiritual laws are likewise. They are in place for several reasons. One is to keep us alive and out of danger. Another is that those who follow Him need to follow righteousness, because that is His essence. Wickedness that evil exudes is from the devil. Pure good vs. pure evil. Like oil and water. They don't mix, and God says His children shouldn't mix either, because He detests evil and everything about it. His children need to stay between the lines of righteousness for His name's sake. Because His heart breaks and His indignation rises to see wickedness in action in His children. He will take action to keep His kids between the lines, not only for their protection, but because His pure character compels it.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we should long for righteousness and detest evil like our Heavenly Father does. But we have this Jekyll/Hyde thing going on within us that causes us to want to take our hands off the wheel and see if maybe our life car will go outside the rails. Or worse, we veer directly into the rails 'cause we get tired of the same old, seemingly boring, righteous track and try to head out on our own path of wickedness. God says I hate wickedness with all that is in Me, and I can't allow My children to advance in it. I love them too much for that type of spiritual masochism. And so I discipline those I love, to help them get back on the righteous track. You may hate Me because I love you, but that doesn't stop Me from disciplining my kids, from doing what a Father sometimes has to do. I really want My children to come to the point that they love what I love, and hate what I hate...
The book of Proverbs constantly highlights good behavior versus evil behavior -- the yin and the yang, if you will. The reason is that God knows we need it drilled into our heads of what the difference is and why it's so important for us to cling to the good, because we often let the canvas go grey between the two or we willfully head into the darkness. God wants us to know that it's dangerous for us, in both the physical and spiritual worlds.
May we daily seek cleansing from our straying into evil territory and ask God to give us a passion for righteousness. Not because it saves us, because it doesn't . . . but because righteousness brings us into alignment with God's heart, which pleases Him and brings Him glory.
Be a good God kid, and keep your life car between the rails of God's righteousness. No one wants a spiritual car wreck, do they? (psst...it's messy and painful, even if you do have insurance.)
Love,
Joelene
~ Proverbs 15:10 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since I have family in Seattle and we used to visit every summer when I was a kid, I remember a couple of visits to Seattle Center, home of the 1962 World's Fair and the Space Needle. One unassuming attraction for me as a kid was the little car I could drive by myself (with a parent with me, of course). It seems as if I can remember driving it as a very little kid (although memory may not be serving me correctly), but I definitely remember driving as a pre-teen. By then, I understood that there are rails that keep the car on the path, and that it really didn't matter what you did with the steering wheel -- you could take a nap behind the wheel and still not crash. :-) But the funny thing was that I still tried real hard, because I thought, you never know...you could still crash if you don't drive between the lines. It was something I wasn't willing to bet on, so I kept my hands on the wheel and kept my car between the rails.
Life and humanity are like that like amusement attraction. There are laws in place that, if we break them, can reap negative consequences. Break the speed limit, get a ticket. Smoke cigarettes, get lung cancer. Embezzle money, go to prison. If you stay within the lines and play by the rules of nature and society, you are more likely not to experience negative consequences.
And God's spiritual laws are likewise. They are in place for several reasons. One is to keep us alive and out of danger. Another is that those who follow Him need to follow righteousness, because that is His essence. Wickedness that evil exudes is from the devil. Pure good vs. pure evil. Like oil and water. They don't mix, and God says His children shouldn't mix either, because He detests evil and everything about it. His children need to stay between the lines of righteousness for His name's sake. Because His heart breaks and His indignation rises to see wickedness in action in His children. He will take action to keep His kids between the lines, not only for their protection, but because His pure character compels it.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we should long for righteousness and detest evil like our Heavenly Father does. But we have this Jekyll/Hyde thing going on within us that causes us to want to take our hands off the wheel and see if maybe our life car will go outside the rails. Or worse, we veer directly into the rails 'cause we get tired of the same old, seemingly boring, righteous track and try to head out on our own path of wickedness. God says I hate wickedness with all that is in Me, and I can't allow My children to advance in it. I love them too much for that type of spiritual masochism. And so I discipline those I love, to help them get back on the righteous track. You may hate Me because I love you, but that doesn't stop Me from disciplining my kids, from doing what a Father sometimes has to do. I really want My children to come to the point that they love what I love, and hate what I hate...
The book of Proverbs constantly highlights good behavior versus evil behavior -- the yin and the yang, if you will. The reason is that God knows we need it drilled into our heads of what the difference is and why it's so important for us to cling to the good, because we often let the canvas go grey between the two or we willfully head into the darkness. God wants us to know that it's dangerous for us, in both the physical and spiritual worlds.
May we daily seek cleansing from our straying into evil territory and ask God to give us a passion for righteousness. Not because it saves us, because it doesn't . . . but because righteousness brings us into alignment with God's heart, which pleases Him and brings Him glory.
Be a good God kid, and keep your life car between the rails of God's righteousness. No one wants a spiritual car wreck, do they? (psst...it's messy and painful, even if you do have insurance.)
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Verse of the Day - Micah 6:3-4
My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. ~ Micah 6:3-4 (NIV)
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(Please forgive a tired girl who just couldn't seem to crawl out of bed today. I've reprinted last year's VOTD from 10/21/07. If you remember reading it, sorry. I didn't remember writing it, which is rather comical, considering the text. God bless your day...)
My memory is getting pretty bad. Sometimes, the alarm goes off in the morning, and I stand there and stare at the clock, wondering why I set the alarm for 4:30am on a Sunday...and then I think, is it Sunday? Did I go to church already yesterday?...and the fog clears and I realize it's Monday! Or, I simply can't remember what I wore or ate just the day before! Mostly, it doesn't really matter, but the forgetting can drive me crazy!
What does matter is how quickly we can forget the goodness of the Lord. Israel had been delivered supernaturally from their bondage in Egypt. That was huge! They had cried out in their misery for 400+ years, completely unable to help themselves. And then God stepped in an acted...in a mighty way! And they were free. Unbelievable! But somehow they didn't make the connection between their freedom and their responsibility. They couldn't seem to grasp that they were consecrated as God's holy people, and with that position came accountability to Him to be a holy people. To be God-lovers and lovers of His ways. But how can you make someone love you? You can't. And that was the sorrow of God's heart and the agony of His grief.
If you have been set free from the bondage of sin by choosing Jesus, you are a walking miracle. Just like the Israelites, there was nothing you could do to get out of your sin shackles -- nothing. Only God could break your chains. And now that you're free, do you take your freedom for granted? Is your salvation just a ticket to heaven and fire insurance from hell? What is your response and your responsibility to God for the miraculous rescue He performed in your life?
Do you remember what your life was like before you became a believer...?
Purposelessness, wandering aimlessly . . .
Searching for happiness, but never finding it . . .
Feeling lost and alone in a sea of people . . .
Wanting love, but getting lust and left instead . . .
When God comes into a life and fills all those empty, lonely, hurting places in our hearts, we are amazed and thankful and joyful! But then time goes by, and life settles down, and we forget. But God never forgets. He never once forgets that He rescued us for two things: to be in a love relationship with Him, and for us to walk a new way and show others the new way, too. We were never rescued out of our desperate situation just to make us more comfortable on earth and give us a harp on a cloud when we die.
Here's a song prayer that pretty well sums up where our head and our heart need to be. I pray that you can give your life each day as a thankful love offering to the Lord for the spiritual freedom you have from Him...
Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let you go
You've take me from the miry clay
You set my feet upon the rock
And now I know...
I love you, I need you
Though my world may fall
I'll never let you go
My Savior, my closest Friend
I will worship you
Until the very end.
~ Jesus, Lover of my Soul, by Darlene Zschech
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Please forgive a tired girl who just couldn't seem to crawl out of bed today. I've reprinted last year's VOTD from 10/21/07. If you remember reading it, sorry. I didn't remember writing it, which is rather comical, considering the text. God bless your day...)
My memory is getting pretty bad. Sometimes, the alarm goes off in the morning, and I stand there and stare at the clock, wondering why I set the alarm for 4:30am on a Sunday...and then I think, is it Sunday? Did I go to church already yesterday?...and the fog clears and I realize it's Monday! Or, I simply can't remember what I wore or ate just the day before! Mostly, it doesn't really matter, but the forgetting can drive me crazy!
What does matter is how quickly we can forget the goodness of the Lord. Israel had been delivered supernaturally from their bondage in Egypt. That was huge! They had cried out in their misery for 400+ years, completely unable to help themselves. And then God stepped in an acted...in a mighty way! And they were free. Unbelievable! But somehow they didn't make the connection between their freedom and their responsibility. They couldn't seem to grasp that they were consecrated as God's holy people, and with that position came accountability to Him to be a holy people. To be God-lovers and lovers of His ways. But how can you make someone love you? You can't. And that was the sorrow of God's heart and the agony of His grief.
If you have been set free from the bondage of sin by choosing Jesus, you are a walking miracle. Just like the Israelites, there was nothing you could do to get out of your sin shackles -- nothing. Only God could break your chains. And now that you're free, do you take your freedom for granted? Is your salvation just a ticket to heaven and fire insurance from hell? What is your response and your responsibility to God for the miraculous rescue He performed in your life?
Do you remember what your life was like before you became a believer...?
Purposelessness, wandering aimlessly . . .
Searching for happiness, but never finding it . . .
Feeling lost and alone in a sea of people . . .
Wanting love, but getting lust and left instead . . .
When God comes into a life and fills all those empty, lonely, hurting places in our hearts, we are amazed and thankful and joyful! But then time goes by, and life settles down, and we forget. But God never forgets. He never once forgets that He rescued us for two things: to be in a love relationship with Him, and for us to walk a new way and show others the new way, too. We were never rescued out of our desperate situation just to make us more comfortable on earth and give us a harp on a cloud when we die.
Here's a song prayer that pretty well sums up where our head and our heart need to be. I pray that you can give your life each day as a thankful love offering to the Lord for the spiritual freedom you have from Him...
Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let you go
You've take me from the miry clay
You set my feet upon the rock
And now I know...
I love you, I need you
Though my world may fall
I'll never let you go
My Savior, my closest Friend
I will worship you
Until the very end.
~ Jesus, Lover of my Soul, by Darlene Zschech
Love,
Joelene
Monday, October 20, 2008
Verse of the Day - Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
~ Psalm 51:12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, it's Monday again. Start of the work week. Can I get a show of hands of who's already tired?!? Gee, I had a hard time getting up this morning! I've been off for two days, and yet, my body's tired and my spirit is, well...not feeling quite like the Energizer Bunny.
I also know, without asking for a show of hands, that as followers of Jesus, we can get that "in need of some Geritol" feeling about our spiritual lives. Sometimes, the joy of God's salvation is just not what we need it to be, nor what it could be. We feel stale, like week-old bread. Prayer life and Bible study can seem like obligation between legal parties, rather than communication between friends. Going to church can get to be drudgery instead of a delight. Am I ringing any bells here?
I think we all go through periods of dryness in our spirits, where the blessings of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ seem a distant memory. So, how do we try to fix it? Down to the Christian bookstore we go, scanning the shelves under the "Christian living" section, trying to find the key to unlock our stagnation. Or we bury our ears in the stereo headphones and pump the Christian music into our brains, hoping for some spiritual revival through the sound waves. Or worse yet, we just throw up our hands and think this is just the way it is to be a Christian, and you throw yourself back in the bread basket -- stale and unsatisfied.
David didn't have a local Christian bookstore, nor an iPod to plug into. Yet, he knew where he needed to go to get himself back on track, spiritually. He went to God, and God alone. What he lacked, He asked God for. He wanted joy to be re-ignited in his spirit, so He asked the Keeper of the flame for a light. He wanted to have a willing spirit for godly living and service again, so He asked God for it. How many times do we say, "Well, you know, I just don't feel like serving in that way..." or "That's just not me, okay." ...? God can give you a willing spirit, if you really want to be willing. You don't have to drum it up on your own, or think there's something wrong with you if you don't already possess it. Go to the One who can give you all the willingness you can handle!
Everything we need for a vibrant relationship with God comes from Him. Our salvation, number one, through His Son, Jesus. Then He offers a myriad of spiritual riches, as we come to Him as the Great Provider -- joy and a willing spirit, just to name a few! If you're feeling stale, I encourage you to stop spinning your wheels trying to "get it" from another source or stop giving in to hopeless resignation -- acknowledge your weakness to God and ask Him to build you back up again. He can turn your spiritual life from stale into spectacular -- but it's Him, not you, who makes it happen. Just open your mouth and ask Him for it.
Love,
Joelene
~ Psalm 51:12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, it's Monday again. Start of the work week. Can I get a show of hands of who's already tired?!? Gee, I had a hard time getting up this morning! I've been off for two days, and yet, my body's tired and my spirit is, well...not feeling quite like the Energizer Bunny.
I also know, without asking for a show of hands, that as followers of Jesus, we can get that "in need of some Geritol" feeling about our spiritual lives. Sometimes, the joy of God's salvation is just not what we need it to be, nor what it could be. We feel stale, like week-old bread. Prayer life and Bible study can seem like obligation between legal parties, rather than communication between friends. Going to church can get to be drudgery instead of a delight. Am I ringing any bells here?
I think we all go through periods of dryness in our spirits, where the blessings of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ seem a distant memory. So, how do we try to fix it? Down to the Christian bookstore we go, scanning the shelves under the "Christian living" section, trying to find the key to unlock our stagnation. Or we bury our ears in the stereo headphones and pump the Christian music into our brains, hoping for some spiritual revival through the sound waves. Or worse yet, we just throw up our hands and think this is just the way it is to be a Christian, and you throw yourself back in the bread basket -- stale and unsatisfied.
David didn't have a local Christian bookstore, nor an iPod to plug into. Yet, he knew where he needed to go to get himself back on track, spiritually. He went to God, and God alone. What he lacked, He asked God for. He wanted joy to be re-ignited in his spirit, so He asked the Keeper of the flame for a light. He wanted to have a willing spirit for godly living and service again, so He asked God for it. How many times do we say, "Well, you know, I just don't feel like serving in that way..." or "That's just not me, okay." ...? God can give you a willing spirit, if you really want to be willing. You don't have to drum it up on your own, or think there's something wrong with you if you don't already possess it. Go to the One who can give you all the willingness you can handle!
Everything we need for a vibrant relationship with God comes from Him. Our salvation, number one, through His Son, Jesus. Then He offers a myriad of spiritual riches, as we come to Him as the Great Provider -- joy and a willing spirit, just to name a few! If you're feeling stale, I encourage you to stop spinning your wheels trying to "get it" from another source or stop giving in to hopeless resignation -- acknowledge your weakness to God and ask Him to build you back up again. He can turn your spiritual life from stale into spectacular -- but it's Him, not you, who makes it happen. Just open your mouth and ask Him for it.
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Verse of the Day - 1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
~ 1 John 1:5-7 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last night, some friends and I went to a local community college's production of "Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical". WOW! What a performance! I was just amazed at what this small theatre could accomplish in the way of musical talent, costume and set design, and superb acting. (If you live in the Sacramento area, American River College runs this production through October 26th -- I highly recommend it, though it does have mature themes and violence.)
But what has stuck with me most is the story line. One of my friends last night filled me in on a bit of the history behind Robert Louis Stevenson's novel of the scientist called Dr. Jekyll. In the Victorian era of Stevenson's day, there was much discussion about the source of man's evil and the duality of good and evil in all men, which translated into social hypocrisy...looking good on the outside, but lusting after carnal pleasures on the inside. Jekyll saw this in his own life and attempted, through science, to separate the two, with the noble intent of eradicating evil in the world. Nice try, Dr. Jekyll...unfortunately, Mr. Hyde was not to be so undone as that.
The apostle Paul was very mindful of the duality of man and the struggle between good and evil...
So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me. In my mind, I am happy with God's law. But I see another law working in my body, which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner. What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord! ~ Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)
James reminds us that God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all. And man is darkness, apart from God, because of sin. So we either walk in the light of His goodness and truth through Jesus Christ, or we slink in the darkness. There is no laboratory elixir that can extract our innate evil. The blood of Christ breaks the chains of sin, but we must make the choice to walk in freedom from it.
In Stevenson's story, the only way to slay the murderous Mr. Hyde was to end Dr. Jekyll's life, since they were of one flesh...
Every day
People, in their own sweet way,
Like to add a coat of paint,
And be what they ain't!
That's how our little -
Game is played,
Livin' like a masquerade
Actin' a bizarre charade -
While playing the saint!
But there's one thing I know,
And I know it for sure:
This disease that we've got
Has got no ready cure!
And I'm certain
Life is terribly hard -
When your life's a façade!
~ from the song Facade (Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical)
Yet, as believers in Jesus, we can put to death the life of darkness and still walk in the light of life...
I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me. ~ Galatians 2:20 (NCV)
There is a Jekyll and Hyde in all of us. Trying to pretend they don't exist is ludicrous and futile. But through Jesus Christ, we can step out of the darkness and into His light. It's a choice. It's your choice.
Love,
Joelene
~ 1 John 1:5-7 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last night, some friends and I went to a local community college's production of "Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical". WOW! What a performance! I was just amazed at what this small theatre could accomplish in the way of musical talent, costume and set design, and superb acting. (If you live in the Sacramento area, American River College runs this production through October 26th -- I highly recommend it, though it does have mature themes and violence.)
But what has stuck with me most is the story line. One of my friends last night filled me in on a bit of the history behind Robert Louis Stevenson's novel of the scientist called Dr. Jekyll. In the Victorian era of Stevenson's day, there was much discussion about the source of man's evil and the duality of good and evil in all men, which translated into social hypocrisy...looking good on the outside, but lusting after carnal pleasures on the inside. Jekyll saw this in his own life and attempted, through science, to separate the two, with the noble intent of eradicating evil in the world. Nice try, Dr. Jekyll...unfortunately, Mr. Hyde was not to be so undone as that.
The apostle Paul was very mindful of the duality of man and the struggle between good and evil...
So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me. In my mind, I am happy with God's law. But I see another law working in my body, which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner. What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord! ~ Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)
James reminds us that God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all. And man is darkness, apart from God, because of sin. So we either walk in the light of His goodness and truth through Jesus Christ, or we slink in the darkness. There is no laboratory elixir that can extract our innate evil. The blood of Christ breaks the chains of sin, but we must make the choice to walk in freedom from it.
In Stevenson's story, the only way to slay the murderous Mr. Hyde was to end Dr. Jekyll's life, since they were of one flesh...
Every day
People, in their own sweet way,
Like to add a coat of paint,
And be what they ain't!
That's how our little -
Game is played,
Livin' like a masquerade
Actin' a bizarre charade -
While playing the saint!
But there's one thing I know,
And I know it for sure:
This disease that we've got
Has got no ready cure!
And I'm certain
Life is terribly hard -
When your life's a façade!
~ from the song Facade (Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical)
Yet, as believers in Jesus, we can put to death the life of darkness and still walk in the light of life...
I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me. ~ Galatians 2:20 (NCV)
There is a Jekyll and Hyde in all of us. Trying to pretend they don't exist is ludicrous and futile. But through Jesus Christ, we can step out of the darkness and into His light. It's a choice. It's your choice.
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 40:28
Don't you know who made everything? Haven't you heard about him? The Lord is the God who lives forever. He created everything on earth. He won't become worn out or get tired. No one will ever know how great his understanding is. ~ Isaiah 40:28 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are a lot of smart people in this world. Take a Wikipedia.com walk through the lives of people like Albert Einstein, Madame Curie and Bill Gates, and you'll be amazed at what a human mind can comprehend and discover. I am simply blown away by their achievements and advances in science and technology!
And yet, the reality is that it's God who created these great minds and unleashed the power of their potential to unravel and unveil the mysteries of various parts of the universe! It is God who holds all understanding within Himself! We elevate bright minds for all they're able to accomplish, and we're grateful to enjoy the fruits of their painstaking labors. But do we give credit where real credit is due? Is God lauded as the only real great mind in the universe, or do we place unmerited glory on the created, instead of the Creator?
My daughter has done well in school, and I'm very proud of her. But I try to remind her that it is God who has given her whatever "smarts" she has. It's easy to get puffed up when we're successful in our endeavors, and people make it easy to do! The world loves to give out awards and commendations for achievement, and that's okay -- we, as humans, need some barometer of our efforts, and our spirits need encouragement. But the real prize-winner, the only real achiever is God Himself. He's the One who spurs men and women to advance His plan and purpose, and all that THAT entails (of which we can't fathom, either.)
The bottom line is that God and all He created is beyond amazing, beyond fathomable, beyond understanding. He stimulates our brains and our hearts as He sees fit, so that we can unlock mysteries. Let us never forget that it is He who holds the keys...keys to all we see, hear and know. Is He not worthy of our highest praise?
I wonder what I would find if I simply put "God" in the Wikipedia.com search engine. Are His accomplishments and achievements listed there? Well, if they're not, please take the time to read the source material that does. It's called the Bible, and you'll be truly amazed at the extraordinary, miraculous person God is, and what He can and does do. There's no achievement award big enough to capture the praise that is due Him. All we can give Him is the award of our heart, 100%. And guess what? That award suits Him just fine. :-)
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are a lot of smart people in this world. Take a Wikipedia.com walk through the lives of people like Albert Einstein, Madame Curie and Bill Gates, and you'll be amazed at what a human mind can comprehend and discover. I am simply blown away by their achievements and advances in science and technology!
And yet, the reality is that it's God who created these great minds and unleashed the power of their potential to unravel and unveil the mysteries of various parts of the universe! It is God who holds all understanding within Himself! We elevate bright minds for all they're able to accomplish, and we're grateful to enjoy the fruits of their painstaking labors. But do we give credit where real credit is due? Is God lauded as the only real great mind in the universe, or do we place unmerited glory on the created, instead of the Creator?
My daughter has done well in school, and I'm very proud of her. But I try to remind her that it is God who has given her whatever "smarts" she has. It's easy to get puffed up when we're successful in our endeavors, and people make it easy to do! The world loves to give out awards and commendations for achievement, and that's okay -- we, as humans, need some barometer of our efforts, and our spirits need encouragement. But the real prize-winner, the only real achiever is God Himself. He's the One who spurs men and women to advance His plan and purpose, and all that THAT entails (of which we can't fathom, either.)
The bottom line is that God and all He created is beyond amazing, beyond fathomable, beyond understanding. He stimulates our brains and our hearts as He sees fit, so that we can unlock mysteries. Let us never forget that it is He who holds the keys...keys to all we see, hear and know. Is He not worthy of our highest praise?
I wonder what I would find if I simply put "God" in the Wikipedia.com search engine. Are His accomplishments and achievements listed there? Well, if they're not, please take the time to read the source material that does. It's called the Bible, and you'll be truly amazed at the extraordinary, miraculous person God is, and what He can and does do. There's no achievement award big enough to capture the praise that is due Him. All we can give Him is the award of our heart, 100%. And guess what? That award suits Him just fine. :-)
Love,
Joelene
Friday, October 17, 2008
Verse of the Day - Psalm 25:14
The Lord shares his plans with those who have respect for him. He makes his covenant known to them. ~ Psalm 25:14 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No one wants to bear their soul to a stranger, to someone who doesn't know them or care about them. We don't want to confide in someone who thinks we're not good enough for them or that we're weird. We want to share our heart with a friend. Someone who respects us as a person, who values our personhood and recognizes our worth. That's who we want to be a part of our lives, to connect and dialogue with, to share our secret longings and plans. Not someone who will throw our plans and dreams in the gutter or, worse yet, use them maliciously against us.
God is the same way. He's looking for people who will befriend Him. Who will recognize who He is, and give Him the respect that He deserves. Those are the people He calls friends. And with His friends, He shares His heart, His plans, His secrets. Things that strangers won't care to understand, He shares with His friends and grants them desire and understanding. That is fellowship with the Divine Creator!
Being in relationship with God is not a one-way street. As you respect Him as God, submit to Him as Lord and humbly seek Him out through prayer and Bible study, He opens the gates of communication from His spirit to yours, allowing you to see and hear from His heart. Giving you insight into His covenant with man through Jesus Christ. Helping you understand how He could love unloving people through the passion of the cross, how He continually knocks on the hearts of humanity, seeking fellowship with them.
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. ~ John 15:14-15 (NLT)
God talks heart-to-heart with His friends. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have friendship with God and are privy to His heart. Listen well and cherish the confidence of the Father and the Son, because He doesn't share His secrets with just anyone...
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No one wants to bear their soul to a stranger, to someone who doesn't know them or care about them. We don't want to confide in someone who thinks we're not good enough for them or that we're weird. We want to share our heart with a friend. Someone who respects us as a person, who values our personhood and recognizes our worth. That's who we want to be a part of our lives, to connect and dialogue with, to share our secret longings and plans. Not someone who will throw our plans and dreams in the gutter or, worse yet, use them maliciously against us.
God is the same way. He's looking for people who will befriend Him. Who will recognize who He is, and give Him the respect that He deserves. Those are the people He calls friends. And with His friends, He shares His heart, His plans, His secrets. Things that strangers won't care to understand, He shares with His friends and grants them desire and understanding. That is fellowship with the Divine Creator!
Being in relationship with God is not a one-way street. As you respect Him as God, submit to Him as Lord and humbly seek Him out through prayer and Bible study, He opens the gates of communication from His spirit to yours, allowing you to see and hear from His heart. Giving you insight into His covenant with man through Jesus Christ. Helping you understand how He could love unloving people through the passion of the cross, how He continually knocks on the hearts of humanity, seeking fellowship with them.
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. ~ John 15:14-15 (NLT)
God talks heart-to-heart with His friends. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have friendship with God and are privy to His heart. Listen well and cherish the confidence of the Father and the Son, because He doesn't share His secrets with just anyone...
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Verse of the Day - Philippians 1:11
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
~ Philippians 1:11 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I drove through Taco Bell the other day and saw a sign promoting a fundraiser for world hunger. So I googled it today. Two people from an MTV reality show have teamed up for the second year in a row to raise awareness and money for world hunger. 100% goes to the World Food Programme, which is the food aid branch of the United Nations. It is encouraging to me to see people getting outside themselves and taking action to help the needy around the world.
Many people are on the bandwagon for helping others. And this is a good thing! Yet, I don't know that these MTV stars are giving God any credit for their goodwill efforts. When you show the fruit of your salvation to others, how do they know that it's spurred by Jesus in you? How can they tell that it's God in you that causes you to care and love them? Do you believe that it is God in you, or do you think you're basically a good person and kind to all (or most), even if you didn't know Jesus?
People need to see our love in action. And they need to hear and know why we care, because humanity is basically selfish. I see the secular humanitarian efforts, and I applaud them, but I sometimes wonder what spurs people to participate in them. Is it real caring, or just trendy to be humanitarian? Are people being "green" because they really care about the world we live in, or just trying to do research for a school paper, or to get a plaque on the office wall for the most aluminum collected? What prompts people to care and to give and to act?
I hope believers in Jesus know that it is God in them that causes them to act...
...it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. ~ Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
He needs to get the credit for whatever good we do for others. And they need to hear honestly from our hearts about how God has changed us on the inside from selfish, greedy people to people who love others for real from the inside out! Because only God can do that. They need to know that God is your heart-changer and lover of your soul. And most importantly, that He can be their heart-changer and lover of their soul, too.
Why not get involved in a secular humanitarian effort in your community, and be godly salt and light to the needy, as well as your fellow workers! If you're an animal lover, volunteer at an animal shelter. If you have a heart for the elderly or shut-ins, volunteer for a meals-on-wheels program. Let people in the world around you pick the fruit of your salvation, and may they taste and see that the Lord is good. And may God get all glory and praise as we seek His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.
Love,
Joelene
~ Philippians 1:11 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I drove through Taco Bell the other day and saw a sign promoting a fundraiser for world hunger. So I googled it today. Two people from an MTV reality show have teamed up for the second year in a row to raise awareness and money for world hunger. 100% goes to the World Food Programme, which is the food aid branch of the United Nations. It is encouraging to me to see people getting outside themselves and taking action to help the needy around the world.
Many people are on the bandwagon for helping others. And this is a good thing! Yet, I don't know that these MTV stars are giving God any credit for their goodwill efforts. When you show the fruit of your salvation to others, how do they know that it's spurred by Jesus in you? How can they tell that it's God in you that causes you to care and love them? Do you believe that it is God in you, or do you think you're basically a good person and kind to all (or most), even if you didn't know Jesus?
People need to see our love in action. And they need to hear and know why we care, because humanity is basically selfish. I see the secular humanitarian efforts, and I applaud them, but I sometimes wonder what spurs people to participate in them. Is it real caring, or just trendy to be humanitarian? Are people being "green" because they really care about the world we live in, or just trying to do research for a school paper, or to get a plaque on the office wall for the most aluminum collected? What prompts people to care and to give and to act?
I hope believers in Jesus know that it is God in them that causes them to act...
...it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. ~ Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
He needs to get the credit for whatever good we do for others. And they need to hear honestly from our hearts about how God has changed us on the inside from selfish, greedy people to people who love others for real from the inside out! Because only God can do that. They need to know that God is your heart-changer and lover of your soul. And most importantly, that He can be their heart-changer and lover of their soul, too.
Why not get involved in a secular humanitarian effort in your community, and be godly salt and light to the needy, as well as your fellow workers! If you're an animal lover, volunteer at an animal shelter. If you have a heart for the elderly or shut-ins, volunteer for a meals-on-wheels program. Let people in the world around you pick the fruit of your salvation, and may they taste and see that the Lord is good. And may God get all glory and praise as we seek His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 3:15
But make sure in your hearts that Christ is Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.
~ 1 Peter 3:15 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How sure are you of who Jesus is? Are you really convinced that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Do you really believe that He sits at the right hand of the God of the universe, with all authority and powers under Him? Is that your Jesus, or something less?
So many in Peter's day were facing persecution for their faith in Christ. His advice to them was simple:
~ Do good.
~ Don't fear.
~ Make sure you're solid about who Jesus really is, both in the universe and in your heart.
~ Speak the truth about Him when asked.
(p.s. did I mention 'do good'? :-)
Item 3 is what really struck me today. Sometimes I wonder if we've shrunk our image of Jesus down to a Christmas creche and a crucifix. Things we look at and hold in our hand, manageable and small. As if we are bigger than He. If that be true, the fact is that we are small and our thinking is smaller still.
Jesus is Maker and Master of this universe! If we are believers in Him, we must come to fully grasp this truth. Peter said, You've gotta get this in your head and in your heart, people! If you're not convinced of His Lordship in this world, you'll be trampled by the world. Trampled by your own fear and doubt. Trampled by complacency. Trampled by lies. Get up, will ya? Stand tall, and walk in confidence in Who you trust and obey! He's the Alpha and Omega, for heaven's sake!
Once we are clear on this issue, we have confidence to open our mouths and let people know why we hope the way we do. Yet, as feisty as Peter was, he made it very clear that we weren't to be militant in our defense of the Lord. "Do it gently and with respect." People don't hear what you say when you yell; they just hear the yelling. People turn you off when you badger or become disrespectful. With your passion for the Lord, don't let pride or prejudice get you on a pedestal that will topple.
Be kind and considerate, confident of your Lord and your position in Him. And make the most of every opportunity when people wonder why you live the way you do.
Love,
Joelene
~ 1 Peter 3:15 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How sure are you of who Jesus is? Are you really convinced that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Do you really believe that He sits at the right hand of the God of the universe, with all authority and powers under Him? Is that your Jesus, or something less?
So many in Peter's day were facing persecution for their faith in Christ. His advice to them was simple:
~ Do good.
~ Don't fear.
~ Make sure you're solid about who Jesus really is, both in the universe and in your heart.
~ Speak the truth about Him when asked.
(p.s. did I mention 'do good'? :-)
Item 3 is what really struck me today. Sometimes I wonder if we've shrunk our image of Jesus down to a Christmas creche and a crucifix. Things we look at and hold in our hand, manageable and small. As if we are bigger than He. If that be true, the fact is that we are small and our thinking is smaller still.
Jesus is Maker and Master of this universe! If we are believers in Him, we must come to fully grasp this truth. Peter said, You've gotta get this in your head and in your heart, people! If you're not convinced of His Lordship in this world, you'll be trampled by the world. Trampled by your own fear and doubt. Trampled by complacency. Trampled by lies. Get up, will ya? Stand tall, and walk in confidence in Who you trust and obey! He's the Alpha and Omega, for heaven's sake!
Once we are clear on this issue, we have confidence to open our mouths and let people know why we hope the way we do. Yet, as feisty as Peter was, he made it very clear that we weren't to be militant in our defense of the Lord. "Do it gently and with respect." People don't hear what you say when you yell; they just hear the yelling. People turn you off when you badger or become disrespectful. With your passion for the Lord, don't let pride or prejudice get you on a pedestal that will topple.
Be kind and considerate, confident of your Lord and your position in Him. And make the most of every opportunity when people wonder why you live the way you do.
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Verse of the Day - Luke 17:12-14
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. ~ Luke 17:12-14 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...and as they went, they were cleansed.
So many diseases and afflictions were incurable in the days of Jesus. Blindness, disfigured limbs, seizures, bleeding disorders. But none so terrifying and ostracizing as leprosy. Whether it was the disease by the same name we know today which eats away at flesh, or some other skin condition, we don't exactly know. But it was a killer of the spirit, for sure. To be sequestered into colonies because you are "unclean". To lose touch with friends and family because you might taint them. (Sounds like AIDS, doesn't it?) Your friends become those who are afflicted like you . . . tainted together. What a miserable existence for body and spirit.
But in Jesus, these 10 men -- bound together by their helplessness -- saw help coming. Somehow they'd heard about Jesus, and they believed. Believed enough to cry out to Him for help. They might not have known how he would help them, but they were convinced He could. How do I know that? Because when He told them to go show themselves to the priests, they WENT! Anyone in that day knew that when you were cleansed of a disease, you went to the priest to be deemed "clean" again, so that you could re-enter society. For Jesus to tell them to go meant that they would be clean. They didn't wait for their skin to heal -- they just walked in the direction of faith, and they were healed. That's faith in action!
How often do we walk in the direction of faith? How many times do we act, believing in God's power to restore, heal, provide, protect? If your answer is, "Not much...", don't be discouraged! God gives you opportunities time and again to exercise your faith, to build up your spiritual muscle, to believe in and trust Him to do what only He can do. To do what you can't do yourself.
You know what you're afflicted with. You know the circumstances you face. So, what direction will you walk in today?
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...and as they went, they were cleansed.
So many diseases and afflictions were incurable in the days of Jesus. Blindness, disfigured limbs, seizures, bleeding disorders. But none so terrifying and ostracizing as leprosy. Whether it was the disease by the same name we know today which eats away at flesh, or some other skin condition, we don't exactly know. But it was a killer of the spirit, for sure. To be sequestered into colonies because you are "unclean". To lose touch with friends and family because you might taint them. (Sounds like AIDS, doesn't it?) Your friends become those who are afflicted like you . . . tainted together. What a miserable existence for body and spirit.
But in Jesus, these 10 men -- bound together by their helplessness -- saw help coming. Somehow they'd heard about Jesus, and they believed. Believed enough to cry out to Him for help. They might not have known how he would help them, but they were convinced He could. How do I know that? Because when He told them to go show themselves to the priests, they WENT! Anyone in that day knew that when you were cleansed of a disease, you went to the priest to be deemed "clean" again, so that you could re-enter society. For Jesus to tell them to go meant that they would be clean. They didn't wait for their skin to heal -- they just walked in the direction of faith, and they were healed. That's faith in action!
How often do we walk in the direction of faith? How many times do we act, believing in God's power to restore, heal, provide, protect? If your answer is, "Not much...", don't be discouraged! God gives you opportunities time and again to exercise your faith, to build up your spiritual muscle, to believe in and trust Him to do what only He can do. To do what you can't do yourself.
You know what you're afflicted with. You know the circumstances you face. So, what direction will you walk in today?
Love,
Joelene
Monday, October 13, 2008
Verse of the Day - Psalm 89:2
I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
~ Psalm 89:2 (NIV)
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I recently passed my 25th anniversary on my job at UC Davis Medical Center. And I realize that I have worked there longer than I haven't, since I started when I was 21 years old! (yeah, I know -- I just revealed my age to all those math majors out there :-) I guess you could say that's loyalty.
Truth is, there've been many, many times I was ready for another job, something different. But, as you know, the longer you invest yourself in a company, the harder it is to leave. Benefits, retirement, etc., play a part in the decision to stay or go. So sometimes it's not loyalty that keeps people where they are, but rather simple practicality.
Well, fortunately for the human race, God isn't like us. If His love for us was based on practicality, we'd be sunk. Because, in case you hadn't noticed, humanity is a huge liability for God! Not only did we walk away from God, but we got ourselves stuck in the quicksand of sin. So God signed, sealed and delivered the Great Global Bailout in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. For all of our liabilities, He gave His greatest asset. So, for the believer in Jesus, we are rescued from the power of sin and death because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Yet, we still sin. We still rebel. We're still a liability! Practicality would look down the ages and say this bunch of ding-dongs is worthless -- clean up a pig, and they still wallow in the mud. Just as a banker doesn't keep throwing good money after bad, it just doesn't make good sense to throw good love after bad.
And yet...
We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. ~ Romans 5:7-8 (The Msg)
God's love for us isn't dependent on our righteousness. It's not dependent on our ability to even receive it. God's love was forged in the fire of eternity -- something that's hard for us to even get our arms around. He is loyal to His love...and He determined before the foundation of the world to love us . . . before we were born, as we walk this earth, and on into eternity. His love never fails.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
~ Psalm 100:5 (NIV)
Our God is an awesome God! Let's thank Him every day for not being practical with us, lest humanity be handed over to the devil for our sinful ways. His loyalty to the men and women of the earth is driven by His faithful love, which can never die. No one can love like He loves. I hope that causes all of us bow ours head in humble gratitude to our Eternal Father, who is full of never-ending love.
Love,
Joelene
~ Psalm 89:2 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently passed my 25th anniversary on my job at UC Davis Medical Center. And I realize that I have worked there longer than I haven't, since I started when I was 21 years old! (yeah, I know -- I just revealed my age to all those math majors out there :-) I guess you could say that's loyalty.
Truth is, there've been many, many times I was ready for another job, something different. But, as you know, the longer you invest yourself in a company, the harder it is to leave. Benefits, retirement, etc., play a part in the decision to stay or go. So sometimes it's not loyalty that keeps people where they are, but rather simple practicality.
Well, fortunately for the human race, God isn't like us. If His love for us was based on practicality, we'd be sunk. Because, in case you hadn't noticed, humanity is a huge liability for God! Not only did we walk away from God, but we got ourselves stuck in the quicksand of sin. So God signed, sealed and delivered the Great Global Bailout in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. For all of our liabilities, He gave His greatest asset. So, for the believer in Jesus, we are rescued from the power of sin and death because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Yet, we still sin. We still rebel. We're still a liability! Practicality would look down the ages and say this bunch of ding-dongs is worthless -- clean up a pig, and they still wallow in the mud. Just as a banker doesn't keep throwing good money after bad, it just doesn't make good sense to throw good love after bad.
And yet...
We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. ~ Romans 5:7-8 (The Msg)
God's love for us isn't dependent on our righteousness. It's not dependent on our ability to even receive it. God's love was forged in the fire of eternity -- something that's hard for us to even get our arms around. He is loyal to His love...and He determined before the foundation of the world to love us . . . before we were born, as we walk this earth, and on into eternity. His love never fails.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
~ Psalm 100:5 (NIV)
Our God is an awesome God! Let's thank Him every day for not being practical with us, lest humanity be handed over to the devil for our sinful ways. His loyalty to the men and women of the earth is driven by His faithful love, which can never die. No one can love like He loves. I hope that causes all of us bow ours head in humble gratitude to our Eternal Father, who is full of never-ending love.
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Verse of the Day - 3 John 1:11
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. ~ 3 John 1:11 (NIV)
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"Imitation" isn't a word we think too fondly of, usually. If something is imitation leather, it's not real leather; therefore, probably not good quality. And how about imitation cheese or other dairy products? Most would turn their noses up at those second-rate "foods"...unless you're allergic to dairy, like me. See, imitation stuff is usually yucky.
And yet, the old saying goes, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Hence, if someone imitates you, they are seeing something desirable in you that they long for in their life. This is where John is going with this. Imitate good, not evil. Go after the good that God has already modeled for you in Jesus. He set the example that we should imitate. And by the power of His Spirit, He gives us strength to lay down our fleshly desire to imitate evil, and go after the good.
It makes me think of that TV insurance commercial, where someone sees a good deed done, and then imitates goodness to someone else...which, in turn, is seen by another and perpetuated in another life situation. And the cycle continues.
Are believers in Jesus imitating good and giving God the glory? Do you think that's important? I'll tell you why I think it's important. There are many humanitarians in this world who imitate goodness without any connection to God. Although God still uses their efforts to assist people in need, there's a clear disconnect to the Source of provision and no knowledge given of our need for Him. In fact, I think many secular humanitarian efforts shine light on man's ability to help and heal the world on its own, excluding God completely from the picture.
May that not be so from the children of God. We need to imitate and go after the good, but we need to testify and proclaim the God who is the source and strength of all goodness, amen? Let's model what we've seen in Jesus, and open our mouths and share with others how and why we imitate the good of our Savior, so that we shine light on our God, who is the essence of goodness.
People need to know that goodness isn't man-made; it comes from God, and God alone.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Imitation" isn't a word we think too fondly of, usually. If something is imitation leather, it's not real leather; therefore, probably not good quality. And how about imitation cheese or other dairy products? Most would turn their noses up at those second-rate "foods"...unless you're allergic to dairy, like me. See, imitation stuff is usually yucky.
And yet, the old saying goes, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Hence, if someone imitates you, they are seeing something desirable in you that they long for in their life. This is where John is going with this. Imitate good, not evil. Go after the good that God has already modeled for you in Jesus. He set the example that we should imitate. And by the power of His Spirit, He gives us strength to lay down our fleshly desire to imitate evil, and go after the good.
It makes me think of that TV insurance commercial, where someone sees a good deed done, and then imitates goodness to someone else...which, in turn, is seen by another and perpetuated in another life situation. And the cycle continues.
Are believers in Jesus imitating good and giving God the glory? Do you think that's important? I'll tell you why I think it's important. There are many humanitarians in this world who imitate goodness without any connection to God. Although God still uses their efforts to assist people in need, there's a clear disconnect to the Source of provision and no knowledge given of our need for Him. In fact, I think many secular humanitarian efforts shine light on man's ability to help and heal the world on its own, excluding God completely from the picture.
May that not be so from the children of God. We need to imitate and go after the good, but we need to testify and proclaim the God who is the source and strength of all goodness, amen? Let's model what we've seen in Jesus, and open our mouths and share with others how and why we imitate the good of our Savior, so that we shine light on our God, who is the essence of goodness.
People need to know that goodness isn't man-made; it comes from God, and God alone.
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Verse of the Day - John 6:33
God's bread is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
~ John 6:33 (NCV)
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I recently saw a rather weird video commercial on-line. Did you know that Oroweat is now the "official bread" of the Pac 10 Conference? Gee, I didn't know there was such a thing as an official bread of the Pac 10 Conference. I wonder how much money they paid to get that "prestigious honor" over, say, Wonder Bread or Sara Lee...
Bread is vital to life, but I just find it comical to have an "official bread" of anything. Do the players feel guilty if they eat Panera bread or dig into a Thomas' English muffin? Is there video surveillance in the Pac 10 cafeterias, monitoring the bread consumption for any violations to the "official bread"? I mean, how far does the influence go, huh? Does this border on organized crime?!?
Sorry. :-) Of course, I'm just kidding. But did the Pac 10 decide that Oroweat was really the best bread that money could buy for their athletes, or did Oroweat just lay down big bucks as a top sponsor and buy their prestigious honor as the "official bread"?
There was One who is the best Bread for us and laid down all the semolians on the table to be our "official bread". The Bread of heaven came down from God and laid everything on the table, emptying His pockets, and said, Here I Am. The Official Bread ... not just for the Pac 10 Conference, or even the whole NFL. I Am the Bread of Life. The Bread for the whole world. I have what you need to live eternally. Your only food for salvation.
The people in John Chapter 6 wanted to see a miracle, like when Moses gave the Hebrews manna in the desert. Jesus told them that it was God who gave them the manna, not Moses, and pointed them to what was happening before their very eyes...the Bread of Heaven was among them, to give life to the whole world. The miracle was there, living and breathing in front of them...and would soon be broken for them.
It's a funny thing about bread. It doesn't do you much good unless you actually eat it. You can't consume it's nutrition by just reading the nutritional label. You have to eat it. And what happens to bread if you let it sit in the bread basket for too long, huh? I know I've grown my share of penicillin in my bread basket...
Jesus got very serious in this dialogue with the people, to make sure they knew that eternal life comes through partaking of Him, and Him alone. He got metaphorically cannibalistic on them, and some just couldn't get it, and they left. Too hard a teaching, they said.
Is it too hard a teaching for you? Can you swallow the fact that without Jesus in your life, without your faith in Him, you are dead in sin? He offers Himself -- eternal life-giving Bread from Heaven -- as your "official bread". Will you take it and eat it, or let it go moldy while you go spiritually hungry?
Jesus is my number one sponsor and my official bread. I pray that is true for you, also.
Love,
Joelene
~ John 6:33 (NCV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently saw a rather weird video commercial on-line. Did you know that Oroweat is now the "official bread" of the Pac 10 Conference? Gee, I didn't know there was such a thing as an official bread of the Pac 10 Conference. I wonder how much money they paid to get that "prestigious honor" over, say, Wonder Bread or Sara Lee...
Bread is vital to life, but I just find it comical to have an "official bread" of anything. Do the players feel guilty if they eat Panera bread or dig into a Thomas' English muffin? Is there video surveillance in the Pac 10 cafeterias, monitoring the bread consumption for any violations to the "official bread"? I mean, how far does the influence go, huh? Does this border on organized crime?!?
Sorry. :-) Of course, I'm just kidding. But did the Pac 10 decide that Oroweat was really the best bread that money could buy for their athletes, or did Oroweat just lay down big bucks as a top sponsor and buy their prestigious honor as the "official bread"?
There was One who is the best Bread for us and laid down all the semolians on the table to be our "official bread". The Bread of heaven came down from God and laid everything on the table, emptying His pockets, and said, Here I Am. The Official Bread ... not just for the Pac 10 Conference, or even the whole NFL. I Am the Bread of Life. The Bread for the whole world. I have what you need to live eternally. Your only food for salvation.
The people in John Chapter 6 wanted to see a miracle, like when Moses gave the Hebrews manna in the desert. Jesus told them that it was God who gave them the manna, not Moses, and pointed them to what was happening before their very eyes...the Bread of Heaven was among them, to give life to the whole world. The miracle was there, living and breathing in front of them...and would soon be broken for them.
It's a funny thing about bread. It doesn't do you much good unless you actually eat it. You can't consume it's nutrition by just reading the nutritional label. You have to eat it. And what happens to bread if you let it sit in the bread basket for too long, huh? I know I've grown my share of penicillin in my bread basket...
Jesus got very serious in this dialogue with the people, to make sure they knew that eternal life comes through partaking of Him, and Him alone. He got metaphorically cannibalistic on them, and some just couldn't get it, and they left. Too hard a teaching, they said.
Is it too hard a teaching for you? Can you swallow the fact that without Jesus in your life, without your faith in Him, you are dead in sin? He offers Himself -- eternal life-giving Bread from Heaven -- as your "official bread". Will you take it and eat it, or let it go moldy while you go spiritually hungry?
Jesus is my number one sponsor and my official bread. I pray that is true for you, also.
Love,
Joelene
Friday, October 10, 2008
Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)
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I remember when I first really read this verse (or at least, the first time I recall reading it), I was a part of an evangelism/visitation ministry at our church. And it hit me -- nothing I do in the Lord's name for the Lord's sake is ever wasted or useless. You see, there were so many times that we'd go out and no one would be home. Or they really weren't interested in talking with us. Or we had a wrong address and never found who we were supposed to find in the first place. Or whatever. Easy to get discouraged when we don't see "results", huh?
These verses remind us that it 's not our job to be concerned about results. Our job is to be available, move as God directs us, and let Him worry about the results. He assures us that nothing is ever wasted when we serve Him.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
~ Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
Some might say, well, I guess I'm not serving the Lord because I'm not in an evangelism program. Think again, my friends! If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are an evangelist - a witness for the Lord, wherever you go! You have a beautiful opportunity to share the love of the Lord and His gospel when you wait in the DMV line, while grocery shopping, when playing chauffeur to kids' activities, while visiting someone in the hospital. You are God's missionary, and your daily circle of influence is your mission field.
Trust the Lord to take the seeds you sow on His behalf and make them grow. Be enthusiastic and walk in expectation of results, but don't become discouraged if the seeds you sow are lilies instead of corn. Vegetable sprouts come up quickly; bulbs take months to surface. Different seeds, different soil, different climate -- God directs these things. Just sow the seeds, and trust the Master Gardener to do His job.
Love,
Joelene
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I remember when I first really read this verse (or at least, the first time I recall reading it), I was a part of an evangelism/visitation ministry at our church. And it hit me -- nothing I do in the Lord's name for the Lord's sake is ever wasted or useless. You see, there were so many times that we'd go out and no one would be home. Or they really weren't interested in talking with us. Or we had a wrong address and never found who we were supposed to find in the first place. Or whatever. Easy to get discouraged when we don't see "results", huh?
These verses remind us that it 's not our job to be concerned about results. Our job is to be available, move as God directs us, and let Him worry about the results. He assures us that nothing is ever wasted when we serve Him.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
~ Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
Some might say, well, I guess I'm not serving the Lord because I'm not in an evangelism program. Think again, my friends! If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are an evangelist - a witness for the Lord, wherever you go! You have a beautiful opportunity to share the love of the Lord and His gospel when you wait in the DMV line, while grocery shopping, when playing chauffeur to kids' activities, while visiting someone in the hospital. You are God's missionary, and your daily circle of influence is your mission field.
Trust the Lord to take the seeds you sow on His behalf and make them grow. Be enthusiastic and walk in expectation of results, but don't become discouraged if the seeds you sow are lilies instead of corn. Vegetable sprouts come up quickly; bulbs take months to surface. Different seeds, different soil, different climate -- God directs these things. Just sow the seeds, and trust the Master Gardener to do His job.
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Verse of the Day - Revelation 3:17
You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ~ Revelation 3:17 (NIV)
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Bling is everywhere, isn't it? It's on our cars, our clothes, our jewelry, even our teeth! People show off their pride and money with great pomp and circumstance, and many feel they are "in like Flint" because of it. Like the old show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" or new shows, like "Growing Up Gotti" or "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" -- they highlight the lives of flashy people with lots of money. But all that glitters is not gold, is it?
I've tuned in to a few of these reality shows of the rich and famous, and so often it's just CHAOS! Out of control, bizarre, running wild, throwing tantrums...you name it when it comes to bad attitudes and behavior. Is this what money does to people? If so, I'm content with my little middle income life! I'll keep my little Hyundai and my 2-bedroom condo in my average suburban neighborhood and my shoe-string budget.
But it's not really the money that turns people into bizarre fodder for reality shows. It's the worship of that bling and all that money can buy. It's thinking that if you have money, you don't need God. It's turning your nose up at the One who is the Giver of all, thinking you acquired it all yourself. Pride and idolatry is what Jesus was warning the Laodacian church about -- it's what He warns us about today.
When we think we don't need God, it doesn't matter how much glitz we have -- we're really just smelly vagabonds with ragged clothes and no deodorant! But with Jesus, we are RICH! Rich where it really counts, in our hearts and in His Kingdom. Rich in God's love and grace! Rich in freedom from sin! Rich in wisdom from above! Rich in kindness and good deeds!
There are reality shows that highlight a godly perspective of treating people with kindness, of using what God gives you to help others in need, of not being afraid to get dirty to the benefit of others. Try watching "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" -- your heart will be warmed at the outpouring of love and care for those in need. A lot of money, sweat and tears are poured out to help needy families -- from the production company to the sponsors to the communities where these families live. And lives are changed for the good. And may God get all the glory for their godly example! (I tear up just thinking about it now, and it's not even on my TV!)
Worship God, not your money...or anyone else's money, for that matter. It's just money -- to be used for God's purposes, as He sees fit -- not to puff ourselves up. If we get too puffed up, we might just explode like an overinflated balloon. And that is not pretty, my friends, not pretty at all.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bling is everywhere, isn't it? It's on our cars, our clothes, our jewelry, even our teeth! People show off their pride and money with great pomp and circumstance, and many feel they are "in like Flint" because of it. Like the old show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" or new shows, like "Growing Up Gotti" or "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" -- they highlight the lives of flashy people with lots of money. But all that glitters is not gold, is it?
I've tuned in to a few of these reality shows of the rich and famous, and so often it's just CHAOS! Out of control, bizarre, running wild, throwing tantrums...you name it when it comes to bad attitudes and behavior. Is this what money does to people? If so, I'm content with my little middle income life! I'll keep my little Hyundai and my 2-bedroom condo in my average suburban neighborhood and my shoe-string budget.
But it's not really the money that turns people into bizarre fodder for reality shows. It's the worship of that bling and all that money can buy. It's thinking that if you have money, you don't need God. It's turning your nose up at the One who is the Giver of all, thinking you acquired it all yourself. Pride and idolatry is what Jesus was warning the Laodacian church about -- it's what He warns us about today.
When we think we don't need God, it doesn't matter how much glitz we have -- we're really just smelly vagabonds with ragged clothes and no deodorant! But with Jesus, we are RICH! Rich where it really counts, in our hearts and in His Kingdom. Rich in God's love and grace! Rich in freedom from sin! Rich in wisdom from above! Rich in kindness and good deeds!
There are reality shows that highlight a godly perspective of treating people with kindness, of using what God gives you to help others in need, of not being afraid to get dirty to the benefit of others. Try watching "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" -- your heart will be warmed at the outpouring of love and care for those in need. A lot of money, sweat and tears are poured out to help needy families -- from the production company to the sponsors to the communities where these families live. And lives are changed for the good. And may God get all the glory for their godly example! (I tear up just thinking about it now, and it's not even on my TV!)
Worship God, not your money...or anyone else's money, for that matter. It's just money -- to be used for God's purposes, as He sees fit -- not to puff ourselves up. If we get too puffed up, we might just explode like an overinflated balloon. And that is not pretty, my friends, not pretty at all.
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)
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We seem to think we know what love is, but do we really? Do we really exhibit and experience the standard that God acknowledges as real love? hmm...
We like to think we're patient and kind with those we love. But irritating things can get under our skin faster than lightning, can't they? We like to think we're selfless in loving others, but often, if we drill down to motives, we find that it's not really about the other person, but about us. And keeping a record of wrongs? Wow --now there's a topic for discussion, huh?
If we try to put love on like a shirt -- on the outside, we might have the look of love and maybe even the feel of love, but the heart of love is missing. What I mean is this: until our hearts are changed by God, who is love (1 John 4:8)...until we seek to love from the inside by God's power...until we lay self aside for the sake of another the way God loves us, we're just putting on a love shirt. Looks pretty good on the outside, but eventually you take the shirt off and throw it in the laundry, and then what do you have? Your bare self, who couldn't care less about other people.
Loving someone isn't roses and hearts and candy -- that's the "love shirt" you buy from the store. It's a love "potion" that you drink on the inside -- determined self-sacrifice, where patience and kindness and humility reign, where there's no scoreboard of wins and losses, where care and compassion are real and evident. And only God can give you that potion, because God is the source of real love.
We know that God wants us to love all people. Some are easy to love, and others...well, others can make us grit our teeth. Only God's love, from the inside out, will ever combat our selfish hearts, so that we can be His agents for real love. Let us allow Him to invade our souls with His love potion, that divine elixir from the Holy Spirit that gives our hearts what we really need to love.
Love,
Joelene
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We seem to think we know what love is, but do we really? Do we really exhibit and experience the standard that God acknowledges as real love? hmm...
We like to think we're patient and kind with those we love. But irritating things can get under our skin faster than lightning, can't they? We like to think we're selfless in loving others, but often, if we drill down to motives, we find that it's not really about the other person, but about us. And keeping a record of wrongs? Wow --now there's a topic for discussion, huh?
If we try to put love on like a shirt -- on the outside, we might have the look of love and maybe even the feel of love, but the heart of love is missing. What I mean is this: until our hearts are changed by God, who is love (1 John 4:8)...until we seek to love from the inside by God's power...until we lay self aside for the sake of another the way God loves us, we're just putting on a love shirt. Looks pretty good on the outside, but eventually you take the shirt off and throw it in the laundry, and then what do you have? Your bare self, who couldn't care less about other people.
Loving someone isn't roses and hearts and candy -- that's the "love shirt" you buy from the store. It's a love "potion" that you drink on the inside -- determined self-sacrifice, where patience and kindness and humility reign, where there's no scoreboard of wins and losses, where care and compassion are real and evident. And only God can give you that potion, because God is the source of real love.
We know that God wants us to love all people. Some are easy to love, and others...well, others can make us grit our teeth. Only God's love, from the inside out, will ever combat our selfish hearts, so that we can be His agents for real love. Let us allow Him to invade our souls with His love potion, that divine elixir from the Holy Spirit that gives our hearts what we really need to love.
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Verse of the Day - Psalm 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
~ Psalm 4:8 (NLT)
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Sleep is so important, yet we sure have a hard time getting it, don't we? I'm sure some people drool when they see the commercials for the sleep aids that claim to provide a good eight hours of sleep, with the little luminescent butterfly flying gently over the sleepy person as they lay their head down on the pillow...
I hear a lot people tell me how tired they are because they can't sleep. When I ask them why, they usually say it's because they're stressed out thinking about this situation or that circumstance. Relational troubles, job woes, health issues...our minds are reeling 24/7 with worry and stress, and we often can't turn it off in order to get the rest we need. So we toss and turn until the alarm clock jars us awake, to face another day with circles and bags under our eyes....tired again.
Sleep is vital to our physical and emotional health. Some studies even show that weight loss is aided or thwarted based on whether or not you get the proper amount of sleep. So what do we do when the worries of this life invade our dreamy space?
Well, David seemed to have the ticket to a good night's rest. And it wasn't a Sleep Train mattress, either! :-) He trusted God to watch over and care for him. You probably don't worry about being attacked in your sleep like David did, unless you're in a war zone...but then again, maybe you do. Maybe you worry legitimately about feuding neighbors, or drive-by shootings, or hostile ex's, or hurricanes. But if you are a believer in Jesus, you are God's child. He watches over you like a mama bear with her cub - now that's protective! Does that mean that we never experience harm or disaster? Oh, if that were only true. Believers and unbelievers alike are faced with difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. But God holds your soul in His hand. Nothing can separate you from Him or His love. And He can give you strength and peace in the midst of whatever is weighing you down, so that you can lie down and sleep in peace.
Trust Him to wrestle with the enemy -- you need your rest.
Love,
Joelene
~ Psalm 4:8 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sleep is so important, yet we sure have a hard time getting it, don't we? I'm sure some people drool when they see the commercials for the sleep aids that claim to provide a good eight hours of sleep, with the little luminescent butterfly flying gently over the sleepy person as they lay their head down on the pillow...
I hear a lot people tell me how tired they are because they can't sleep. When I ask them why, they usually say it's because they're stressed out thinking about this situation or that circumstance. Relational troubles, job woes, health issues...our minds are reeling 24/7 with worry and stress, and we often can't turn it off in order to get the rest we need. So we toss and turn until the alarm clock jars us awake, to face another day with circles and bags under our eyes....tired again.
Sleep is vital to our physical and emotional health. Some studies even show that weight loss is aided or thwarted based on whether or not you get the proper amount of sleep. So what do we do when the worries of this life invade our dreamy space?
Well, David seemed to have the ticket to a good night's rest. And it wasn't a Sleep Train mattress, either! :-) He trusted God to watch over and care for him. You probably don't worry about being attacked in your sleep like David did, unless you're in a war zone...but then again, maybe you do. Maybe you worry legitimately about feuding neighbors, or drive-by shootings, or hostile ex's, or hurricanes. But if you are a believer in Jesus, you are God's child. He watches over you like a mama bear with her cub - now that's protective! Does that mean that we never experience harm or disaster? Oh, if that were only true. Believers and unbelievers alike are faced with difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. But God holds your soul in His hand. Nothing can separate you from Him or His love. And He can give you strength and peace in the midst of whatever is weighing you down, so that you can lie down and sleep in peace.
Trust Him to wrestle with the enemy -- you need your rest.
Love,
Joelene
Monday, October 6, 2008
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. ~ Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think rocks are pretty fascinating! While vacationing in Lake Tahoe in April, I collected all sorts of rocks from the beach and embarked on a little craft project of painting them with clear nail polish, to help clarify the colors. Wow, the variety of colors and textures was truly amazing! My daughter, on the other hand, is less thrilled. This summer, she took a college Geology class, and her comment to me was, "All I can say is, rocks don't rock, Mom -- this is sooo boring." Youth...what are ya gonna do with 'em, huh? :-)
Rocks have amazing strength and capture many fascinating elements and facts. Fossils and sedimentary changes are cool for geeks like me! And scientists have learned much about our planet from studying them. But even rock, as solid as it seems, is vulnerable. Just look at the Grand Canyon and the devastation of erosion that water can inflict on "solid" rock! Or think of what an earthquake can do to what seems like "solid" rock. Or how about the amazing 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens, and what the elements (force and heat) of a volcanic eruption can do to "solid" rock? Rock seems solid until external forces and elements fragment or liquify it.
Not so with the Eternal Rock, the Lord God. Nothing external can fragment Him! He is solid like earth's rock and that helps us understand His steadfastness, but He's unshakable and cannot be eroded. He is eternal . . . forever the same solid God who protects and defends those who seek shelter in Him. You can trust Him to remain solid, no matter what you're going through or what the future holds for you.
The next time you see a picture of the magnificent canyons of the Southwest, or watch on TV the impact of an earthquake on "solid" structures, remind yourself that God is stronger still and will remain strong and stable long after the solid rocks of this earth are no more.
You can depend on Him to be solid...forever! So trust Him with everything you have. Don't be like people who trust in things that look solid but give way when the forces hit. If you hide in His shelter, you are safe, now and forever more!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think rocks are pretty fascinating! While vacationing in Lake Tahoe in April, I collected all sorts of rocks from the beach and embarked on a little craft project of painting them with clear nail polish, to help clarify the colors. Wow, the variety of colors and textures was truly amazing! My daughter, on the other hand, is less thrilled. This summer, she took a college Geology class, and her comment to me was, "All I can say is, rocks don't rock, Mom -- this is sooo boring." Youth...what are ya gonna do with 'em, huh? :-)
Rocks have amazing strength and capture many fascinating elements and facts. Fossils and sedimentary changes are cool for geeks like me! And scientists have learned much about our planet from studying them. But even rock, as solid as it seems, is vulnerable. Just look at the Grand Canyon and the devastation of erosion that water can inflict on "solid" rock! Or think of what an earthquake can do to what seems like "solid" rock. Or how about the amazing 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens, and what the elements (force and heat) of a volcanic eruption can do to "solid" rock? Rock seems solid until external forces and elements fragment or liquify it.
Not so with the Eternal Rock, the Lord God. Nothing external can fragment Him! He is solid like earth's rock and that helps us understand His steadfastness, but He's unshakable and cannot be eroded. He is eternal . . . forever the same solid God who protects and defends those who seek shelter in Him. You can trust Him to remain solid, no matter what you're going through or what the future holds for you.
The next time you see a picture of the magnificent canyons of the Southwest, or watch on TV the impact of an earthquake on "solid" structures, remind yourself that God is stronger still and will remain strong and stable long after the solid rocks of this earth are no more.
You can depend on Him to be solid...forever! So trust Him with everything you have. Don't be like people who trust in things that look solid but give way when the forces hit. If you hide in His shelter, you are safe, now and forever more!
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 55:7-8
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
~ Isaiah 55:7-8 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you know that if any of us were in charge of this world, it would be a pretty lonely place? No one would survive our judgment! Our vengeance would condemn all who do wrong to the death chamber. Why? Because we are prone to spew out condemnation, rather than mercy. In our carnal nature, we long for an exacting of the law, a sealing of the prison doors, a shoveling of six feet of dirt on top of the coffins of all offenders.
Mercy is not in us, apart from God. Just look at Jonah and the offenders of Nineveh. Jonah high-tailed it in the opposite direction when God called him to preach to the Ninevites. Why? Because he knew God would be merciful to anyone who calls on His name. He knew that God is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love (Jonah 4:2). And it galled him! In Jonah's mind, these people deserved all that they had coming to them, for all of their reveling in sin -- death to those great sinners! Never mind if they repented -- just wipe 'em out....that was Jonah's motto.
Is that our motto? We might not want to admit it, but we judge and condemn people in our hearts and minds all the time. Hmm...Drug dealers? Give 'em the ax! Prostitutes? Throw 'em in the trash heap! Pornographers? Take 'em out and shoot 'em!
Heaven forbid that any of these violators of the law would turn in repentance and call on the name of the Lord...
God says His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. All I can say is it's a good thing...or you and I would be trampled under our own judgment and condemnation. Because, you see, we are all vile and disgusting in our own sin. We stink to high heaven as much as any murderer on death row. Our sin is a stench; yet, we somehow think we smell like a rose because we've been saved by Jesus. In truth, we do smell like a rose in the nose of God because of Jesus, but in the war with our flesh, that transformation often leads us to believe we can condemn others who are stuck in the muck and the mire of sinful living.
...the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair...
~from Be My Escape, by Relient K
Thank God that He shows mercy to the whole world, to all who will call on Him. And may we seek to be like Him more and more every day.
Love,
Joelene
~ Isaiah 55:7-8 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you know that if any of us were in charge of this world, it would be a pretty lonely place? No one would survive our judgment! Our vengeance would condemn all who do wrong to the death chamber. Why? Because we are prone to spew out condemnation, rather than mercy. In our carnal nature, we long for an exacting of the law, a sealing of the prison doors, a shoveling of six feet of dirt on top of the coffins of all offenders.
Mercy is not in us, apart from God. Just look at Jonah and the offenders of Nineveh. Jonah high-tailed it in the opposite direction when God called him to preach to the Ninevites. Why? Because he knew God would be merciful to anyone who calls on His name. He knew that God is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love (Jonah 4:2). And it galled him! In Jonah's mind, these people deserved all that they had coming to them, for all of their reveling in sin -- death to those great sinners! Never mind if they repented -- just wipe 'em out....that was Jonah's motto.
Is that our motto? We might not want to admit it, but we judge and condemn people in our hearts and minds all the time. Hmm...Drug dealers? Give 'em the ax! Prostitutes? Throw 'em in the trash heap! Pornographers? Take 'em out and shoot 'em!
Heaven forbid that any of these violators of the law would turn in repentance and call on the name of the Lord...
God says His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. All I can say is it's a good thing...or you and I would be trampled under our own judgment and condemnation. Because, you see, we are all vile and disgusting in our own sin. We stink to high heaven as much as any murderer on death row. Our sin is a stench; yet, we somehow think we smell like a rose because we've been saved by Jesus. In truth, we do smell like a rose in the nose of God because of Jesus, but in the war with our flesh, that transformation often leads us to believe we can condemn others who are stuck in the muck and the mire of sinful living.
...the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair...
~from Be My Escape, by Relient K
Thank God that He shows mercy to the whole world, to all who will call on Him. And may we seek to be like Him more and more every day.
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Verse of the Day - John 3:17
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! ~ John 3:17 (CEV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched part of a TV show the other day, called "I Got Bitten..." You can imagine what that was about! Yeah, this guy was describing his tale of being bitten by a rattlesnake, and his ensuing rapid physical decline as a friend tried rushing him to get help. More than the bite site was swelling, as his airway was constricting, and his vision was becoming more and more tunneled. He was in real trouble! They drove and drove and finally flagged down a woman with a cellphone some 30 minutes after the incident. 9-1-1 was called, and the paramedics finally arrived to help him. But in the ambulance, in his frantic effort to breathe and probably an overall sense of panic, he was thrashing around and blocking efforts of the very people sent to save his life!
Humanity is sort-of like that rattlesnake bite victim. At first, he wasn't even sure he'd been bitten, but eventually the venom began coursing through his veins and the effects of the poison became evident. Humanity runs around thinking they're not poisoned either, until murder and drunkenness and adultery and slavery open our eyes that we have a problem. A real problem. A deadly problem. Toxic and invading, needing a life paramedic to fix the problem, to be our 9-1-1.
Unfortunately, when God steps in to be our 9-1-1, many people thrash around, deflecting and refusing His help. They're in spiritual delirium! They flail their spiritual arms in the air, grasping for help, but push God away. They turn to self-help books, therapists, Eastern meditation, counterfeit gods -- anything but the God who truly can rescue them. A God who does have the anti-venom that will save them -- that anti-venom is the blood of Jesus Christ. Able to rescue and save those who are dying from the bite of that great serpent, the devil.
If you are a believer in Jesus, you have been rescued -- praise God! But every day, you see others who are thrashing around with poison in their veins. Maybe they know they're sick, but won't turn to God. Or maybe they don't even know they've been bitten. Be available to people and listen to their heart condition. And be ready to show them the 9-1-1 they really need -- Jesus Christ, sent not to judge, but to save.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched part of a TV show the other day, called "I Got Bitten..." You can imagine what that was about! Yeah, this guy was describing his tale of being bitten by a rattlesnake, and his ensuing rapid physical decline as a friend tried rushing him to get help. More than the bite site was swelling, as his airway was constricting, and his vision was becoming more and more tunneled. He was in real trouble! They drove and drove and finally flagged down a woman with a cellphone some 30 minutes after the incident. 9-1-1 was called, and the paramedics finally arrived to help him. But in the ambulance, in his frantic effort to breathe and probably an overall sense of panic, he was thrashing around and blocking efforts of the very people sent to save his life!
Humanity is sort-of like that rattlesnake bite victim. At first, he wasn't even sure he'd been bitten, but eventually the venom began coursing through his veins and the effects of the poison became evident. Humanity runs around thinking they're not poisoned either, until murder and drunkenness and adultery and slavery open our eyes that we have a problem. A real problem. A deadly problem. Toxic and invading, needing a life paramedic to fix the problem, to be our 9-1-1.
Unfortunately, when God steps in to be our 9-1-1, many people thrash around, deflecting and refusing His help. They're in spiritual delirium! They flail their spiritual arms in the air, grasping for help, but push God away. They turn to self-help books, therapists, Eastern meditation, counterfeit gods -- anything but the God who truly can rescue them. A God who does have the anti-venom that will save them -- that anti-venom is the blood of Jesus Christ. Able to rescue and save those who are dying from the bite of that great serpent, the devil.
If you are a believer in Jesus, you have been rescued -- praise God! But every day, you see others who are thrashing around with poison in their veins. Maybe they know they're sick, but won't turn to God. Or maybe they don't even know they've been bitten. Be available to people and listen to their heart condition. And be ready to show them the 9-1-1 they really need -- Jesus Christ, sent not to judge, but to save.
Love,
Joelene
Friday, October 3, 2008
Verse of the Day - Mark 5:36
Don't be afraid; just believe. ~ Mark 5:36 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a situation is grave, we fear. If we're offered some hope through interventional means, we believe. If the situation becomes even more grave, we fear again. Up, down. Up, down. Who feels like they want to throw up on this fear roller coaster, huh?
Jesus says, Look into My eyes. What do you see? Do you see carelessness, ineptitude, or hostility in Me toward you? Never! I love you. And I am completely capable and wanting to care for you. I'm sorry that you are up and down in the fear cycle, but until you can authentically trust Me -- even when situations are grave...even when circumstances are painful --, you will not experience a life of peace. I stand here, looking into your eyes, asking, "When are you going to step off that ledge and trust Me?"
Fear is easy to rely on, but it's not reliable. It doesn't hold you up, but lets you down hard. Faith in Jesus is difficult, but it's dependable. That's because Jesus is dependable. He is a rock, a mighty fortress, a strong warrior, a faithful friend. Why would we choose fear over faith, when the choice -- crumbling granite, or solid rock -- is so clear?
Since our flesh leans toward fear naturally, we have to practice leaning toward faith. And practice makes better. The next time you face a difficult situation and you starting leaning toward fear, catch yourself and make the choice to lean toward faith in Jesus. And then lean HARD on Him. Take a flying leap into His trustworthy arms...to hold you, care for you, walk with you, guide you, love you. Then, build on that faith experience when your next faith challenge comes along, because practice truly does make better.
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
~ 'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus, by Louisa M.R. Stead
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a situation is grave, we fear. If we're offered some hope through interventional means, we believe. If the situation becomes even more grave, we fear again. Up, down. Up, down. Who feels like they want to throw up on this fear roller coaster, huh?
Jesus says, Look into My eyes. What do you see? Do you see carelessness, ineptitude, or hostility in Me toward you? Never! I love you. And I am completely capable and wanting to care for you. I'm sorry that you are up and down in the fear cycle, but until you can authentically trust Me -- even when situations are grave...even when circumstances are painful --, you will not experience a life of peace. I stand here, looking into your eyes, asking, "When are you going to step off that ledge and trust Me?"
Fear is easy to rely on, but it's not reliable. It doesn't hold you up, but lets you down hard. Faith in Jesus is difficult, but it's dependable. That's because Jesus is dependable. He is a rock, a mighty fortress, a strong warrior, a faithful friend. Why would we choose fear over faith, when the choice -- crumbling granite, or solid rock -- is so clear?
Since our flesh leans toward fear naturally, we have to practice leaning toward faith. And practice makes better. The next time you face a difficult situation and you starting leaning toward fear, catch yourself and make the choice to lean toward faith in Jesus. And then lean HARD on Him. Take a flying leap into His trustworthy arms...to hold you, care for you, walk with you, guide you, love you. Then, build on that faith experience when your next faith challenge comes along, because practice truly does make better.
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
~ 'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus, by Louisa M.R. Stead
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Verse of the Day - Titus 2:13
...we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. ~ Titus 2:13 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do you look forward to Christ's return?
Is it so that all this mess here on earth will be finished? So you can finally be through with all of your aches and pains? So you can finally be done with all the evil in this world?
I hear a lot of people say they want to "go home", but their desires seem selfish, compared to what Paul writes in this verse. What should we really be looking forward to -- our comfort?
Actually, this thought process transcends not only how we feel about heaven and Christ's return, but about this life, too. We want comfort and security, no pain or worries, right? But that's not our purpose! Our purpose is to bring glory to God and His Son, Jesus Christ! And on that Great Day when Jesus returns, our joy and excitement should be in seeing His glory fully revealed. See, it's all about Jesus...not us. But we sure like to make it about us, don't we?
We sing songs that say "Glory to God in the highest..." and "Show me Your Glory"...and yet, is that really our highest goal? Are we desiring God to receive the full praise and honor that is due Him, as we live this life and anticipate the next? Somehow, I think that our goals often fall selfishly short of that.
Jesus laid down His honor when He chose to reveal Himself to man as a man. His goal was to save the lost at all costs. It cost Him public disgrace and severe personal pain. He hung exposed on the cross for all the masses to mock Him, taunt Him, and watch Him die a slow, agonizing death. Honor?!? How about humiliation! But He did it willingly for you and me, and we should be ever grateful for His sacrifice. We should desire to see Him high and lifted up, above all people, powers and authorities! He deserves that from us who are redeemed by His blood!
The reality is that Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and there is no way to stop the eventual revelation of His glory when He returns to settle the score. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11). And that is how it should be in our hearts today and every day.
It's not about us. It's about Him. Let's seek the Holy Spirit's help, to put ourselves aside and look fully into the eyes of our Lord, desiring nothing more than to see Him glorified and praised and honored. He is worthy of nothing less than that from us, the redeemed.
Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
~ Revelation 5:11-13 (NLT)
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do you look forward to Christ's return?
Is it so that all this mess here on earth will be finished? So you can finally be through with all of your aches and pains? So you can finally be done with all the evil in this world?
I hear a lot of people say they want to "go home", but their desires seem selfish, compared to what Paul writes in this verse. What should we really be looking forward to -- our comfort?
Actually, this thought process transcends not only how we feel about heaven and Christ's return, but about this life, too. We want comfort and security, no pain or worries, right? But that's not our purpose! Our purpose is to bring glory to God and His Son, Jesus Christ! And on that Great Day when Jesus returns, our joy and excitement should be in seeing His glory fully revealed. See, it's all about Jesus...not us. But we sure like to make it about us, don't we?
We sing songs that say "Glory to God in the highest..." and "Show me Your Glory"...and yet, is that really our highest goal? Are we desiring God to receive the full praise and honor that is due Him, as we live this life and anticipate the next? Somehow, I think that our goals often fall selfishly short of that.
Jesus laid down His honor when He chose to reveal Himself to man as a man. His goal was to save the lost at all costs. It cost Him public disgrace and severe personal pain. He hung exposed on the cross for all the masses to mock Him, taunt Him, and watch Him die a slow, agonizing death. Honor?!? How about humiliation! But He did it willingly for you and me, and we should be ever grateful for His sacrifice. We should desire to see Him high and lifted up, above all people, powers and authorities! He deserves that from us who are redeemed by His blood!
The reality is that Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and there is no way to stop the eventual revelation of His glory when He returns to settle the score. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11). And that is how it should be in our hearts today and every day.
It's not about us. It's about Him. Let's seek the Holy Spirit's help, to put ourselves aside and look fully into the eyes of our Lord, desiring nothing more than to see Him glorified and praised and honored. He is worthy of nothing less than that from us, the redeemed.
Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
~ Revelation 5:11-13 (NLT)
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Verse of the Day - Matthew 5:11-12
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
~ Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus really upset the apple cart when He came on the scene. He simply talked upside-down from all human nature, traditions, and religious and social protocol. Everything that had been accepted and modeled throughout time was challenged by Jesus, and the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7 had to have blown the listeners away...
~ I'm blessed if I'm poor?
~ Rejoice if I'm persecuted for Jesus' sake?
~ I'm a murderer if I simply hate in my heart?
~ Just take an insult and even let them do it to me more than once?
~ Love those who hate me, and do good to them?
Like I said, very upside-down thinking in most people's eyes. No wonder the Bible says that God's ways are higher than man's ways, as high as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:9). They're light years away from our thinking!
When someone insults us, we insult back...not turn the other cheek. When Christians are persecuted around the world, we mourn...not rejoice. When we square off with an enemy, we want vengeance...not peace. That's human nature and how the world operates, right?
God invaded the world to let us know we had it all wrong. We needed the "up-close-and-personal" touch so that could really hear God's plan for godly living. We heard it, and we saw it. Jesus not only said the words, but lived them, too. We saw first-hand what it was like to talk the walk, and walk the talk.
There was a song years ago with a line that has stuck with me...
John has a new way of looking at life
He's tired of his job, his kids and his wife
He says the secret to his success
Was in leaving and finding himself
Now he's someone to somebody else.
And you say we've risen to a new age of truth
You're calling it a spiritual Godly pursuit
But I say, I say,
(chorus)
What if we've fallen to the bottom of a well
Thinking we've risen to the top of a mountain
What if we're knocking at the gates of hell
Thinking we're heaven bound
What if we spend our lives thinking of ourselves
When we should have been thinking of each other
What if we reach up and touch the ground
To find we're living life upside down.
We've got a program for saving the earth
While unborn children are denied their right to birth
One baby's blessed, another cursed
Have we made this world better or worse
Now that the life of a tree comes first
And you say we've risen to a new age of light
You're telling me what used to be wrong is now right
But I say, I say,
(repeat chorus)
What if we're living, what if we're living,
What if we're living life upside down.
~ Living Life Upside Down, by Russ Lee
...what if we reach up and touch the ground to find we're living life upside down...
What a visual, huh?
Like the school parking patrol woman in the film, "Mr. Mom", who made Michael Keaton roll his car window down in the pouring rain as he tried to drop his kid off at school, simply saying, "You're doing it wrong..." -- that's what Jesus said all through His ministry. We're doing it wrong. We think we know the right way to live, but God let us know that we're living life upside down.
When a person chooses to follow Jesus, they're accepting an upside down life. Instead of following their natural inclinations, they follow God -- a radical reorientation of thought processes and actions. And although they seem crazy, God says it is the right path for real life.
So, which path are you on? Are you upside down, or right side up?
Love,
Joelene
~ Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus really upset the apple cart when He came on the scene. He simply talked upside-down from all human nature, traditions, and religious and social protocol. Everything that had been accepted and modeled throughout time was challenged by Jesus, and the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7 had to have blown the listeners away...
~ I'm blessed if I'm poor?
~ Rejoice if I'm persecuted for Jesus' sake?
~ I'm a murderer if I simply hate in my heart?
~ Just take an insult and even let them do it to me more than once?
~ Love those who hate me, and do good to them?
Like I said, very upside-down thinking in most people's eyes. No wonder the Bible says that God's ways are higher than man's ways, as high as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:9). They're light years away from our thinking!
When someone insults us, we insult back...not turn the other cheek. When Christians are persecuted around the world, we mourn...not rejoice. When we square off with an enemy, we want vengeance...not peace. That's human nature and how the world operates, right?
God invaded the world to let us know we had it all wrong. We needed the "up-close-and-personal" touch so that could really hear God's plan for godly living. We heard it, and we saw it. Jesus not only said the words, but lived them, too. We saw first-hand what it was like to talk the walk, and walk the talk.
There was a song years ago with a line that has stuck with me...
John has a new way of looking at life
He's tired of his job, his kids and his wife
He says the secret to his success
Was in leaving and finding himself
Now he's someone to somebody else.
And you say we've risen to a new age of truth
You're calling it a spiritual Godly pursuit
But I say, I say,
(chorus)
What if we've fallen to the bottom of a well
Thinking we've risen to the top of a mountain
What if we're knocking at the gates of hell
Thinking we're heaven bound
What if we spend our lives thinking of ourselves
When we should have been thinking of each other
What if we reach up and touch the ground
To find we're living life upside down.
We've got a program for saving the earth
While unborn children are denied their right to birth
One baby's blessed, another cursed
Have we made this world better or worse
Now that the life of a tree comes first
And you say we've risen to a new age of light
You're telling me what used to be wrong is now right
But I say, I say,
(repeat chorus)
What if we're living, what if we're living,
What if we're living life upside down.
~ Living Life Upside Down, by Russ Lee
...what if we reach up and touch the ground to find we're living life upside down...
What a visual, huh?
Like the school parking patrol woman in the film, "Mr. Mom", who made Michael Keaton roll his car window down in the pouring rain as he tried to drop his kid off at school, simply saying, "You're doing it wrong..." -- that's what Jesus said all through His ministry. We're doing it wrong. We think we know the right way to live, but God let us know that we're living life upside down.
When a person chooses to follow Jesus, they're accepting an upside down life. Instead of following their natural inclinations, they follow God -- a radical reorientation of thought processes and actions. And although they seem crazy, God says it is the right path for real life.
So, which path are you on? Are you upside down, or right side up?
Love,
Joelene
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