Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When stuff happens in our lives, we can really get messed up inside. We can allow alot of negative, sinful emotions to take root in our hearts when life gets tough -- bitterness, jealousy, malice, envy, hatred even. And what nasty weeds these are! They take root so fast and so deep, it can overtake your heart without you even knowing it (like the raspberry bush monster that invaded that family's back yard last weekend.)
And these sinful weeds can cause us to want to throw in the towel -- with ministry, with friendships, with our relationship with God. We sometimes just want to quit, give up, and say, "Sayonara, baby..." Hanging in there when the going gets tough is hard to do. Steadfastness requires commitment and courage, things we often struggle with. At least I do.
David acknowledged that he had heart issues, and he asked God for help in getting an overhaul -- cleaning out the sin weeds in his heart, and infusing steadfastness again into his spirit. He was not afraid to be honest with God and himself, to ask for God's divine hand in his life, to make changes that would honor people and glorify God.
Oh Lord, forgive me in my weakness, where I have allowed weeds of sin to invade my heart and where I've wanted to give up when times are tough. Please create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Thank You for loving me in spite of myself -- I have issues, but I'm so glad You just smile and say, "Yeah, I know..." You are what I long to be like. Help me do that today, by Your powerful hand. Amen.
Maybe that's your prayer today, too. I give you permission to publish that on the wall of your heart -- no charge. :-)
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Verse of the Day - Hebrews 6:18
So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ~ Hebrews 6:18 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When people flee, they recognize the danger and understand the power of the enemy. Whether it's the flood waters of a tidal surge in the Gulf states, or a wave of coo soldiers sweeping through African villages...the enemy is clear and terrifying. They flee inland from the tidal wave and try to outrun the machete. Where is safety? Where is refuge?
In the spiritual realm, we have an enemy, too -- ultimately, more frightening and real than hurricane forces or genocide-crazed soldiers. He is the evil one, the devil, and people need to be running for their lives, away from his destruction and death. Everywhere you turn, his influence assaults us. We need a place to hide -- a place of sanctuary -- a refuge. But where to run?
How do you get away from an invisible enemy with madness and mayhem on his mind? You run to a greater invisible force than he -- you run to the One with all power, to the Almighty God, to an invisible Friend with love and compassion on His mind. And when we flee to this Refuge, we are safe, because 1) He has power over all things, and 2) He gives His word that He is trustworthy, and He cannot lie.
Do you recognize your enemy? Do you understand the danger? Are you fleeing for your life daily to the only refuge who is able to save you? Not only is God capable of our rescue, but He's committed to keeping us safe from the enemy of our souls.
The spiritual surge waters and insurgent soldiers are knocking on your door -- do you feel safe or scared? God says, Flee to Me, the eternal Refuge and know eternal safety and hope -- today and every day.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When people flee, they recognize the danger and understand the power of the enemy. Whether it's the flood waters of a tidal surge in the Gulf states, or a wave of coo soldiers sweeping through African villages...the enemy is clear and terrifying. They flee inland from the tidal wave and try to outrun the machete. Where is safety? Where is refuge?
In the spiritual realm, we have an enemy, too -- ultimately, more frightening and real than hurricane forces or genocide-crazed soldiers. He is the evil one, the devil, and people need to be running for their lives, away from his destruction and death. Everywhere you turn, his influence assaults us. We need a place to hide -- a place of sanctuary -- a refuge. But where to run?
How do you get away from an invisible enemy with madness and mayhem on his mind? You run to a greater invisible force than he -- you run to the One with all power, to the Almighty God, to an invisible Friend with love and compassion on His mind. And when we flee to this Refuge, we are safe, because 1) He has power over all things, and 2) He gives His word that He is trustworthy, and He cannot lie.
Do you recognize your enemy? Do you understand the danger? Are you fleeing for your life daily to the only refuge who is able to save you? Not only is God capable of our rescue, but He's committed to keeping us safe from the enemy of our souls.
The spiritual surge waters and insurgent soldiers are knocking on your door -- do you feel safe or scared? God says, Flee to Me, the eternal Refuge and know eternal safety and hope -- today and every day.
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 12:17-18
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:17-18 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite what evolutionists may say, I don't think God created any parts of our human body that are useless or good-for-nothing. Even the epiglottis, that thingy that hangs in the back of your throat and only gets noticed if you say 'ahggh' while looking in the mirror! Maybe it's just comic relief for physicians and cartoon artists -- I don't know. But God knows. I believe that everything God makes is purposeful in some way. That's because He is a purposeful God.
So, in the body of Christ -- the church -- some may feel like an epiglottis. Just hangin' around in the back with nothing to do. No real purpose or agenda. They may feel like being an epiglottis is a bummer, and would rather be an eye or a hand. So they strike out to become that eye or hand, maybe failing miserably. Back to the back they go, frustrated that they couldn't be out front and visible, where people recognize and applaud their work. But let me tell you something -- if God makes you an epiglottis, it is for His good pleasure and purpose! Your mission for the church is assigned by Him, not you, and He doesn't make mistakes. So why do we keep trying to reinvent God's wheel?
I think there is true beauty and pleasure when we relax and be who and what God has designed us to be in His church body. Maybe you don't think you have a purpose, but you always chat with the greeters at church -- they're so friendly, and have so many great stories to tell. Did it ever occur to you that maybe your purpose is to encourage those people specifically, because they're always greeting others, but don't feel greeted themselves? Maybe you feel unused, but you always stop by the nursery and smile at the babies. Is it possible that you are the direct minister to those infants, and more importantly, to the workers there, who are knee-deep in crying, diapers and formula? Perhaps encouragement is your gift, your ministry, and you're using it without even knowing it. And I would wager that most people would say that being encouraged by others is one of the key things that keeps them going when discouragement and fatigue set in. Hmm...
God knows what an epiglottis is for. God knows what you are for. Trust the Creator and be all that you are and can be in Christ's body, because you have purpose -- God said so. :-)
Love,
Joelene
~ 1 Corinthians 12:17-18 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite what evolutionists may say, I don't think God created any parts of our human body that are useless or good-for-nothing. Even the epiglottis, that thingy that hangs in the back of your throat and only gets noticed if you say 'ahggh' while looking in the mirror! Maybe it's just comic relief for physicians and cartoon artists -- I don't know. But God knows. I believe that everything God makes is purposeful in some way. That's because He is a purposeful God.
So, in the body of Christ -- the church -- some may feel like an epiglottis. Just hangin' around in the back with nothing to do. No real purpose or agenda. They may feel like being an epiglottis is a bummer, and would rather be an eye or a hand. So they strike out to become that eye or hand, maybe failing miserably. Back to the back they go, frustrated that they couldn't be out front and visible, where people recognize and applaud their work. But let me tell you something -- if God makes you an epiglottis, it is for His good pleasure and purpose! Your mission for the church is assigned by Him, not you, and He doesn't make mistakes. So why do we keep trying to reinvent God's wheel?
I think there is true beauty and pleasure when we relax and be who and what God has designed us to be in His church body. Maybe you don't think you have a purpose, but you always chat with the greeters at church -- they're so friendly, and have so many great stories to tell. Did it ever occur to you that maybe your purpose is to encourage those people specifically, because they're always greeting others, but don't feel greeted themselves? Maybe you feel unused, but you always stop by the nursery and smile at the babies. Is it possible that you are the direct minister to those infants, and more importantly, to the workers there, who are knee-deep in crying, diapers and formula? Perhaps encouragement is your gift, your ministry, and you're using it without even knowing it. And I would wager that most people would say that being encouraged by others is one of the key things that keeps them going when discouragement and fatigue set in. Hmm...
God knows what an epiglottis is for. God knows what you are for. Trust the Creator and be all that you are and can be in Christ's body, because you have purpose -- God said so. :-)
Love,
Joelene
Monday, April 27, 2009
Verse of the Day - Proverbs 29:28
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. ~ Proverbs 29:28 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When people invest money, they're usually looking for the highest yield. They compare interest rates, or the trends on particular stocks, so that they make the most money on their investments. Lots of people spend lots of time making lots of money like this -- whole careers are built on doing this job for other people! They make alot of money by making alot of money for others.
Not too many of these people, though, are investing in The Bank of The Poor (not a member of the FDIC). That's just not "good business", financiers say. Where's the return?, they ask. Doesn't make sense, they conclude. The poor have nothing to offer in return. Their yield is nil. The interest is none.
Ah, but not so. There is interest, but not the kind that has a % behind it. It's the interest -- the personal love interest -- that God has for the poor. And His interest is high. As high (or higher?) as it is for those with money in their pockets. He understands the heartache over ragged clothes and growling stomachs, inadequate healthcare and meager living conditions, a lack of hope and lost dreams. Yes, God has a great interest in the poor, and he tells us that our response to their human condition is an indicator of what's in our hearts. And what's in our hearts is more important to God than our fatty financial portfolios.
Is what's in our hearts more important to us than where we stand financially? Is money more important to us than people? Do the banks we invest in have an exterior of skin, or brick?
I hope we can look at our hearts with honest evaluation when it comes to our money and the needs of others. If you really want to get close to God's heart, get close to the poor and needy. And whatever you don't have in the way of heartcry, just ask God for it, because He's in the business of changing hearts -- He is happy to give people compassion for those who ask for it.
So, ask for it.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When people invest money, they're usually looking for the highest yield. They compare interest rates, or the trends on particular stocks, so that they make the most money on their investments. Lots of people spend lots of time making lots of money like this -- whole careers are built on doing this job for other people! They make alot of money by making alot of money for others.
Not too many of these people, though, are investing in The Bank of The Poor (not a member of the FDIC). That's just not "good business", financiers say. Where's the return?, they ask. Doesn't make sense, they conclude. The poor have nothing to offer in return. Their yield is nil. The interest is none.
Ah, but not so. There is interest, but not the kind that has a % behind it. It's the interest -- the personal love interest -- that God has for the poor. And His interest is high. As high (or higher?) as it is for those with money in their pockets. He understands the heartache over ragged clothes and growling stomachs, inadequate healthcare and meager living conditions, a lack of hope and lost dreams. Yes, God has a great interest in the poor, and he tells us that our response to their human condition is an indicator of what's in our hearts. And what's in our hearts is more important to God than our fatty financial portfolios.
Is what's in our hearts more important to us than where we stand financially? Is money more important to us than people? Do the banks we invest in have an exterior of skin, or brick?
I hope we can look at our hearts with honest evaluation when it comes to our money and the needs of others. If you really want to get close to God's heart, get close to the poor and needy. And whatever you don't have in the way of heartcry, just ask God for it, because He's in the business of changing hearts -- He is happy to give people compassion for those who ask for it.
So, ask for it.
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Verse of the Day - Zechariah 7:9-10
This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.' ~ Zechariah 7:9-10 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday, two of my friends and I participated in a rebuilding project for a needy family in South Sacramento, as part of Rebuilding Together Sacramento (rebuildingtogethersacramento.org). WOW! What an awesome blessing it was, and I have the paint splatters, raspberry bush scrapes, and sore muscles to prove it! :-) This family was in great need of many projects inside and outside their home, and about 20-25 people descended on their abode, with the help of our contractor in charge. So many people from all walks of life came to pitch in, using their skills and love to bring hope to a family of twelve that is working to make it in this life. I know they were blessed by our efforts -- the matriarch of the home said it did give them hope to get much-needed help in tackling things that had felt so overwhelming for so long. Praise God! I also met a young woman who said she just really felt like she wanted to help people, instead of just sleeping in on a Saturday, and she talked her friend into coming along! I believe that is God moving in her heart, planting seeds of justice and mercy and compassion for others. I'm hoping she'll contact me, so that she and her friend can pal with us for some other upcoming projects!
God is a God of justice, mercy and compassion. And He wants us to be like Him. So, are we? The people of Israel in Zechariah's day actually asked him to go to God to see if they still needed to fast in the fifth month like tradition had dictated. And God said this:
"Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? ~ Zechariah 7:5-6 (NIV)
Ouch. God isn't interested in religious traditions, if our motives are selfish and/or not for Him. Hmm... Is it possible that some or most of our spiritual activity is like this? Do we pray before meals just because that's what Dad did, and Grandpa did? Do we go to church just because that is what the family has done for the last seventy years? Do we give an offering just because they've been "passing the plate" at church since the dawn of time?
God says, Look at your heart -- that's what I'm interested in. Your outward worship of Me is meaningless if your heart isn't loving toward other people, because I love people. I love you. If you receive the love I have for you, yet you don't love others whom I also love, you are a selfish taker and not truly worshiping Me.
Ouch again.
The good news is that no matter how selfish we are, we can be changed. God is so generous with His Holy Spirit, giving us compassion and love and mercy toward others -- if we are willing to be shaped by Him, and for Him. I testified to that power of God in my life -- to give me true compassion for others that I didn't have before, and to show it in tangible ways -- to my new friends, as I grappled alongside them to tackle the raspberry bush monster yesterday. (BTW, the raspberry bush monster was no match for the three of us -- we were victorious -- Huzzah! And the homeowners were so amazed and happy to have part of their yard redeemed again from the invader!)
Thought to ponder: How can you administer justice, mercy and compassion today? Are there the poor, the sick, or the lonely that you could help in some way today? Ask God to give you His heart for people, and He will do it. And then watch out, because He will change your world, and the world around you, and you'll never want to go back to ritualized worship of your God ever again!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday, two of my friends and I participated in a rebuilding project for a needy family in South Sacramento, as part of Rebuilding Together Sacramento (rebuildingtogethersacramento.org). WOW! What an awesome blessing it was, and I have the paint splatters, raspberry bush scrapes, and sore muscles to prove it! :-) This family was in great need of many projects inside and outside their home, and about 20-25 people descended on their abode, with the help of our contractor in charge. So many people from all walks of life came to pitch in, using their skills and love to bring hope to a family of twelve that is working to make it in this life. I know they were blessed by our efforts -- the matriarch of the home said it did give them hope to get much-needed help in tackling things that had felt so overwhelming for so long. Praise God! I also met a young woman who said she just really felt like she wanted to help people, instead of just sleeping in on a Saturday, and she talked her friend into coming along! I believe that is God moving in her heart, planting seeds of justice and mercy and compassion for others. I'm hoping she'll contact me, so that she and her friend can pal with us for some other upcoming projects!
God is a God of justice, mercy and compassion. And He wants us to be like Him. So, are we? The people of Israel in Zechariah's day actually asked him to go to God to see if they still needed to fast in the fifth month like tradition had dictated. And God said this:
"Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? ~ Zechariah 7:5-6 (NIV)
Ouch. God isn't interested in religious traditions, if our motives are selfish and/or not for Him. Hmm... Is it possible that some or most of our spiritual activity is like this? Do we pray before meals just because that's what Dad did, and Grandpa did? Do we go to church just because that is what the family has done for the last seventy years? Do we give an offering just because they've been "passing the plate" at church since the dawn of time?
God says, Look at your heart -- that's what I'm interested in. Your outward worship of Me is meaningless if your heart isn't loving toward other people, because I love people. I love you. If you receive the love I have for you, yet you don't love others whom I also love, you are a selfish taker and not truly worshiping Me.
Ouch again.
The good news is that no matter how selfish we are, we can be changed. God is so generous with His Holy Spirit, giving us compassion and love and mercy toward others -- if we are willing to be shaped by Him, and for Him. I testified to that power of God in my life -- to give me true compassion for others that I didn't have before, and to show it in tangible ways -- to my new friends, as I grappled alongside them to tackle the raspberry bush monster yesterday. (BTW, the raspberry bush monster was no match for the three of us -- we were victorious -- Huzzah! And the homeowners were so amazed and happy to have part of their yard redeemed again from the invader!)
Thought to ponder: How can you administer justice, mercy and compassion today? Are there the poor, the sick, or the lonely that you could help in some way today? Ask God to give you His heart for people, and He will do it. And then watch out, because He will change your world, and the world around you, and you'll never want to go back to ritualized worship of your God ever again!
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Verse of the Day - Colossians 1:12
...joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
~ Colossians 1:12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Normally, when we qualify for something, it is our doing, our effort. We work hard in school and get a degree or certification, and then we apply for a job, because we've earned the qualifications for that job. Or we train hard for a particular sport, and then try out for a team or participate in a "qualifying" event to see if you've gained a fast enough time or enough skills to advance in your sport. But the qualifying is all about what you do to earn it.
But God's Word says that He qualifies us for His kingdom. He's the one who gives us what we need to be a part of His everlasting place of righteousness and rest. And what is it that He gives us...?
~ His blood for our penalty
~ His grace for our sin
~ His love for our souls
When we choose to accept what Jesus offers us in the way of being Savior and Lord of our lives, He qualifies us for living in His Kingdom. We "get the job" and are "on the team", so to speak. Not because of anything worthy of boasting that we have done; it is His hand that gives us what we need to be qualified.
And so, Paul says our response to that should be to joyfully give thanks to God, because He did for us what we could never do for ourselves, AND it's the best thing that could EVER happen to us! Better than earning a six-figure job in Corporate America! Better than being on a stellar Olympic team! We get the pleasure of being on God's team, of working for the God of the Universe -- right now, and forever.
I hope that today you can take great joy in knowing this, and remember to thank God for qualifying you for the opportunity of a lifetime!
Love,
Joelene
~ Colossians 1:12 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Normally, when we qualify for something, it is our doing, our effort. We work hard in school and get a degree or certification, and then we apply for a job, because we've earned the qualifications for that job. Or we train hard for a particular sport, and then try out for a team or participate in a "qualifying" event to see if you've gained a fast enough time or enough skills to advance in your sport. But the qualifying is all about what you do to earn it.
But God's Word says that He qualifies us for His kingdom. He's the one who gives us what we need to be a part of His everlasting place of righteousness and rest. And what is it that He gives us...?
~ His blood for our penalty
~ His grace for our sin
~ His love for our souls
When we choose to accept what Jesus offers us in the way of being Savior and Lord of our lives, He qualifies us for living in His Kingdom. We "get the job" and are "on the team", so to speak. Not because of anything worthy of boasting that we have done; it is His hand that gives us what we need to be qualified.
And so, Paul says our response to that should be to joyfully give thanks to God, because He did for us what we could never do for ourselves, AND it's the best thing that could EVER happen to us! Better than earning a six-figure job in Corporate America! Better than being on a stellar Olympic team! We get the pleasure of being on God's team, of working for the God of the Universe -- right now, and forever.
I hope that today you can take great joy in knowing this, and remember to thank God for qualifying you for the opportunity of a lifetime!
Love,
Joelene
Friday, April 24, 2009
Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. ~ 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grew up in a musical family. My grandma was the church pianist for 35 years; my mom sang in the church choir; my dad and my brother sang and played a variety of stringed instruments (guitar, banjo, etc.); we had a piano at home that my sisters had played, and for which I was plunked down (no pun intended) at the age of seven. There was no getting out of music in my house! And my dad taught me how to sing harmony very early on, too -- I'll never forget, at about age 5, sticking my fingers in my ears to focus on the alto part of "Jesus Loves Me" while dad sang the melody!
Great harmonies in music add a dimension to the melody that can bring tears to our eyes -- but bad harmonies can bring tears of another sort, right? American Idol judge, Randy Jackson, is famous for using the word, "pitchy," when it comes to singing off-tone, and if harmonies are off, it can simply ruin a song. Or if the harmonies aren't blended well, parts stick out and cause a bad mix -- the melody is lost, because there's too much alto, or tenor, or whatever. Tuning and mixing are so important in making a beautiful sound.
So, when we're called by God to live in harmony with each other, we are called to be on pitch and blend. Not everyone is the same; hence, we don't all "sing melody". Our diversity in the family of God is a beautiful thing -- we don't have to live up to what others do for God, because we are unique and have our own blend and flavor of worship and service for Him. But we should be on pitch with God's Spirit for however we serve Him in the body of Christ; don't go "flat" or "sharp" by doing something you're not called to do. And trying to stand out, just to be noticed, will only cause the overall sound of the song of the body of Christ to be out of whack -- we need humility to blend with the other members of Christ's body, so that we offer up to God a sound that fits together in love.
Whether you're musically inclined or not, this is how we make beautiful music to God together with our very lives...
...be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grew up in a musical family. My grandma was the church pianist for 35 years; my mom sang in the church choir; my dad and my brother sang and played a variety of stringed instruments (guitar, banjo, etc.); we had a piano at home that my sisters had played, and for which I was plunked down (no pun intended) at the age of seven. There was no getting out of music in my house! And my dad taught me how to sing harmony very early on, too -- I'll never forget, at about age 5, sticking my fingers in my ears to focus on the alto part of "Jesus Loves Me" while dad sang the melody!
Great harmonies in music add a dimension to the melody that can bring tears to our eyes -- but bad harmonies can bring tears of another sort, right? American Idol judge, Randy Jackson, is famous for using the word, "pitchy," when it comes to singing off-tone, and if harmonies are off, it can simply ruin a song. Or if the harmonies aren't blended well, parts stick out and cause a bad mix -- the melody is lost, because there's too much alto, or tenor, or whatever. Tuning and mixing are so important in making a beautiful sound.
So, when we're called by God to live in harmony with each other, we are called to be on pitch and blend. Not everyone is the same; hence, we don't all "sing melody". Our diversity in the family of God is a beautiful thing -- we don't have to live up to what others do for God, because we are unique and have our own blend and flavor of worship and service for Him. But we should be on pitch with God's Spirit for however we serve Him in the body of Christ; don't go "flat" or "sharp" by doing something you're not called to do. And trying to stand out, just to be noticed, will only cause the overall sound of the song of the body of Christ to be out of whack -- we need humility to blend with the other members of Christ's body, so that we offer up to God a sound that fits together in love.
Whether you're musically inclined or not, this is how we make beautiful music to God together with our very lives...
...be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 43:2
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. ~ Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I was a kid in the summertime, we used to get the season family pass to the large community pool in town. Man, it seems like I spent all summer there! They had not one, but three pools -- the kiddie pool (1.5 - 3'), the lap pool (3.5-6'), and the diving pool (6-12') which even had an underwater viewing area! Those were good times!
But alot of kids were/are afraid of the diving pool. Why? Because it's "deep water". Twelve feet?!? Yikes! Too deep! But, here's the thing -- if you're swimming on top, it doesn't matter if you're in 5 feet of water, or 12, right?
So, my question to you is: If you're swimming along in life with the Lord when things are going fairly well (5 feet lap pool), why do you panic when circumstances put you in the deep water (12 foot diving pool)? Same water, only deeper. And more importantly, same God to swim with. Is it possible that when tough times hit, we choose to sink below the surface in the depths of despair, where the devil can watch you in the underwater viewing area? Maybe God is asking you, Hey, what are you doing down there? I'm up here, on the surface. C'mon on up here, so we can swim through this water, instead of you getting bogged down underneath.
The truth is that God is underwater, too, even if you're down in the deep water. But it's difficult to swim underwater for very long -- you only have so much lung capacity. So, my friend, if you're bogged down in the deep water of life, remember that swimming on the surface, by trusting God fully for all that you're going through, is where the air is, and where peace and joy can be found . . . even in the deep end of life's pool.
So, go ahead -- jump into the deep end. Same water, same God. If you trust Him in five feet, you can trust him in twelve.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I was a kid in the summertime, we used to get the season family pass to the large community pool in town. Man, it seems like I spent all summer there! They had not one, but three pools -- the kiddie pool (1.5 - 3'), the lap pool (3.5-6'), and the diving pool (6-12') which even had an underwater viewing area! Those were good times!
But alot of kids were/are afraid of the diving pool. Why? Because it's "deep water". Twelve feet?!? Yikes! Too deep! But, here's the thing -- if you're swimming on top, it doesn't matter if you're in 5 feet of water, or 12, right?
So, my question to you is: If you're swimming along in life with the Lord when things are going fairly well (5 feet lap pool), why do you panic when circumstances put you in the deep water (12 foot diving pool)? Same water, only deeper. And more importantly, same God to swim with. Is it possible that when tough times hit, we choose to sink below the surface in the depths of despair, where the devil can watch you in the underwater viewing area? Maybe God is asking you, Hey, what are you doing down there? I'm up here, on the surface. C'mon on up here, so we can swim through this water, instead of you getting bogged down underneath.
The truth is that God is underwater, too, even if you're down in the deep water. But it's difficult to swim underwater for very long -- you only have so much lung capacity. So, my friend, if you're bogged down in the deep water of life, remember that swimming on the surface, by trusting God fully for all that you're going through, is where the air is, and where peace and joy can be found . . . even in the deep end of life's pool.
So, go ahead -- jump into the deep end. Same water, same God. If you trust Him in five feet, you can trust him in twelve.
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Verse of the Day - Deuteronomy 10:18-19
He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ~ Deuteronomy 10:18-19 (NKJV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over and over again in the Old Testament, God calls His people to take care of strangers, widows and the fatherless. Seriously, over and over again! He lets His children know that these people are important to Him, that He cares for them in their circumstance. And if His children oppress these people, He's gonna "get the belt". Our God doesn't play when it comes to mistreating strangers, widows and the fatherless.
So, two things come to mind for me with this passage:
1. When people who don't know God try to say that He is a hard and mean God, I just don't get it. If they were to read from His own mouth what He has to say, of what and who are important to Him, how could they say that? How could they really believe that? He has such love and compassion on the helpless, AND He is committed to defending their cause and avenging their oppressors. If we looked at a human being who did that, we'd give them the Nobel Prize for humanitarianism and the key to ten cities! But a lot of people don't bother looking in the Bible to see what and who God is. They just go by hearsay or flat-out lies from the devil.
2. God puts "strangers" in the category with the widow and the fatherless. Wow. Different translations of the Bible say alien, foreigner, or stranger. The point is that these people don't "belong" -- they don't have a home, or they're not of the same culture, or both. God says, You better learn to love these people, too, because I care for them in their fears and need. This is a really big deal to me! Don't forget that you were a stranger in a foreign land, too. Hmm. Whenever I hear people talk bad about others coming from different countries into the U.S., I want to tell them (and I have), "Where do you think you came from?" There are almost no natural citizens of this soil called the USA, compared to the millions who walk it every day. We're practically all foreigners and strangers -- the "incoming". How DARE we try to turn our noses up at those now coming into our country? God says, Be careful. You're forgetting where you came from . . . You're forgetting the grace that was extended to you when your great-grandpa got off the boat, or your grandfather or father got off the plane. I extend grace -- if you are My child, you need to, also.
Strangers, widows and the fatherless. God loves them and cares for them. And He calls us to be there for them, too. I'm sure you can think of some people you know that fit these categories in your circle of influence. Being in a strange crowd of people that you're not a part of, losing your husband as a provider and source of strength, having no daddy to hug . . . these people need love and compassion. They need to know God is there for them.
Enter Stage Right: God's people.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over and over again in the Old Testament, God calls His people to take care of strangers, widows and the fatherless. Seriously, over and over again! He lets His children know that these people are important to Him, that He cares for them in their circumstance. And if His children oppress these people, He's gonna "get the belt". Our God doesn't play when it comes to mistreating strangers, widows and the fatherless.
So, two things come to mind for me with this passage:
1. When people who don't know God try to say that He is a hard and mean God, I just don't get it. If they were to read from His own mouth what He has to say, of what and who are important to Him, how could they say that? How could they really believe that? He has such love and compassion on the helpless, AND He is committed to defending their cause and avenging their oppressors. If we looked at a human being who did that, we'd give them the Nobel Prize for humanitarianism and the key to ten cities! But a lot of people don't bother looking in the Bible to see what and who God is. They just go by hearsay or flat-out lies from the devil.
2. God puts "strangers" in the category with the widow and the fatherless. Wow. Different translations of the Bible say alien, foreigner, or stranger. The point is that these people don't "belong" -- they don't have a home, or they're not of the same culture, or both. God says, You better learn to love these people, too, because I care for them in their fears and need. This is a really big deal to me! Don't forget that you were a stranger in a foreign land, too. Hmm. Whenever I hear people talk bad about others coming from different countries into the U.S., I want to tell them (and I have), "Where do you think you came from?" There are almost no natural citizens of this soil called the USA, compared to the millions who walk it every day. We're practically all foreigners and strangers -- the "incoming". How DARE we try to turn our noses up at those now coming into our country? God says, Be careful. You're forgetting where you came from . . . You're forgetting the grace that was extended to you when your great-grandpa got off the boat, or your grandfather or father got off the plane. I extend grace -- if you are My child, you need to, also.
Strangers, widows and the fatherless. God loves them and cares for them. And He calls us to be there for them, too. I'm sure you can think of some people you know that fit these categories in your circle of influence. Being in a strange crowd of people that you're not a part of, losing your husband as a provider and source of strength, having no daddy to hug . . . these people need love and compassion. They need to know God is there for them.
Enter Stage Right: God's people.
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Verse of the Day - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many people read this verse and think, Oh, Paul must be talking about heaven! So, I'll just set my sights on heaven, hoping to get out of this God-forsaken place to the "land of glory"...
I think, in part, he's talking about heaven -- about that time/place when believers in Jesus Christ will be taken out of the world (or from the grave), and we live in the absence of sin and the presence of God forever. Yes, that will be glory like we have never known nor can even comprehend! But, what about the unseen glories here and now that we experience due to our troubles? Are there some intangibles that you've gained with God through your hard times?
I know you have, because God's Word says that's how our spiritual lives work.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Perseverance and peace are unseen, but so important to a believer. And what about patience, kindness, and wisdom? You can't feel or taste or touch these either, but in our trials and circumstances, we're given the gift of these intangibles that are glorious, because they reflect the glory of God. We are being changed from glory to glory, as the Word says...
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
So, when you "set your sights on things eternal, not things temporal" (one of my favorite, oft quoted paraphrases), remember that we should focus not just on our eternal home in heaven with God, but our continual spiritual walk with God here on earth. Strive for and revel in the unseen work and blessings He is weaving in your life. It's all part of that "from glory to glory" living that comes with a relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son!
I hope you can sense the unseen work that He's doing in and through you on a daily basis. Look for it, and give Him the praise!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many people read this verse and think, Oh, Paul must be talking about heaven! So, I'll just set my sights on heaven, hoping to get out of this God-forsaken place to the "land of glory"...
I think, in part, he's talking about heaven -- about that time/place when believers in Jesus Christ will be taken out of the world (or from the grave), and we live in the absence of sin and the presence of God forever. Yes, that will be glory like we have never known nor can even comprehend! But, what about the unseen glories here and now that we experience due to our troubles? Are there some intangibles that you've gained with God through your hard times?
I know you have, because God's Word says that's how our spiritual lives work.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Perseverance and peace are unseen, but so important to a believer. And what about patience, kindness, and wisdom? You can't feel or taste or touch these either, but in our trials and circumstances, we're given the gift of these intangibles that are glorious, because they reflect the glory of God. We are being changed from glory to glory, as the Word says...
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
So, when you "set your sights on things eternal, not things temporal" (one of my favorite, oft quoted paraphrases), remember that we should focus not just on our eternal home in heaven with God, but our continual spiritual walk with God here on earth. Strive for and revel in the unseen work and blessings He is weaving in your life. It's all part of that "from glory to glory" living that comes with a relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son!
I hope you can sense the unseen work that He's doing in and through you on a daily basis. Look for it, and give Him the praise!
Love,
Joelene
Monday, April 20, 2009
Verse of the Day - Philippians 3:9
I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. ~ Philippians 3:9 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you probably adhere to a certain set of living standards, as set forth in God's word. God does call His children to holy living, "walking in the light", not satisfying "the deeds of the flesh", right? But I have a question for you: How much of your holy living are you ascribing to your own righteousness?
Let me clarify. Say you don't smoke. Never have, never will. Nor have you ever drank alcohol, and never will. And you are rather proud of that righteousness, deep down inside. Your other Christian friends have struggled over the years with these habits, but not you, boy! You have risen on the righteousness ladder a few rungs above them, haven't you? You feel pretty good about yourself, actually. Hmm...
Or say you serve at your church -- ALOT. You work in the church kitchen preparing meals for the homeless. You teach Sunday School. You sing in the choir. You read to the elderly at the convalescent home on Saturdays. Whew -- you are BUSY! And anyone that looked at your schedule would laud you for your efforts for God. "Now, there's a saint, if I ever saw one," they say about you. But Suzy, over there, only comes to church on Sundays, carrying her Bible, as if that gives her any points for righteousness. She's nobody around here. Hmm....
I have news...but it's not good on the righteousness meter. Pride is a sin, and all the pride of our own acts of "righteousness" cancel out any merit we may think we've earned. Because, you see, unless we are perfect in all things, we're not righteous. So our own attitudes have negated our actions. Bummer, huh?
That kind of leaves us in the toilet, because unfortunately, we might be able to do alot of righteous acts, but our sinful heart and mind get in the way all the time. (Jesus said if you hate your brother in your heart, you've murdered him; if you look at a person with lust, you've committed adultery. Wow.) So, what do we do? How do we attain righteousness, if not through good works and piety?
Jesus.
Only.
Always.
Forever.
His gift of salvation includes giving us His righteousness -- we are clothed in it, like getting a beautiful, warm coat around our shivering, naked bodies in the dead of winter. We are destitute in our sin, but Jesus is the fullness of righteousness and He gives it to us, who believe in Him. We can't earn it on our own, no matter how hard we try. We simply have to accept His righteousness as our own, and leave our own efforts by the wayside.
Our call to holy living, then, becomes a love offering to God for the gift of His righteousness to us, rather than payment for it. Sometimes you'll get things right, and sometimes you won't. You'll stand in the face of temptation one day, and fall down the next. But praise God, He doesn't cancel His righteousness because of our unrighteousness -- that is amazing grace, amen?!?
Come to God in all your nakedness, and accept the coat of Christ's righteousness.
Jesus.
Only.
Always.
Forever.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you probably adhere to a certain set of living standards, as set forth in God's word. God does call His children to holy living, "walking in the light", not satisfying "the deeds of the flesh", right? But I have a question for you: How much of your holy living are you ascribing to your own righteousness?
Let me clarify. Say you don't smoke. Never have, never will. Nor have you ever drank alcohol, and never will. And you are rather proud of that righteousness, deep down inside. Your other Christian friends have struggled over the years with these habits, but not you, boy! You have risen on the righteousness ladder a few rungs above them, haven't you? You feel pretty good about yourself, actually. Hmm...
Or say you serve at your church -- ALOT. You work in the church kitchen preparing meals for the homeless. You teach Sunday School. You sing in the choir. You read to the elderly at the convalescent home on Saturdays. Whew -- you are BUSY! And anyone that looked at your schedule would laud you for your efforts for God. "Now, there's a saint, if I ever saw one," they say about you. But Suzy, over there, only comes to church on Sundays, carrying her Bible, as if that gives her any points for righteousness. She's nobody around here. Hmm....
I have news...but it's not good on the righteousness meter. Pride is a sin, and all the pride of our own acts of "righteousness" cancel out any merit we may think we've earned. Because, you see, unless we are perfect in all things, we're not righteous. So our own attitudes have negated our actions. Bummer, huh?
That kind of leaves us in the toilet, because unfortunately, we might be able to do alot of righteous acts, but our sinful heart and mind get in the way all the time. (Jesus said if you hate your brother in your heart, you've murdered him; if you look at a person with lust, you've committed adultery. Wow.) So, what do we do? How do we attain righteousness, if not through good works and piety?
Jesus.
Only.
Always.
Forever.
His gift of salvation includes giving us His righteousness -- we are clothed in it, like getting a beautiful, warm coat around our shivering, naked bodies in the dead of winter. We are destitute in our sin, but Jesus is the fullness of righteousness and He gives it to us, who believe in Him. We can't earn it on our own, no matter how hard we try. We simply have to accept His righteousness as our own, and leave our own efforts by the wayside.
Our call to holy living, then, becomes a love offering to God for the gift of His righteousness to us, rather than payment for it. Sometimes you'll get things right, and sometimes you won't. You'll stand in the face of temptation one day, and fall down the next. But praise God, He doesn't cancel His righteousness because of our unrighteousness -- that is amazing grace, amen?!?
Come to God in all your nakedness, and accept the coat of Christ's righteousness.
Jesus.
Only.
Always.
Forever.
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Verse of the Day - Psalm 143:8
Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
~ Psalm 143:8 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many times do we hear women complain that their husbands don't tell them they love them enough? The old joke goes that one husband told his wife, "I told you on the day we were married that I loved you. If the situation ever changes, I'll let you know." Wow. I have to give him the Oscar for Most Insensitive Performance in a Dramatic Role.
I think we all need to be encouraged in our love relationships. There are so many things that beat us down in the world, and we can wonder if the ones who say they love us really love us. And so we ask, "Do you love me?" more than we probably need to. Our friend or spouse may say, "Of course I love you. Why are you asking? You know I love you." But unfortunately, our human nature can cause us to doubt. Sometimes we need daily assurance. Especially when the world around us is throwing stones or can't even be found under a damp rock.
David had a very intimate relationship with God. But even he told God that he needed that reassurance daily that God loved Him. He wanted to hear it. I don't know if David heard an audible voice from God, but I am sure that God spoke to David's heart. How do I know? Because God speaks to my heart. That is, when I'm listening...
Don't be afraid to tell God what you need in your relationship with Him -- share your fears, doubts and weaknesses. But be sure you're listening and not just talking. :-) And hang on to Him -- trust Him to guide you as David did. Truly, we are like blind children, who must give their trust to their parents to love them, guide them, and not harm them.
Your Father in heaven loves you very much, and He has your hand in His, to lead you along your road of life. You can trust Him, because He is God. But, in case you're doubting or afraid, it's okay to tell Him you need reassurance. He's always willing to tell you He loves you and give you a hug when you need it.
Love,
Joelene
~ Psalm 143:8 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How many times do we hear women complain that their husbands don't tell them they love them enough? The old joke goes that one husband told his wife, "I told you on the day we were married that I loved you. If the situation ever changes, I'll let you know." Wow. I have to give him the Oscar for Most Insensitive Performance in a Dramatic Role.
I think we all need to be encouraged in our love relationships. There are so many things that beat us down in the world, and we can wonder if the ones who say they love us really love us. And so we ask, "Do you love me?" more than we probably need to. Our friend or spouse may say, "Of course I love you. Why are you asking? You know I love you." But unfortunately, our human nature can cause us to doubt. Sometimes we need daily assurance. Especially when the world around us is throwing stones or can't even be found under a damp rock.
David had a very intimate relationship with God. But even he told God that he needed that reassurance daily that God loved Him. He wanted to hear it. I don't know if David heard an audible voice from God, but I am sure that God spoke to David's heart. How do I know? Because God speaks to my heart. That is, when I'm listening...
Don't be afraid to tell God what you need in your relationship with Him -- share your fears, doubts and weaknesses. But be sure you're listening and not just talking. :-) And hang on to Him -- trust Him to guide you as David did. Truly, we are like blind children, who must give their trust to their parents to love them, guide them, and not harm them.
Your Father in heaven loves you very much, and He has your hand in His, to lead you along your road of life. You can trust Him, because He is God. But, in case you're doubting or afraid, it's okay to tell Him you need reassurance. He's always willing to tell you He loves you and give you a hug when you need it.
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Verse of the Day - Matthew 20:28
That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.
~ Matthew 20:28 (The Msg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the film, "Man on Fire," Denzel Washington plays Creasy, an aging, drinking mercenary who takes a job in Mexico, guarding a young girl of a wealthy, mixed-race family. Since corruption runs rampant, and kidnapping is big business there, it seems the only way to protect their child. When she is kidnapped despite his best efforts and believes she's already dead, he deals some horrific blows to those he can pin for the crime. When he later learns that she isn't dead but is still in the hands of her captor, he takes aim at the kidnapper's brother, kidnapping him and offering a deal -- the girl, for the brother returned alive . . . and Creasy himself. Because it got personal, the kidnapper wanted the blood of Creasy for what he'd done -- the girl had become somewhat secondary.
As the final human exchange is made on a lonely bridge in rural Mexico, the little girl and Creasy meet in the middle and hug one last time. She continues on to her waiting mom, and Creasy walks a death walk over the bridge toward the waiting captors. As he drives away with those he knows will torture and kill him, you can see in his eyes that he knows he did the right thing, the only thing -- giving his life for the one he loved. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X6tHmyLvUQ
This film is brutal and violent, but is also filled with love and passion, commitment and sacrifice. This film shows me Jesus. He gave His life as a ransom for the kidnapper of my soul. And when Jesus walked the hill and died the death, I was free. Free, if I choose to accept His sacrifice as my own. Free, if I believe that His blood is enough to pay the ransom.
You see, there are no guns that tie us to the devil and death. There are no real prison bars or chains we can see. It is spiritual, this kidnapping, and the remedy is a spiritual. Faith in God. Faith in God become man. Faith in God become man killed. Faith in God become man killed for you. Faith in God become man killed for you yet risen. Faith in God become man killed for you yet risen FOREVER!
Jesus was a man on fire. For you. For me. His life for ours. I hope you can know and embrace that horrific, yet glorious, truth. He is our ransom . . . He walked the bridge for us. And He lives to embrace all who will embrace Him.
Love,
Joelene
~ Matthew 20:28 (The Msg)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the film, "Man on Fire," Denzel Washington plays Creasy, an aging, drinking mercenary who takes a job in Mexico, guarding a young girl of a wealthy, mixed-race family. Since corruption runs rampant, and kidnapping is big business there, it seems the only way to protect their child. When she is kidnapped despite his best efforts and believes she's already dead, he deals some horrific blows to those he can pin for the crime. When he later learns that she isn't dead but is still in the hands of her captor, he takes aim at the kidnapper's brother, kidnapping him and offering a deal -- the girl, for the brother returned alive . . . and Creasy himself. Because it got personal, the kidnapper wanted the blood of Creasy for what he'd done -- the girl had become somewhat secondary.
As the final human exchange is made on a lonely bridge in rural Mexico, the little girl and Creasy meet in the middle and hug one last time. She continues on to her waiting mom, and Creasy walks a death walk over the bridge toward the waiting captors. As he drives away with those he knows will torture and kill him, you can see in his eyes that he knows he did the right thing, the only thing -- giving his life for the one he loved. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X6tHmyLvUQ
This film is brutal and violent, but is also filled with love and passion, commitment and sacrifice. This film shows me Jesus. He gave His life as a ransom for the kidnapper of my soul. And when Jesus walked the hill and died the death, I was free. Free, if I choose to accept His sacrifice as my own. Free, if I believe that His blood is enough to pay the ransom.
You see, there are no guns that tie us to the devil and death. There are no real prison bars or chains we can see. It is spiritual, this kidnapping, and the remedy is a spiritual. Faith in God. Faith in God become man. Faith in God become man killed. Faith in God become man killed for you. Faith in God become man killed for you yet risen. Faith in God become man killed for you yet risen FOREVER!
Jesus was a man on fire. For you. For me. His life for ours. I hope you can know and embrace that horrific, yet glorious, truth. He is our ransom . . . He walked the bridge for us. And He lives to embrace all who will embrace Him.
Love,
Joelene
Friday, April 17, 2009
Verse of the Day - Deuteronomy 8:3
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ~ Deuteronomy 8:3 (NLT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wonder what the percentage is of people who are trying to lose weight right now. Maybe 85%? 90%? It seems our world revolves around food, huh?
I like to say that the Baptist way is, "Feed them, and they will come," since it seems that potlucks are synonymous with Baptists churches, or so it used to be, and if you want attendance for whatever, provide food -- doughnuts, at least! After all, at least two major food groups are represented by the beloved doughnut -- three, if you count jelly filling as a fruit. :-) We, in general, love potlucks and buffets, where we can load our plates up with so many different yummy foods, stuffing ourselves until we need an escort to roll us out of the building! And we wonder why obesity runs rampant. No need to wonder -- just look at our plate, look at our frig, look at our cupboards.
Where is our focus, huh? Where are our priorities? Sometimes I feel like the people Paul talked about in Philippians...
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. ~ Philippians 3:19 (NIV)
We can't drive two blocks down the street in most towns without seeing a McDonald's, a Burger King, a Taco Bell, and a KFC -- and most of them are at a single intersection! Oh, and every one has a drive-thru, for added glutonous convenience. Food is ever before us, and it can become our object of worship, where we just live for the next meal. Gee, I'm so stuffed from lunch -- boy, was that yummy...now, what's for dinner?!?
As much as I love pizza and Taco Bell, that's how much God says I should love His Word. Just as the mention of chocolate mousse pie makes my mouth water, so should talking about God's work make me want to consume it. But the physical realm has such a hold on me -- it takes discipline to give greater weight to the unseen than that which stares me in the face day after day (and smells and tastes sooooo good, too.)
Tasty food can really take our eyes off of God. You might not believe that, but the Israelites obviously needed that lesson, so they got manna from heaven for 40 years. And, boy, did they complain! Their mouths didn't want the same bread day in and day out. They wanted steak and eggs, pasta with cream sauce, and chocolate decadence cake! Where was the focus? On their spirital walk with God, or their physical contentment?
Where is my focus? Where is your focus?
If you don't think the devil uses food as a spiritual battleground, you need to think again. He'll use anything to take us away from seeking God and His Word, and chocolate and pizza and french fries and ice cream can be wonderful tools in the devil's arcenal. So, how about this: The next time you're focusing on food when you're not really even hungry, consider the battleground and read God's Word for as long as it would take to hunt down and eat those munchies -- five minutes, maybe. Ask God to help His Word satisfy you better than a Snickers, or whatever it is you crave.
Let's focus on whetting our spiritual appetites, rather than our physical taste buds. I wonder what the drive-thru guy would say if you drove up to McDonald's and said, Yeah, I'll have two Psalms, a supersized order of Matthew, and two Proverbs for dessert.... ?
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wonder what the percentage is of people who are trying to lose weight right now. Maybe 85%? 90%? It seems our world revolves around food, huh?
I like to say that the Baptist way is, "Feed them, and they will come," since it seems that potlucks are synonymous with Baptists churches, or so it used to be, and if you want attendance for whatever, provide food -- doughnuts, at least! After all, at least two major food groups are represented by the beloved doughnut -- three, if you count jelly filling as a fruit. :-) We, in general, love potlucks and buffets, where we can load our plates up with so many different yummy foods, stuffing ourselves until we need an escort to roll us out of the building! And we wonder why obesity runs rampant. No need to wonder -- just look at our plate, look at our frig, look at our cupboards.
Where is our focus, huh? Where are our priorities? Sometimes I feel like the people Paul talked about in Philippians...
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. ~ Philippians 3:19 (NIV)
We can't drive two blocks down the street in most towns without seeing a McDonald's, a Burger King, a Taco Bell, and a KFC -- and most of them are at a single intersection! Oh, and every one has a drive-thru, for added glutonous convenience. Food is ever before us, and it can become our object of worship, where we just live for the next meal. Gee, I'm so stuffed from lunch -- boy, was that yummy...now, what's for dinner?!?
As much as I love pizza and Taco Bell, that's how much God says I should love His Word. Just as the mention of chocolate mousse pie makes my mouth water, so should talking about God's work make me want to consume it. But the physical realm has such a hold on me -- it takes discipline to give greater weight to the unseen than that which stares me in the face day after day (and smells and tastes sooooo good, too.)
Tasty food can really take our eyes off of God. You might not believe that, but the Israelites obviously needed that lesson, so they got manna from heaven for 40 years. And, boy, did they complain! Their mouths didn't want the same bread day in and day out. They wanted steak and eggs, pasta with cream sauce, and chocolate decadence cake! Where was the focus? On their spirital walk with God, or their physical contentment?
Where is my focus? Where is your focus?
If you don't think the devil uses food as a spiritual battleground, you need to think again. He'll use anything to take us away from seeking God and His Word, and chocolate and pizza and french fries and ice cream can be wonderful tools in the devil's arcenal. So, how about this: The next time you're focusing on food when you're not really even hungry, consider the battleground and read God's Word for as long as it would take to hunt down and eat those munchies -- five minutes, maybe. Ask God to help His Word satisfy you better than a Snickers, or whatever it is you crave.
Let's focus on whetting our spiritual appetites, rather than our physical taste buds. I wonder what the drive-thru guy would say if you drove up to McDonald's and said, Yeah, I'll have two Psalms, a supersized order of Matthew, and two Proverbs for dessert.... ?
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Verse of the Day - Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. ~ Romans 13:8 (NIV)
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We all hope to be debt-free someday, don't we? Get the house paid off, get finished with all the college loans, no car payment or credit card debt. No one wants to be strapped down with payments when the income levels off, and eventually becomes fixed. That's where we need to be heading with our finances, if we're wise. Racking up debt is a like 5 water hazards and 6 sand traps on a 458-yard par 3 hole of golf! (psst...if you don't play golf, that's okay...just know that would be a HARD hole to play without needing a mulligan....or two....or three! For me, I'd just go sit in the golf cart and take the highest score; I mean, really, is there any need for me to even tee up?!? :-)
But God says there is one debt that, not only do we never get out of, but we shouldn't try -- the debt of love. Perhaps that is a weird concept for you, to owe love to others. How many times have you said to someone or thought to yourself, in a moment of anger, "I don't owe you ANYTHING!" Ah, but you do. Rats! Don't you hate it when God pulls the 'love' card on us?!?
Loving people isn't always easy; in fact, it is often very difficult. Difficult people in a difficult world, dealing with difficult emotions under difficult circumstances. Love them, God says. Be My hands and feet, He says.
And maybe you're the difficult person who is being loved on right now. God may be ministering to you through others during your season of difficultness and/or difficulty. Praise God for the debt of love that others owe! Otherwise, when we're in need of love, we would be bankrupt...with no bailout.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ~Jesus, in Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Love,
Joelene
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We all hope to be debt-free someday, don't we? Get the house paid off, get finished with all the college loans, no car payment or credit card debt. No one wants to be strapped down with payments when the income levels off, and eventually becomes fixed. That's where we need to be heading with our finances, if we're wise. Racking up debt is a like 5 water hazards and 6 sand traps on a 458-yard par 3 hole of golf! (psst...if you don't play golf, that's okay...just know that would be a HARD hole to play without needing a mulligan....or two....or three! For me, I'd just go sit in the golf cart and take the highest score; I mean, really, is there any need for me to even tee up?!? :-)
But God says there is one debt that, not only do we never get out of, but we shouldn't try -- the debt of love. Perhaps that is a weird concept for you, to owe love to others. How many times have you said to someone or thought to yourself, in a moment of anger, "I don't owe you ANYTHING!" Ah, but you do. Rats! Don't you hate it when God pulls the 'love' card on us?!?
Loving people isn't always easy; in fact, it is often very difficult. Difficult people in a difficult world, dealing with difficult emotions under difficult circumstances. Love them, God says. Be My hands and feet, He says.
And maybe you're the difficult person who is being loved on right now. God may be ministering to you through others during your season of difficultness and/or difficulty. Praise God for the debt of love that others owe! Otherwise, when we're in need of love, we would be bankrupt...with no bailout.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ~Jesus, in Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Verse of the Day - Romans 13:6-7
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
~ Romans 13:6-7 (NIV)
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Ah, yes. Tax day. That one day of the year that causes people to cringe with that wallet-clenching grimace...
Why do so many wait til the last minute to file their taxes, anyway? 'Cuz they dread having to pay, or 'cuz it's just such a hassle to get all the receipts and stuff to the tax man, or I don't know. This day seems to cause more people angst than almost any other . . . unless, of course, a special occasion day (birthday or anniversary) that one forgets until the day arrives and no gift has been purchased . . . yes, that is definitely an anxiety-producing day, too. :-)
Here's what I say about taxes: We want social programs, but we don't want to pay for them. We want schools, and programs for special needs people, and a more thorough justice and penal system, and...and...and... I say we need to quit griping about paying our taxes, and be grateful for the society we live in, even if it's not the best system and has it's challenges.
Beyond what I say, God pretty much says the same thing. Pay your taxes. Governing officials are serving the Lord. Okay, I realize you might have a problem with that, considering that some are less-than-trustworthy (ding, ding, ding -- former Illinois governor comes to mind...), but time and again, God calls us to honor and respect the governing authorities, and to submit to the laws of the land. Taxes are a necessary part of government, and God puts on His Nike's and says, Just Do It.
Maybe today, we could look around and identify things and people who are supported through taxes, and thank God for their service or the help they're receiving through your portion of giving...
~ That elementary school you take your kids to
~ That police man you drive by (at the speed limit, of course :-)
~ That hospital where you have your doctor's appointment
~ That animal control officer that cares for lost/abandoned/injured/deceased animals
Now, if we could just pull a fish out of the water that has a coin in it's mouth for our taxes like Jesus did, we'd be in business! :-) Let's see, where did I put that fishing pole?!?!?
Love,
Joelene
~ Romans 13:6-7 (NIV)
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Ah, yes. Tax day. That one day of the year that causes people to cringe with that wallet-clenching grimace...
Why do so many wait til the last minute to file their taxes, anyway? 'Cuz they dread having to pay, or 'cuz it's just such a hassle to get all the receipts and stuff to the tax man, or I don't know. This day seems to cause more people angst than almost any other . . . unless, of course, a special occasion day (birthday or anniversary) that one forgets until the day arrives and no gift has been purchased . . . yes, that is definitely an anxiety-producing day, too. :-)
Here's what I say about taxes: We want social programs, but we don't want to pay for them. We want schools, and programs for special needs people, and a more thorough justice and penal system, and...and...and... I say we need to quit griping about paying our taxes, and be grateful for the society we live in, even if it's not the best system and has it's challenges.
Beyond what I say, God pretty much says the same thing. Pay your taxes. Governing officials are serving the Lord. Okay, I realize you might have a problem with that, considering that some are less-than-trustworthy (ding, ding, ding -- former Illinois governor comes to mind...), but time and again, God calls us to honor and respect the governing authorities, and to submit to the laws of the land. Taxes are a necessary part of government, and God puts on His Nike's and says, Just Do It.
Maybe today, we could look around and identify things and people who are supported through taxes, and thank God for their service or the help they're receiving through your portion of giving...
~ That elementary school you take your kids to
~ That police man you drive by (at the speed limit, of course :-)
~ That hospital where you have your doctor's appointment
~ That animal control officer that cares for lost/abandoned/injured/deceased animals
Now, if we could just pull a fish out of the water that has a coin in it's mouth for our taxes like Jesus did, we'd be in business! :-) Let's see, where did I put that fishing pole?!?!?
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Verse of the Day - Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
~ Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
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A tragedy is unfolding in a Northern California town right now. A little 8-year old girl went missing a few short weeks ago, and later, her body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond. Horrific and deeply saddening, even to strangers of this little one. An entire town, state and nation grieves. Who can understand it?
More shocking still is the person under arrest for the crime. A 28-year old Sunday School teacher, coming from a family of pastors, and a mother herself. Families of the victim and the suspect have expressed shock at the news. How could it be? It doesn't make sense...
Whether they find her guilty of this crime remains to be seen. But a little girl is dead, and a Sunday School teacher is behind bars. We shake our heads and say, What is this world coming to? We must be in the end times for sure!
Folks, as horrible as this tragedy is, the sin of man has been weaving destruction since the Garden of Eden. We think our times are evil, and they are. But man has been devising schemes against humanity all along....and finding more and more ways to cover it up. This earth is in a perpetual state of decay, and that includes our hearts and minds. Right down to the grave. There is no such thing as evolution of the inner man. We can never create a better species, wherein the evil falls away, in favor of a "better man." Like the Word says, there is no cure.
No cure apart from divine intervention, that is. How many of you have known God's intervention in your heart and mind, changing you from decay and death, to new life and freedom from the bondage of sin? How many others do you know who have experienced it, too? It is possible through Jesus Christ, possibly to be different than how we were born, as sinners, as deceitful above all things. I thank God for loving us beyond the sin we're steeped in! He offers us cleansing and healing if we will put our faith and trust in Jesus.
Yet, is it possible for followers of Jesus to sin, after this cleansing? Not only possible, but a given. We will struggle with sin until we meet God face to face. Paul, in the book of Romans, was quick to use himself as an example of one who does what he shouldn't and doesn't do what he should. It's a constant spiritual fight for control. Yet, God continues to mould and shape us in the likeness of Jesus every day, if we are willing. Our cure is Jesus, and Jesus alone.
Please pray for both families involved in this recent tragedy. I cannot imagine the heartache of losing my child to murder; I cannot imagine suffering the pain of having my child accused of murder. May God minister to them through His Holy Spirit, and may justice be done through His divine hand.
Love,
Joelene
~ Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A tragedy is unfolding in a Northern California town right now. A little 8-year old girl went missing a few short weeks ago, and later, her body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond. Horrific and deeply saddening, even to strangers of this little one. An entire town, state and nation grieves. Who can understand it?
More shocking still is the person under arrest for the crime. A 28-year old Sunday School teacher, coming from a family of pastors, and a mother herself. Families of the victim and the suspect have expressed shock at the news. How could it be? It doesn't make sense...
Whether they find her guilty of this crime remains to be seen. But a little girl is dead, and a Sunday School teacher is behind bars. We shake our heads and say, What is this world coming to? We must be in the end times for sure!
Folks, as horrible as this tragedy is, the sin of man has been weaving destruction since the Garden of Eden. We think our times are evil, and they are. But man has been devising schemes against humanity all along....and finding more and more ways to cover it up. This earth is in a perpetual state of decay, and that includes our hearts and minds. Right down to the grave. There is no such thing as evolution of the inner man. We can never create a better species, wherein the evil falls away, in favor of a "better man." Like the Word says, there is no cure.
No cure apart from divine intervention, that is. How many of you have known God's intervention in your heart and mind, changing you from decay and death, to new life and freedom from the bondage of sin? How many others do you know who have experienced it, too? It is possible through Jesus Christ, possibly to be different than how we were born, as sinners, as deceitful above all things. I thank God for loving us beyond the sin we're steeped in! He offers us cleansing and healing if we will put our faith and trust in Jesus.
Yet, is it possible for followers of Jesus to sin, after this cleansing? Not only possible, but a given. We will struggle with sin until we meet God face to face. Paul, in the book of Romans, was quick to use himself as an example of one who does what he shouldn't and doesn't do what he should. It's a constant spiritual fight for control. Yet, God continues to mould and shape us in the likeness of Jesus every day, if we are willing. Our cure is Jesus, and Jesus alone.
Please pray for both families involved in this recent tragedy. I cannot imagine the heartache of losing my child to murder; I cannot imagine suffering the pain of having my child accused of murder. May God minister to them through His Holy Spirit, and may justice be done through His divine hand.
Love,
Joelene
Monday, April 13, 2009
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 57:15
I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. ~ Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)
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Two weeks ago yesterday, one of our motorcycle friends from church was involved in a motorcycle accident, when taking a Sunday afternoon ride. News spread the next day that he was in ICU with a lacerated kidney and other less-serious injuries. We thanked God that he recovered quickly enough and didn't require a long hospital stay. But what we didn't know is the healing that God did for him on the inside :-)
I (and several others) had the immense pleasure of talking with him after Easter Sunday service yesterday . . . or should I say, we listened as he talked. This man was BUBBLING OVER with excitement about what God had done for him while he was in the hospital....on the inside! He smiled big, and tears filled his eyes as he talked about the long conversations he had with God while he was incapacitated, talking about everything from finances to his marriage to eating habits. I'll tell ya -- my friend got himself a spiritual overhaul by the Master Mechanic, and he couldn't stop sharing the joy! And he lifted his Bible and said with a smile, "And I'm in the Word EVERY DAY! I'm just gobbling it up!"
My friend had a humbling experience, finding humility before God in that hospital bed. He was willing to admit where he'd gone wrong with certain issues in his life and allowed God to counsel him. God indeed restores and revives us when we walk humbly before Him.
I LOVE hearing testimony about what miracles God is doing in people's lives! This is not an isolated incident, I can tell you! God is at work ALL the time! I wish we could have testimony time EVERY Sunday in church, because we need to be encouraged and reminded that God is faithful to the humble and doesn't leave us to our own devices when we are willing to listen to Him. My friend is a living witness of God's love and involvement in his life.
Do you have a testimony to share about God's restoration and revitalization in your life? I encourage you to tell someone how Isaiah 57:15 is true for you. (psst....you can post it on my blog, to encourage others!)
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two weeks ago yesterday, one of our motorcycle friends from church was involved in a motorcycle accident, when taking a Sunday afternoon ride. News spread the next day that he was in ICU with a lacerated kidney and other less-serious injuries. We thanked God that he recovered quickly enough and didn't require a long hospital stay. But what we didn't know is the healing that God did for him on the inside :-)
I (and several others) had the immense pleasure of talking with him after Easter Sunday service yesterday . . . or should I say, we listened as he talked. This man was BUBBLING OVER with excitement about what God had done for him while he was in the hospital....on the inside! He smiled big, and tears filled his eyes as he talked about the long conversations he had with God while he was incapacitated, talking about everything from finances to his marriage to eating habits. I'll tell ya -- my friend got himself a spiritual overhaul by the Master Mechanic, and he couldn't stop sharing the joy! And he lifted his Bible and said with a smile, "And I'm in the Word EVERY DAY! I'm just gobbling it up!"
My friend had a humbling experience, finding humility before God in that hospital bed. He was willing to admit where he'd gone wrong with certain issues in his life and allowed God to counsel him. God indeed restores and revives us when we walk humbly before Him.
I LOVE hearing testimony about what miracles God is doing in people's lives! This is not an isolated incident, I can tell you! God is at work ALL the time! I wish we could have testimony time EVERY Sunday in church, because we need to be encouraged and reminded that God is faithful to the humble and doesn't leave us to our own devices when we are willing to listen to Him. My friend is a living witness of God's love and involvement in his life.
Do you have a testimony to share about God's restoration and revitalization in your life? I encourage you to tell someone how Isaiah 57:15 is true for you. (psst....you can post it on my blog, to encourage others!)
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Verse of the Day - Luke 24:6-8
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words. ~ Luke 24:6-8 (NIV)
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Happy Easter to you all! I pray that you can experience God in a unique way today, as you celebrate His resurrection!
...then they remembered His words.
We think, Duh, were you guys all that dense not to know what was coming?!? Why was this such a surprise? But they didn't have a copy of the NIV sitting on their coffee table; they hadn't read the end of the story! And, yeah, Jesus told them things -- sometimes over and over -- but, how often does someone tell us something, and then later, when they say, "I TOLD you such-and-such...remember?!?", we think back and say, "But...I just didn't get what you were saying...it just didn't click with me." Well, it didn't click with the disciples and followers of Jesus, either. We shouldn't be too hard on them...after all, we're the apples that don't fall far from their tree.
We read the Bible and listen to sermons, but sometimes God's word just doesn't click with us. He says it, but sometimes we have a disconnect. Maybe it's not enough coffee...maybe too much coffee. Maybe we're just too busy to process the information. Maybe we're distracted with the TV or another good book. Maybe we've been away from God for awhile and we have wax in our spiritual ears.
What God has to say to us should be our top priority. It should be what we hunger and thirst for. It should be what we lean on completely. Unfortunately, we're sometimes like those followers on Easter Sunday who said, "What?!? Who?!? Where?!? I don't get it..." The good news is that Jesus is full of grace, and knows that we're a little thick between the ears sometimes. He has a beautiful way of coming around from another angle, so that we don't miss what He needs us to know. For the disciples that first Easter evening, His angle was unique -- He came into a locked room, right through walls! :-)
I pray we can be sensitive and attentive to what God has to say to us. May it be the air we breathe...
This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I . . . I'm desperate for you
And I . . . I'm lost without you
~ from Breathe, by Michael W. Smith
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Easter to you all! I pray that you can experience God in a unique way today, as you celebrate His resurrection!
...then they remembered His words.
We think, Duh, were you guys all that dense not to know what was coming?!? Why was this such a surprise? But they didn't have a copy of the NIV sitting on their coffee table; they hadn't read the end of the story! And, yeah, Jesus told them things -- sometimes over and over -- but, how often does someone tell us something, and then later, when they say, "I TOLD you such-and-such...remember?!?", we think back and say, "But...I just didn't get what you were saying...it just didn't click with me." Well, it didn't click with the disciples and followers of Jesus, either. We shouldn't be too hard on them...after all, we're the apples that don't fall far from their tree.
We read the Bible and listen to sermons, but sometimes God's word just doesn't click with us. He says it, but sometimes we have a disconnect. Maybe it's not enough coffee...maybe too much coffee. Maybe we're just too busy to process the information. Maybe we're distracted with the TV or another good book. Maybe we've been away from God for awhile and we have wax in our spiritual ears.
What God has to say to us should be our top priority. It should be what we hunger and thirst for. It should be what we lean on completely. Unfortunately, we're sometimes like those followers on Easter Sunday who said, "What?!? Who?!? Where?!? I don't get it..." The good news is that Jesus is full of grace, and knows that we're a little thick between the ears sometimes. He has a beautiful way of coming around from another angle, so that we don't miss what He needs us to know. For the disciples that first Easter evening, His angle was unique -- He came into a locked room, right through walls! :-)
I pray we can be sensitive and attentive to what God has to say to us. May it be the air we breathe...
This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I . . . I'm desperate for you
And I . . . I'm lost without you
~ from Breathe, by Michael W. Smith
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Verse of the Day - Matthew 28:5-6
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. ~ Matthew 28:5-6 (NLT)
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Today is our church's community Easter Egg Hunt, and for the first time, I'm helping out. They said they need people who can be friendly and talk to parents, making them feel comfortable. And those who know me well know that talking is my specialty!!! (I sometimes feel I was born to talk, to the consternation of my mom and all my teachers of old. :-) It should be a lot of fun, and, hopefully, give kids and parents alike some knowledge about the real meaning of Easter.
One object lesson I've seen used many times for kids, is the idea of an empty Easter egg, to symbolize the empty tomb. I wonder how all the kids today at the egg hunt would feel if all the plastic eggs were empty? Hmm....not so good, I'm thinkin'. I'm sure they'd feel ripped off, big time -- I mean, after all, half the joy in finding the eggs is in finding what's in 'em, right?
Those at the empty tomb felt ripped off, too. They thought their Lord's body had been stolen. Somehow, despite all that Jesus had told them before He died, they never imagined that He'd rise from the dead. They didn't go to the tomb anticipating an empty cave -- the women had burial spices with them, for heaven's sake! They couldn't have been any more shocked than a kid who opens an Easter egg, only to find it empty. So the angel made it clear to them -- Not stolen, my friends. Risen, and alive!
Not the work of man's hands, but the work of God Himself. The power of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What He said He would do, He did. What He said would happen, happened. He truly was who He said He was -- God come to earth, to pay the sin sacrifice; risen to reign forever in the Kingdom of God.
The empty tomb isn't a sad thing; it's a GLAD thing! I hope you can understand and believe in the significance of the empty tomb. It's eternal hope in all it's emptiness!
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today is our church's community Easter Egg Hunt, and for the first time, I'm helping out. They said they need people who can be friendly and talk to parents, making them feel comfortable. And those who know me well know that talking is my specialty!!! (I sometimes feel I was born to talk, to the consternation of my mom and all my teachers of old. :-) It should be a lot of fun, and, hopefully, give kids and parents alike some knowledge about the real meaning of Easter.
One object lesson I've seen used many times for kids, is the idea of an empty Easter egg, to symbolize the empty tomb. I wonder how all the kids today at the egg hunt would feel if all the plastic eggs were empty? Hmm....not so good, I'm thinkin'. I'm sure they'd feel ripped off, big time -- I mean, after all, half the joy in finding the eggs is in finding what's in 'em, right?
Those at the empty tomb felt ripped off, too. They thought their Lord's body had been stolen. Somehow, despite all that Jesus had told them before He died, they never imagined that He'd rise from the dead. They didn't go to the tomb anticipating an empty cave -- the women had burial spices with them, for heaven's sake! They couldn't have been any more shocked than a kid who opens an Easter egg, only to find it empty. So the angel made it clear to them -- Not stolen, my friends. Risen, and alive!
Not the work of man's hands, but the work of God Himself. The power of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What He said He would do, He did. What He said would happen, happened. He truly was who He said He was -- God come to earth, to pay the sin sacrifice; risen to reign forever in the Kingdom of God.
The empty tomb isn't a sad thing; it's a GLAD thing! I hope you can understand and believe in the significance of the empty tomb. It's eternal hope in all it's emptiness!
Love,
Joelene
Friday, April 10, 2009
Verse of the Day - John 17:10-11
"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above."
~ John 17:10-11 (NIV)
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It's amazing how much power the Jewish leaders and Pilate thought they had over Jesus. What they did to him and how they did it would lead most anyone to think they were in control of Christ's destiny, having the power to maim and destroy him in such a horrific manner. I'm sure they felt He was putty in their hands, with His followers not even lifting a finger to help or rescue Him. But Jesus made it clear this was not their doing...it was God Himself who had ordained this sacrifice. Rather than Jesus being the pawn in their hands, they were the pawns in God's hands.
Although they were too short-sighted or ignorant to understand or remember, God had set His redemption plan in motion way back in the Garden of Eden, when man and woman sealed the fate of the entire human race -- sealed for death. But God is a loving God and had the Great Bailout already in mind, and Jesus had willingly stepped up to the plate to make it happen...
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.' ~ Hebrews 10:5-7 (NIV)
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. ~ Isaiah 53:9-12 (NIV)
What God ordained, Jesus offered willingly. Today, on this Good Friday, think about God's great plan to rescue you from sure eternal death, and Jesus' willingness to pay your price. I pray that you will take the gift of salvation through faith in His great sacrifice that was made over 2,000 years ago on this fateful, yet hope-filled, day.
Love,
Joelene
~ John 17:10-11 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's amazing how much power the Jewish leaders and Pilate thought they had over Jesus. What they did to him and how they did it would lead most anyone to think they were in control of Christ's destiny, having the power to maim and destroy him in such a horrific manner. I'm sure they felt He was putty in their hands, with His followers not even lifting a finger to help or rescue Him. But Jesus made it clear this was not their doing...it was God Himself who had ordained this sacrifice. Rather than Jesus being the pawn in their hands, they were the pawns in God's hands.
Although they were too short-sighted or ignorant to understand or remember, God had set His redemption plan in motion way back in the Garden of Eden, when man and woman sealed the fate of the entire human race -- sealed for death. But God is a loving God and had the Great Bailout already in mind, and Jesus had willingly stepped up to the plate to make it happen...
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.' ~ Hebrews 10:5-7 (NIV)
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. ~ Isaiah 53:9-12 (NIV)
What God ordained, Jesus offered willingly. Today, on this Good Friday, think about God's great plan to rescue you from sure eternal death, and Jesus' willingness to pay your price. I pray that you will take the gift of salvation through faith in His great sacrifice that was made over 2,000 years ago on this fateful, yet hope-filled, day.
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Verse of the Day - Mark 14:22-24
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
~ Mark 14:22-24 (NIV)
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Today is Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, the day many churches commemorate the Last Supper. Some of my small group friends, who usually meet on Thursdays, are taking a "field trip" (another friend asked if we all had our permission slips...coming from the lips of an elementary school teacher, of course :-) to a local church that is presenting a "living Lord's supper" tonight. I'm looking forward to it, as we ramp up to the commemoration of the greatest event in the history of the world, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
His body was broken for us; his blood was shed for us; He rose again because the grave cannot hold God, and His resurrection is hope for us, because He promised that those who love Him and believe in Him will also be raised to new life on the last day! Can I get an "amen" and a "hallelujah" for that?!?
Today is a solemn day of remembrance, as Jesus prepared to die. He shared it with his closest friends and offered up a significant symbolic observance in the breaking of the bread and drinking of the cup. So, I ask you: Do we consume Him as our eat and drink? Is He that vital to us? And, are we willing to partake of the cup He took -- that is, His suffering and death, as did the disciples? (who all met their death by martyrdom, with the exception of John)
Maundy Thursday is a day of reflection. May you reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for you, and the sacrifice you are willing to make for Him. We owe Him our very lives -- may we live it to the full, in service to our Lord.
Love,
Joelene
~ Mark 14:22-24 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today is Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, the day many churches commemorate the Last Supper. Some of my small group friends, who usually meet on Thursdays, are taking a "field trip" (another friend asked if we all had our permission slips...coming from the lips of an elementary school teacher, of course :-) to a local church that is presenting a "living Lord's supper" tonight. I'm looking forward to it, as we ramp up to the commemoration of the greatest event in the history of the world, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
His body was broken for us; his blood was shed for us; He rose again because the grave cannot hold God, and His resurrection is hope for us, because He promised that those who love Him and believe in Him will also be raised to new life on the last day! Can I get an "amen" and a "hallelujah" for that?!?
Today is a solemn day of remembrance, as Jesus prepared to die. He shared it with his closest friends and offered up a significant symbolic observance in the breaking of the bread and drinking of the cup. So, I ask you: Do we consume Him as our eat and drink? Is He that vital to us? And, are we willing to partake of the cup He took -- that is, His suffering and death, as did the disciples? (who all met their death by martyrdom, with the exception of John)
Maundy Thursday is a day of reflection. May you reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for you, and the sacrifice you are willing to make for Him. We owe Him our very lives -- may we live it to the full, in service to our Lord.
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Verse of the Day - John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." ~ John 6:35 (NIV)
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Some people know they're hungry and thirsty for something in their life. They've tried to fill it up with whatever -- work, entertainment, food, chemical dependency -- but realize these are placebos, at best. They don't meet the real need. These folks should be easy to recognize, and believers in Jesus have the bread and water they need so desperately. So, believers, are we feeding them?
Some people don't know they're hungry or thirsty, spiritually. Life is good for them, and they see no need to put God in their mix. Yet, they are still in desperate need of Jesus, as we all are. So how do we stir up a hunger and thirst for God in them? Good question. I think by being a good listener. By being a friend. Eventually, something is going to hit them that turns their world upside down, and the earthly things they've relied on for stability and strength are going to crumble. Then they may realize how spiritually starving and parched they really are, and you can give them the blessed hope of Jesus Christ at a time when they can receive it.
People who are into healthy eating know how to recognize the 'full factor', so that they don't overeat. I hope you know the spiritual 'full factor' in Jesus. He truly meets all the heart and mind needs that we have, so that we shouldn't feel the need to get fed elsewhere. The question is: Do we? Do we get our nourishment from Him only, or do we succumb to earthly habits and addictions to try to meet our heart and mind needs? Hmm, a point to ponder today, for sure.
Joelene, step AWAY from the refrigerator...! :-)
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some people know they're hungry and thirsty for something in their life. They've tried to fill it up with whatever -- work, entertainment, food, chemical dependency -- but realize these are placebos, at best. They don't meet the real need. These folks should be easy to recognize, and believers in Jesus have the bread and water they need so desperately. So, believers, are we feeding them?
Some people don't know they're hungry or thirsty, spiritually. Life is good for them, and they see no need to put God in their mix. Yet, they are still in desperate need of Jesus, as we all are. So how do we stir up a hunger and thirst for God in them? Good question. I think by being a good listener. By being a friend. Eventually, something is going to hit them that turns their world upside down, and the earthly things they've relied on for stability and strength are going to crumble. Then they may realize how spiritually starving and parched they really are, and you can give them the blessed hope of Jesus Christ at a time when they can receive it.
People who are into healthy eating know how to recognize the 'full factor', so that they don't overeat. I hope you know the spiritual 'full factor' in Jesus. He truly meets all the heart and mind needs that we have, so that we shouldn't feel the need to get fed elsewhere. The question is: Do we? Do we get our nourishment from Him only, or do we succumb to earthly habits and addictions to try to meet our heart and mind needs? Hmm, a point to ponder today, for sure.
Joelene, step AWAY from the refrigerator...! :-)
Love,
Joelene
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Verse of the Day - Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
~ Galatians 2:21 (NIV)
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When will we ever learn that we can't earn salvation through the law?
Do we think our personal goodness is as good as or adds anything to what Jesus did on the cross? Oh, we say we believe in God's grace..."Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me...," and yet, do we sidestep the cross of Christ for our salvation, and put the law in its place?
The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
~ Romans 8:3 (NLT)
We can never be good enough to gain holiness before a holy God, because we've all sinned and fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). Two rights (or forty, or a hundred) can't make up for a single wrong. Our wages are death -- period. (Romans 6:22) But God's grace said No, that's not how it has to be. I have a plan to right your wrongs in one act. And when you hear my Son say, 'It is finished...,' believe it and stand on it. There is no payment left to be made, nor can there be any human payment for your sin. Don't try to be good in order to gain your salvation -- it's impossible. Simply accept Christ's sacrifice as fully sufficient -- don't discount it or take it for granted.
As we reflect this Easter week on Christ's passion, on His death, burial and resurrection, we should ask ourselves: Am I adding or taking away from the fullness of God's grace in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross? Am I relying solely and completely on His payment for me, or have I attached the law back onto my salvation?
We're called to live holy lives, in love and respect for God. But our righteousness can never save us. It is Christ's righteousness alone, given to us, that saves. May we never forget the completeness of His sacrifice.
Love,
Joelene
~ Galatians 2:21 (NIV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When will we ever learn that we can't earn salvation through the law?
Do we think our personal goodness is as good as or adds anything to what Jesus did on the cross? Oh, we say we believe in God's grace..."Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me...," and yet, do we sidestep the cross of Christ for our salvation, and put the law in its place?
The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
~ Romans 8:3 (NLT)
We can never be good enough to gain holiness before a holy God, because we've all sinned and fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). Two rights (or forty, or a hundred) can't make up for a single wrong. Our wages are death -- period. (Romans 6:22) But God's grace said No, that's not how it has to be. I have a plan to right your wrongs in one act. And when you hear my Son say, 'It is finished...,' believe it and stand on it. There is no payment left to be made, nor can there be any human payment for your sin. Don't try to be good in order to gain your salvation -- it's impossible. Simply accept Christ's sacrifice as fully sufficient -- don't discount it or take it for granted.
As we reflect this Easter week on Christ's passion, on His death, burial and resurrection, we should ask ourselves: Am I adding or taking away from the fullness of God's grace in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross? Am I relying solely and completely on His payment for me, or have I attached the law back onto my salvation?
We're called to live holy lives, in love and respect for God. But our righteousness can never save us. It is Christ's righteousness alone, given to us, that saves. May we never forget the completeness of His sacrifice.
Love,
Joelene
Monday, April 6, 2009
Verse of the Day - Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
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I think that believers in Jesus can miss the point with this. I mean, we probably know this verse -- maybe we even have it memorized. It might be on a refrigerator magnet in our home or a plaque or bookmark. But what does it mean to hope in the Lord, really?
What I see sometimes are people hoping in things Christian, but not hoping in Christ. Ooh, another Christian book to help me have more faith--I better buy it...Oh, I should attend this seminar so I can learn to trust God more...If I can just read through the Bible in a year, then I'll be closer to God. Well, maybe, maybe not.
All I'm saying is that we need to stop accessorizing our faith and start wearing it solo...
~ Really trusting God in your heart when the daily grind starts grinding you into the ground...
~ Believing in the Lord deep down inside when your teenagers are making poor life choices...
~ Relying on God's love and care for you 100% when others (or you) try to make you feel small and unworthy...
Seminars are nice. Books can be helpful. Reading God's word is needful. But we need to start putting our faith into real action. Where is our hope? Whom do we trust? Do we really believe God is a good God who is trustworthy, or do we just say the words?
If you say the words easily enough, but true faith is lacking, take heart -- you can start hoping in the Lord TODAY! Choose this day to believe in God's ability and desire to care for you, guide you, teach you, grow you into a pillar of faith, a tower of strength -- with Him as your solid foundation. And then put your words of faith in God into actions of faith in God.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think that believers in Jesus can miss the point with this. I mean, we probably know this verse -- maybe we even have it memorized. It might be on a refrigerator magnet in our home or a plaque or bookmark. But what does it mean to hope in the Lord, really?
What I see sometimes are people hoping in things Christian, but not hoping in Christ. Ooh, another Christian book to help me have more faith--I better buy it...Oh, I should attend this seminar so I can learn to trust God more...If I can just read through the Bible in a year, then I'll be closer to God. Well, maybe, maybe not.
All I'm saying is that we need to stop accessorizing our faith and start wearing it solo...
~ Really trusting God in your heart when the daily grind starts grinding you into the ground...
~ Believing in the Lord deep down inside when your teenagers are making poor life choices...
~ Relying on God's love and care for you 100% when others (or you) try to make you feel small and unworthy...
Seminars are nice. Books can be helpful. Reading God's word is needful. But we need to start putting our faith into real action. Where is our hope? Whom do we trust? Do we really believe God is a good God who is trustworthy, or do we just say the words?
If you say the words easily enough, but true faith is lacking, take heart -- you can start hoping in the Lord TODAY! Choose this day to believe in God's ability and desire to care for you, guide you, teach you, grow you into a pillar of faith, a tower of strength -- with Him as your solid foundation. And then put your words of faith in God into actions of faith in God.
Love,
Joelene
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Verse of the Day - Philippians 4:4
Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.
~ Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
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It's amazing that, for believers in Christ, the greatest thing we own -- that is, our security in Jesus -- is overshadowed by earthly concerns. They really don't compare; they're not even on the same plain. And yet, we give them such weight in our lives as to swallow up the joy of belonging to Jesus.
Hmm...on the scales, what has more weight in our lives -- the earthly concerns, or the spiritual riches we have in Jesus? It would be great if we could say the latter, but the truth is that we often give so much emphasis in our hearts and minds to earthly concerns, getting weighed down like a lead balloon, that we forget our spiritual foundation -- the simple, yet amazing, reality of belonging to Jesus. That should ALWAYS be grounds for joy -- regardless of how difficult and trying life can be. No matter what is going on in your life, you can be joyful because you belong to Christ.
Consider the dismal alternative -- life without Jesus -- and you can't help but be glad and thankful! Those who don't know Jesus can't comprehend the transformation from death to life and the filling of their spirits with the Spirit of God. But those who have given over their will to the will of God have been transformed and changed -- new spiritual DNA! What was dead is alive, what was old is new, what was hopeless is full of hope! Be glad and joyful if you belong to the Lord -- you are rich, even if you're penniless!
For Christ followers, our joy comes from a well in the fourth dimension. We shouldn't try to depend on the well of earthly things or pursuits or circumstances to water our spirits. No matter what happens to us in this life, we can know deep joy from the deep spiritual well of having an eternal relationship with Jesus.
When all else fails, He remains -- that is grounds for great joy!
Love,
Joelene
~ Philippians 4:4 (NIrV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's amazing that, for believers in Christ, the greatest thing we own -- that is, our security in Jesus -- is overshadowed by earthly concerns. They really don't compare; they're not even on the same plain. And yet, we give them such weight in our lives as to swallow up the joy of belonging to Jesus.
Hmm...on the scales, what has more weight in our lives -- the earthly concerns, or the spiritual riches we have in Jesus? It would be great if we could say the latter, but the truth is that we often give so much emphasis in our hearts and minds to earthly concerns, getting weighed down like a lead balloon, that we forget our spiritual foundation -- the simple, yet amazing, reality of belonging to Jesus. That should ALWAYS be grounds for joy -- regardless of how difficult and trying life can be. No matter what is going on in your life, you can be joyful because you belong to Christ.
Consider the dismal alternative -- life without Jesus -- and you can't help but be glad and thankful! Those who don't know Jesus can't comprehend the transformation from death to life and the filling of their spirits with the Spirit of God. But those who have given over their will to the will of God have been transformed and changed -- new spiritual DNA! What was dead is alive, what was old is new, what was hopeless is full of hope! Be glad and joyful if you belong to the Lord -- you are rich, even if you're penniless!
For Christ followers, our joy comes from a well in the fourth dimension. We shouldn't try to depend on the well of earthly things or pursuits or circumstances to water our spirits. No matter what happens to us in this life, we can know deep joy from the deep spiritual well of having an eternal relationship with Jesus.
When all else fails, He remains -- that is grounds for great joy!
Love,
Joelene
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Verse of the Day - Psalm 33:22
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. ~ Psalm 33:22 (NLT)
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A young couple in our church recently suffered a miscarriage. Their first child, they were full of hope -- cute baby clothes had already started arriving at the house in great anticipation. But this baby was simply not to be, and the grief poured over them when the doctor gave them the news. Many friends and family have hugged and loved on them, to share in their grief and help them get through this tough time. But I am so blessed to hear both of these young people talk about their faith in God, their hope in Him, despite this terrible loss of a child. I'm sure they would say, without a doubt, that they don't know how they would or could handle this situation if it weren't for the love of God to comfort them, and their faith and hope in His will for their lives.
I can't help but think of the friends and families of those lost recently to mass shootings. Most recently, 13 killed at a civic center in Binghamton,New York, those trying to fulfill the American dream by learning English and taking citizenship classes. Or the four police officers killed after a "routine" traffic stop in Oakland, CA. So many heartaches in the world. Where do people go for hope when disaster and tragedy strike?
Some go to alcohol and drugs, or become workaholics to try to kill the pain, to try to forget. But these can't even be called band-aids or painkillers -- they're toxic fumes that will create their own destruction. But God . . . His love is like the sweet scent of citrus blossoms in Springtime. When we allow Him to invade our being, He gives us spiritual healing and help and hope that can't be found anywhere else -- not anywhere.
If you're going through the fire right now, I urge you to seek after God, who has unfailing love for you. Make the choice to believe in His goodness and trust in His decision-making. Rely on what He allows in your life, and take every circumstance -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- as an opportunity to grow in your understanding of Him, to become more like Jesus, to become a person who walks in God's love and reflects that love to the world.
Hope is where Jesus is. I pray you can find hope in Him today.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A young couple in our church recently suffered a miscarriage. Their first child, they were full of hope -- cute baby clothes had already started arriving at the house in great anticipation. But this baby was simply not to be, and the grief poured over them when the doctor gave them the news. Many friends and family have hugged and loved on them, to share in their grief and help them get through this tough time. But I am so blessed to hear both of these young people talk about their faith in God, their hope in Him, despite this terrible loss of a child. I'm sure they would say, without a doubt, that they don't know how they would or could handle this situation if it weren't for the love of God to comfort them, and their faith and hope in His will for their lives.
I can't help but think of the friends and families of those lost recently to mass shootings. Most recently, 13 killed at a civic center in Binghamton,New York, those trying to fulfill the American dream by learning English and taking citizenship classes. Or the four police officers killed after a "routine" traffic stop in Oakland, CA. So many heartaches in the world. Where do people go for hope when disaster and tragedy strike?
Some go to alcohol and drugs, or become workaholics to try to kill the pain, to try to forget. But these can't even be called band-aids or painkillers -- they're toxic fumes that will create their own destruction. But God . . . His love is like the sweet scent of citrus blossoms in Springtime. When we allow Him to invade our being, He gives us spiritual healing and help and hope that can't be found anywhere else -- not anywhere.
If you're going through the fire right now, I urge you to seek after God, who has unfailing love for you. Make the choice to believe in His goodness and trust in His decision-making. Rely on what He allows in your life, and take every circumstance -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- as an opportunity to grow in your understanding of Him, to become more like Jesus, to become a person who walks in God's love and reflects that love to the world.
Hope is where Jesus is. I pray you can find hope in Him today.
Love,
Joelene
Friday, April 3, 2009
Verse of the Day - Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)
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Motivation to get a job done or stay the course is key to any successful project or business -- dreams don't come true without keeping your feet to the pavement. So motivation becomes big business in and of itself -- posters, seminars, morale-building tools and events! All trying to keep people focused and enthused to stay the course and keep the work going.
But that's hard to do sometimes, huh?
In the business world, management struggles to keep the machine moving when motivation is missing. And motivation gets sucked out of people when 14 co-workers get laid off in a week, when mandatory furlough days take a hefty chunk out of the paycheck, when you forget what the word 'raise' means, when the whole point of being on the job becomes blurred by the stress of doing more with less. And a simple poster on the wall that says, "Believe and Succeed..." just doesn't do much to motivate. So, too, in the Christian journey...
We can have our little Christian slogans to try to pep people up when the going gets rough...
~ Let go, and let God...
~ All things work together for good...
~ Too blessed to be depressed...
...but they probably don't do a whole lot for actually motivating people to fight the good fight when the battle is raging, huh?
The writer of Hebrews gave us the best motivational speech for staying the course when he candidly pointed to Jesus in Hebrews 12. He threw away the motivational fluff and got down to brass tacks -- Jesus died a horrible death on the cross, with all the pain and shame that went with it, but He never took His eyes off of the prize. For Him, that prize was layered with the souls of humanity whom He loves, souls that were dying without His help. We were His motivation to keep going! So God encourages us to remember Jesus and His example, and to keep the prize of Him and His kingdom in view when the Christian life gets hard.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~ 2 Peter 2:13 (NIV)
When the going gets rough, don't give up, my friend -- keep fighting the good fight of faith in God, keeping your eyes on Jesus.
Love,
Joelene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Motivation to get a job done or stay the course is key to any successful project or business -- dreams don't come true without keeping your feet to the pavement. So motivation becomes big business in and of itself -- posters, seminars, morale-building tools and events! All trying to keep people focused and enthused to stay the course and keep the work going.
But that's hard to do sometimes, huh?
In the business world, management struggles to keep the machine moving when motivation is missing. And motivation gets sucked out of people when 14 co-workers get laid off in a week, when mandatory furlough days take a hefty chunk out of the paycheck, when you forget what the word 'raise' means, when the whole point of being on the job becomes blurred by the stress of doing more with less. And a simple poster on the wall that says, "Believe and Succeed..." just doesn't do much to motivate. So, too, in the Christian journey...
We can have our little Christian slogans to try to pep people up when the going gets rough...
~ Let go, and let God...
~ All things work together for good...
~ Too blessed to be depressed...
...but they probably don't do a whole lot for actually motivating people to fight the good fight when the battle is raging, huh?
The writer of Hebrews gave us the best motivational speech for staying the course when he candidly pointed to Jesus in Hebrews 12. He threw away the motivational fluff and got down to brass tacks -- Jesus died a horrible death on the cross, with all the pain and shame that went with it, but He never took His eyes off of the prize. For Him, that prize was layered with the souls of humanity whom He loves, souls that were dying without His help. We were His motivation to keep going! So God encourages us to remember Jesus and His example, and to keep the prize of Him and His kingdom in view when the Christian life gets hard.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~ 2 Peter 2:13 (NIV)
When the going gets rough, don't give up, my friend -- keep fighting the good fight of faith in God, keeping your eyes on Jesus.
Love,
Joelene
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Verse of the Day - Proverbs 19:4
Wealthy people are always finding more friends, but the poor lose all theirs.
~ Proverbs 19:4 (NCV)
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You could read this verse and say to yourself, I guess the only way I'll have friends is if I get rich, but I believe that this simply identifies a basic human characteristic: people love money.
The reality is that the friends you have if you are wealthy may not love you, but rather just your money. Many are in the money game -- big parties, fancy clothes, hot nightclubs, limo's, drinks, tropical vacations, etc. This hedonistic lifestyle grabs ahold of a lot of people, and they'll flock to whoever has the dough. Sure I'll be your friend -- ooh, baby, take me for a ride in your lear jet -- let's party ALL night long! But when the going gets rough or the money runs out, the friends tend to run out, too.
Does that mean that having money is bad? No. It's simply a caution about how you choose your friends, because money draws alot of pseudo-friends, pseudo being the operative word.
Yet even us Average Joe's can get caught up in being wooed by money, can't we? If you happen to know someone who has a lot of cash, and they say, Hey, let's fly to Tahoe this weekend and play golf! We can catch a couple of shows, eat some great food, and have a great time!..., but you had previously agreed to spend the weekend with a friend who doesn't get out much 'cuz they lost their job and just don't have the funds to do anything -- the big entertainment being to sit on the couch and watch rented movies from Blockbuster...hmm. Might you have a bit of a tough time saying 'no' to the ritz, over the regular? Do the dollars talk louder than the plain-and-ordinary?
Bottom line is, don't let money be the driver of your relationships, whether you have cash, or you don't. If your wallet is thick, be shrewd when it comes to making friends, and if your living paycheck-to-paycheck, don't be tempted to schmooze with folks just because they have what you don't have. Make sure your motives for making and being a friend are honorable and from the heart, 'cuz guess what? Money can be gone in a flash, and the lack thereof becomes a quick litmus test of real friendship.
Let's see...lemme check my wallet. I've got enough to rent a $4 film at Blockbuster -- who wants to be my friend? :-) Hey, I'm not totally broke...I have microwave popcorn in the cupboard, too. No one can say I skimp when it comes to my friends, lemme tell ya! :-)
Love,
Joelene
~ Proverbs 19:4 (NCV)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You could read this verse and say to yourself, I guess the only way I'll have friends is if I get rich, but I believe that this simply identifies a basic human characteristic: people love money.
The reality is that the friends you have if you are wealthy may not love you, but rather just your money. Many are in the money game -- big parties, fancy clothes, hot nightclubs, limo's, drinks, tropical vacations, etc. This hedonistic lifestyle grabs ahold of a lot of people, and they'll flock to whoever has the dough. Sure I'll be your friend -- ooh, baby, take me for a ride in your lear jet -- let's party ALL night long! But when the going gets rough or the money runs out, the friends tend to run out, too.
Does that mean that having money is bad? No. It's simply a caution about how you choose your friends, because money draws alot of pseudo-friends, pseudo being the operative word.
Yet even us Average Joe's can get caught up in being wooed by money, can't we? If you happen to know someone who has a lot of cash, and they say, Hey, let's fly to Tahoe this weekend and play golf! We can catch a couple of shows, eat some great food, and have a great time!..., but you had previously agreed to spend the weekend with a friend who doesn't get out much 'cuz they lost their job and just don't have the funds to do anything -- the big entertainment being to sit on the couch and watch rented movies from Blockbuster...hmm. Might you have a bit of a tough time saying 'no' to the ritz, over the regular? Do the dollars talk louder than the plain-and-ordinary?
Bottom line is, don't let money be the driver of your relationships, whether you have cash, or you don't. If your wallet is thick, be shrewd when it comes to making friends, and if your living paycheck-to-paycheck, don't be tempted to schmooze with folks just because they have what you don't have. Make sure your motives for making and being a friend are honorable and from the heart, 'cuz guess what? Money can be gone in a flash, and the lack thereof becomes a quick litmus test of real friendship.
Let's see...lemme check my wallet. I've got enough to rent a $4 film at Blockbuster -- who wants to be my friend? :-) Hey, I'm not totally broke...I have microwave popcorn in the cupboard, too. No one can say I skimp when it comes to my friends, lemme tell ya! :-)
Love,
Joelene
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Verse of the Day - Proverbs 13:10
Pride only leads to arguing. But those who take advice are wise. ~ Proverbs 13:10 (NIrV)
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Have you ever been so sure about something that you were willing to argue about it, only to find out you were wrong and had to back down and apologize? Grrr. That has happened to me more than I care to admit.
I often feel I know something is right or true, and I will argue the point! But guess what? I'm not always right. Rats! I think I know so much, but I don't know everything. But my pride will often go to battle for what I think I know. And I regularly have to bow my head and admit that I was wrong. Ever been there?
How much better to take the stance that although I may have some knowledge, I am wise if I listen to others and be willing to accept that I'm not right all the time. Hmm...
Pride mistakenly presumes that we are on top, that we know more than others, that we do whatever better than others, that who we are is superior to others. REALITY CHECK: There will always be someone who knows more, has more, is more. We are not the 'end-all'! We need to get over ourselves, and take a strong dose of humility if we're going to be successful in healthy relationships.
Pride says, Win every argument! Humility says, Why argue?
The next time your pride rises up to demand that you're right, stop and think about the possibility that you're not. Oh, and even when you are right, you don't have to make sure that everyone knows about it. Train yourself in the position of humility, in keeping with Jesus' example, and grow wise.
Love,
Joelene
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Have you ever been so sure about something that you were willing to argue about it, only to find out you were wrong and had to back down and apologize? Grrr. That has happened to me more than I care to admit.
I often feel I know something is right or true, and I will argue the point! But guess what? I'm not always right. Rats! I think I know so much, but I don't know everything. But my pride will often go to battle for what I think I know. And I regularly have to bow my head and admit that I was wrong. Ever been there?
How much better to take the stance that although I may have some knowledge, I am wise if I listen to others and be willing to accept that I'm not right all the time. Hmm...
Pride mistakenly presumes that we are on top, that we know more than others, that we do whatever better than others, that who we are is superior to others. REALITY CHECK: There will always be someone who knows more, has more, is more. We are not the 'end-all'! We need to get over ourselves, and take a strong dose of humility if we're going to be successful in healthy relationships.
Pride says, Win every argument! Humility says, Why argue?
The next time your pride rises up to demand that you're right, stop and think about the possibility that you're not. Oh, and even when you are right, you don't have to make sure that everyone knows about it. Train yourself in the position of humility, in keeping with Jesus' example, and grow wise.
Love,
Joelene
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