I recently had the pleasure of visiting Disneyland with my two grandsons and my oldest daughter. What a joy it is to watch the excitement and wonder in the eyes of my grandsons as they experience "the happiest place on earth." One example is when my four-year-old grandson turned to my husband while watching the fireworks and said, "Grandpa, this is one of my dreams and it is coming true!" Days like this are beautiful memories we will cherish forever! And sometimes after a high, God allows us to go to the valley for a while to build our faith.
The day after our beautiful Disney experience, we had a few valleys to say the least. But even in the valleys, our God can do a miracle. Sometimes we make plans and things don't turn out the way we want them to. But in the middle of chaos, we need to "keep our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith." Here's what happened:
We had a plan to drop our oldest daughter and grandsons at the Amtrak station in Los Angeles to catch a train back to Flagstaff! My husband and I had reservations to go up the coast of California to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. So at promptly 5:15pm, as we were arriving at LAX, I called Amtrak to get specific directions. Well to my surprise, I was told that the "LAX" on the train ticket did not mean LAX the airport. I assumed they were the same and boy was I wrong! The LAX on my ticket meant Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The train was leaving at Union Station at 6:15pm and was rarely late according to the woman on the phone. Our plans were changing quickly.
So with hope in our hearts, we began to make our way to Union Station in downtown LA. Well, guess what was happening at 5:15pm in Los Angeles. We were experiencing a major traffic jam. And we were 20 miles away in stop and go traffic. In heavy traffic it is said to take 4 minutes per mile. This puts us at 80 minutes when we have only 60 minutes! Everyone in the car was praying. I was praying out loud, "Lord, you are our only hope!" and He was! So we prayed and drove and when we were about 5 miles away at 6pm a car came from nowhere and hit us. It was just a fender bender, thank God, but it still required us to stop. Since no one was hurt, we exchanged information and continued our journey. We arrived at Union Station at 6:20pm and found out the train had left.
I talked to the lady at the counter and she informed me the next available train for three people was in 2 days. By then we would be in the hills of Santa Barbara and our daughter needed to work the next morning. That is when I got the idea to chase the train. I expressed this idea to the woman, and... if looks could talk! I calmly asked her to print out directions to the San Bernadino station. She let me know I had 60 miles to go. This would take at least 1 1/2 hours in traffic. The train was scheduled to leave at 7:59pm and it was 6:38pm. So, again, our only hope was Jesus.
He opened space before our eyes and lead us on paths we did not know existed (like a carpool lane right put of Grand Central with no traffic on it for 20 miles!). And we made the station right at 7:59pm. And to add to our miracle, the train that was never late, was late. When we got to the station we had a few minutes to get our things together and say good-bye! Our train chase ended in victory! And all the glory goes to Jesus! He was our only HOPE!! Amen.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The Supernatural Abundant Life!
One of the things I love about Jesus is how He shows up in my life with miracles and wonders! It is profound and especially fun to have a Father who created everything and loves to give me amazing gifts. Something Jesus said in John 10:10; ...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus is constantly giving me this abundant life! The word "abundant" means "superabundant, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough, profuse, extraordinary, above the ordinary, more than sufficient!" This is what I expect as a child of the LIVING, ALMIGHTY, LOVING, GRACIOUS GOD! As I walk through life, I am looking for this abundant life and expecting to see God do miracles. One such miracle happened last week.
For the last 6 months, my daughter has been focusing on finding an internship for college credit. It is part of the requirement for graduation for her degree and a great opportunity to get some real work experience. When I heard about this, I started praying. I knew this internship was going to take her away from our city this summer, but I trusted God to lead her to the perfect place. So I started praying daily for His internship for my baby! As I was praying one day, the Lord impressed upon my heart that Laura should look into a possible internship in Nashville. Her close friend, whom she has known from birth, was going to be doing her own internship there and I felt the Lord might be leading Laura in the same direction. So I expressed this to my daughter and she made some connections.
Well, in March, she received an offer from Nashville. My heart began beating because it is hard for me to think about my baby being so far away. As I prayed, I had; "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7. Laura got several opportunities closer to home, but in my heart as she made her decision, I knew she was going to Nashville. Jesus says in John 15:15 that we are His friends. He has revealed to us all that the Father has told Him. When I hear the Lord in my heart, He gives me insight into His future plans. I love this quality of my friendship with Jesus! I am in touch with the Master Planner and I can walk in confidence as He brings forth His plan.
Last week, we dropped our daughter off in Nashville. And as we got there, we could see the city preparing for something big. Stages were going up and people were buzzing all around. Laura's close friend and roommate let us know Nashville was preparing to host the CMT Awards. The best country music singers were preparing to come to the city to receive awards and perform in downtown Nashville. Laura and her roommate had a wild hope that somehow they could get tickets to the show. It was sold out except for a few hundred standing room tickets which were being raffled and handed out throughout the city. Laura's roommate had done her homework and had already been entering raffles and finding places to get tickets. This would be a dream come true, for they are both huge country music fans.
I told them I would pray, and as I prayed I knew in my spirit they would be going. It was just like God to blow their minds and show Himself big just to satisfy the girlish desires of their hearts. He is so sweet and so interested in all the details. So I encouraged them as many times as the topic came up and they kept trying without losing hope. By the morning of the event, all of their attempts to get tickets had failed. But they got up early to stand in one more line. Tickets were handed out and then they were told there were no more tickets available. Right at that moment, when their last hope was crushed, a small batch of tickets were produced after the announcement. Our girls received literally the last remaining tickets! Wow! God was BIG and He came through at the last minute.
When they arrived in the building after standing for hours to get in, they heard a disheartening announcement that standing room space was at capacity. But the lack of space turned into a blessing when they were given instructions to find a seat. They could stay in their "found" seat as long as no one with a ticket showed up to claim the spot. So they ran through the Red Carpet event determined to find an open seat. Instead, they found a small space located some distance from the stage. But they were happy to be in the building. Well, God knew this spot would blow them away. It was within arms reach of Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and many other stars. I even got a glimpse of them on TV when Carrie Underwood received an award. They were in the perfect spot!
I am always seeking the perfect spot as I walk through life. I define this spot as the center of God's will for me. My life is filled with the supernatural presence of God because that is His will for me! He wants me to live the abundant life of Jesus and I want that too! So it happens! And life over-flows around me! And now that I have lived this way, I will never go back! I will live the abundant life and keep my heart and life wide open to His blessings! He is pouring them out from the flood gates of heaven and I am a willing receiver of His grace and mercy! I am living in the supernatural! After all, it is His will for me!
For the last 6 months, my daughter has been focusing on finding an internship for college credit. It is part of the requirement for graduation for her degree and a great opportunity to get some real work experience. When I heard about this, I started praying. I knew this internship was going to take her away from our city this summer, but I trusted God to lead her to the perfect place. So I started praying daily for His internship for my baby! As I was praying one day, the Lord impressed upon my heart that Laura should look into a possible internship in Nashville. Her close friend, whom she has known from birth, was going to be doing her own internship there and I felt the Lord might be leading Laura in the same direction. So I expressed this to my daughter and she made some connections.
Well, in March, she received an offer from Nashville. My heart began beating because it is hard for me to think about my baby being so far away. As I prayed, I had; "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7. Laura got several opportunities closer to home, but in my heart as she made her decision, I knew she was going to Nashville. Jesus says in John 15:15 that we are His friends. He has revealed to us all that the Father has told Him. When I hear the Lord in my heart, He gives me insight into His future plans. I love this quality of my friendship with Jesus! I am in touch with the Master Planner and I can walk in confidence as He brings forth His plan.
Last week, we dropped our daughter off in Nashville. And as we got there, we could see the city preparing for something big. Stages were going up and people were buzzing all around. Laura's close friend and roommate let us know Nashville was preparing to host the CMT Awards. The best country music singers were preparing to come to the city to receive awards and perform in downtown Nashville. Laura and her roommate had a wild hope that somehow they could get tickets to the show. It was sold out except for a few hundred standing room tickets which were being raffled and handed out throughout the city. Laura's roommate had done her homework and had already been entering raffles and finding places to get tickets. This would be a dream come true, for they are both huge country music fans.
I told them I would pray, and as I prayed I knew in my spirit they would be going. It was just like God to blow their minds and show Himself big just to satisfy the girlish desires of their hearts. He is so sweet and so interested in all the details. So I encouraged them as many times as the topic came up and they kept trying without losing hope. By the morning of the event, all of their attempts to get tickets had failed. But they got up early to stand in one more line. Tickets were handed out and then they were told there were no more tickets available. Right at that moment, when their last hope was crushed, a small batch of tickets were produced after the announcement. Our girls received literally the last remaining tickets! Wow! God was BIG and He came through at the last minute.
When they arrived in the building after standing for hours to get in, they heard a disheartening announcement that standing room space was at capacity. But the lack of space turned into a blessing when they were given instructions to find a seat. They could stay in their "found" seat as long as no one with a ticket showed up to claim the spot. So they ran through the Red Carpet event determined to find an open seat. Instead, they found a small space located some distance from the stage. But they were happy to be in the building. Well, God knew this spot would blow them away. It was within arms reach of Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and many other stars. I even got a glimpse of them on TV when Carrie Underwood received an award. They were in the perfect spot!
I am always seeking the perfect spot as I walk through life. I define this spot as the center of God's will for me. My life is filled with the supernatural presence of God because that is His will for me! He wants me to live the abundant life of Jesus and I want that too! So it happens! And life over-flows around me! And now that I have lived this way, I will never go back! I will live the abundant life and keep my heart and life wide open to His blessings! He is pouring them out from the flood gates of heaven and I am a willing receiver of His grace and mercy! I am living in the supernatural! After all, it is His will for me!
100 Shades of Purple
As I have been walking, hiking, biking, running, and driving around my town this spring, I have been completely fascinated with all of the shades of purple in my view. I love the color purple! It is my favorite! And I love it in every shade. For some reason, we have extra purple flowers this spring and I see them everywhere I go. How many purple colored flowers are there in the world? I am sure I can not even begin to count.
It is endless to think about shades of purple when even one flower can be in different shades. For example, there are lots of Irises blooming in my neighborhood right now. The shades of purple of the Irises vary in different gardens. This lead me to think about how hard it is for me as a human to define the wonder of God. All I can say about the Irises is that they are purple. I can say, some are lighter purple or some are deeper purple. I can describe some of the other purple flowers as lavender, others as magenta, and some are periwinkle, but I run out of words and descriptions for the shades in between!
This mind-provoking dilemma with purple got me thinking about how HUGE God really is. Through the more than 100 shades of purple I have been noticing, He is speaking to me of Himself. Something simple like the color purple can be infinite in shades. God is infinite. He is incomprehensible! He is beyond my understanding and bigger than the universe. I can not describe Him with words. I can't understand Him with my finite mind! Just like I am unable to define completely all of the shades of purple!
The thing I love about the incomprehensible nature of God is the wonder of Him. I feel like He is putting the wonder of Himself all around me in His creation! He is causing me to stand in awe of Him with every turn of the corner. The creation around me is speaking to me of the glory of my Father in heaven. The creation is crying out to me! The creation is saying to me wherever I go, "He is worthy of your worship." God is the only being worthy of my worship. And as I look around I have no problem worshiping Him. When I see the sunlight every morning, I thank Him for another day! When I see the laughter on the faces of my children, I am so grateful and express thanks to Him! When I see the colors of the sunset, I share with Him my joy! "Thank you Lord for making yourself so visible even in your invisible state! I see you! I know you are with me! I know you are there! Thank you, Jesus!"
So let the shades of purple surrounding you, speak to you of your God! He is with you! There are probably flowers popping up in your life everywhere. Sometimes He even gives the flowers the strength to break through the concrete! He is with us! Take notice of Him all around you! He is worthy! Worship Him!
Romans 1:20- For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
It is endless to think about shades of purple when even one flower can be in different shades. For example, there are lots of Irises blooming in my neighborhood right now. The shades of purple of the Irises vary in different gardens. This lead me to think about how hard it is for me as a human to define the wonder of God. All I can say about the Irises is that they are purple. I can say, some are lighter purple or some are deeper purple. I can describe some of the other purple flowers as lavender, others as magenta, and some are periwinkle, but I run out of words and descriptions for the shades in between!
This mind-provoking dilemma with purple got me thinking about how HUGE God really is. Through the more than 100 shades of purple I have been noticing, He is speaking to me of Himself. Something simple like the color purple can be infinite in shades. God is infinite. He is incomprehensible! He is beyond my understanding and bigger than the universe. I can not describe Him with words. I can't understand Him with my finite mind! Just like I am unable to define completely all of the shades of purple!
The thing I love about the incomprehensible nature of God is the wonder of Him. I feel like He is putting the wonder of Himself all around me in His creation! He is causing me to stand in awe of Him with every turn of the corner. The creation around me is speaking to me of the glory of my Father in heaven. The creation is crying out to me! The creation is saying to me wherever I go, "He is worthy of your worship." God is the only being worthy of my worship. And as I look around I have no problem worshiping Him. When I see the sunlight every morning, I thank Him for another day! When I see the laughter on the faces of my children, I am so grateful and express thanks to Him! When I see the colors of the sunset, I share with Him my joy! "Thank you Lord for making yourself so visible even in your invisible state! I see you! I know you are with me! I know you are there! Thank you, Jesus!"
So let the shades of purple surrounding you, speak to you of your God! He is with you! There are probably flowers popping up in your life everywhere. Sometimes He even gives the flowers the strength to break through the concrete! He is with us! Take notice of Him all around you! He is worthy! Worship Him!
Romans 1:20- For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Living In Wander Or Wonder?
I was talking with a friend the other day and in our discussion I began to tell her about a miracle I am praying for. She proceeded to tell me why it will never occur. She is a smart woman so she tried to reason with me. She gave much evidence to explain why the miracle I was praying for will not happen. When she was done she paused and waited for my reply. I looked deep into her soul and said, "Nothing you can say will ever convince me that my God will not perform this miracle! My God is faithful and always performs the miracles He promises to me. I understand your lack of faith based on the facts, but nothing will ever take away my faith because my faith is in Almighty God!" Then, I proceeded to remind her of the miracles God had performed in her life. This friend has not trusted Jesus as her Savior yet. I say, "Yet!" because I am praying for the miracle of her salvation too.
This situation reminded me of the story in Numbers 13-14 of the twelve spies from the twelve tribes of Israel who Moses sent into the land of Canaan. God had delivered Israel from Egypt and the Lord had lead them to Canaan which was the land the Lord had promised them. The twelve spies went into the land and spied for 40days. Although the land was good, ten of spies came back and gave a bad report to the people of Israel. They gave this bad report because they saw fortified cities they did not believe they could defeat. They also saw "men of great stature." They were afraid of the obstacles and did not trust God to take care of things for them. Therefore, they believed the physical circumstances they saw above the Word of God. This is tempting to all people. However, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, choose to look at the circumstances by keeping in mind that this was God's idea and this land was a gift from God to His people. Caleb answered the bad report of the ten unbelieving spies by saying in Numbers 13:30; "Let us go up at once and take possession(of the land), for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb had this response because he believed God's Word! He knew nothing was impossible with God! The obstacles he saw were so small in comparison to the God he knew and trusted!
Unfortunately, Israel believed the bad report of the ten spies and did not heed the advice of Caleb, and Joshua. Keep in mind that these were the same people who had been eye witnesses to the parting of the Red Sea! They choose to not believe the God who parted the Red Sea to save them from the Egyptians. Well, the Lord was very angry about this. Because of this rebellion of unbelief these people spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness waiting to die. When they were all dead, then God brought Joshua and Caleb and the younger generations of Israel into the promised land of Canaan! God kept His promise and did the miracles required to give them the land!
This is a great principle to live by. Am I going to live my life wandering through the wilderness waiting for death or am I going to live in wonder as I experience the miracles of my Great and Mighty God? Can you recall the miracles God has performed in your life? Is there a miracle right now He is encouraging you to pray for? Are you living with purpose and passion? Are you attempting and praying for things that can only happen by the power of God? Are you stepping out of the boat in faith to walk on the water? This is the promised land! A life of faith, excitement, risk, great miracles and most of all dependance on Jesus! Are you living in the promised land of your own life? Maybe you are walking on the border of the promised land right now. Maybe you are wondering if God can really bring you to the places you believe you were born to go. Well, I want to encourage you right now! Believe God and take the first step in following Him! He will lead you if your heart is willing! Don't be a wanderer living in the fog of unbelief waiting for death! Be a BELIEVER living in the wonder of our Awesome God of miracles!
Psalm 77:14- You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the peoples.
This situation reminded me of the story in Numbers 13-14 of the twelve spies from the twelve tribes of Israel who Moses sent into the land of Canaan. God had delivered Israel from Egypt and the Lord had lead them to Canaan which was the land the Lord had promised them. The twelve spies went into the land and spied for 40days. Although the land was good, ten of spies came back and gave a bad report to the people of Israel. They gave this bad report because they saw fortified cities they did not believe they could defeat. They also saw "men of great stature." They were afraid of the obstacles and did not trust God to take care of things for them. Therefore, they believed the physical circumstances they saw above the Word of God. This is tempting to all people. However, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, choose to look at the circumstances by keeping in mind that this was God's idea and this land was a gift from God to His people. Caleb answered the bad report of the ten unbelieving spies by saying in Numbers 13:30; "Let us go up at once and take possession(of the land), for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb had this response because he believed God's Word! He knew nothing was impossible with God! The obstacles he saw were so small in comparison to the God he knew and trusted!
Unfortunately, Israel believed the bad report of the ten spies and did not heed the advice of Caleb, and Joshua. Keep in mind that these were the same people who had been eye witnesses to the parting of the Red Sea! They choose to not believe the God who parted the Red Sea to save them from the Egyptians. Well, the Lord was very angry about this. Because of this rebellion of unbelief these people spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness waiting to die. When they were all dead, then God brought Joshua and Caleb and the younger generations of Israel into the promised land of Canaan! God kept His promise and did the miracles required to give them the land!
This is a great principle to live by. Am I going to live my life wandering through the wilderness waiting for death or am I going to live in wonder as I experience the miracles of my Great and Mighty God? Can you recall the miracles God has performed in your life? Is there a miracle right now He is encouraging you to pray for? Are you living with purpose and passion? Are you attempting and praying for things that can only happen by the power of God? Are you stepping out of the boat in faith to walk on the water? This is the promised land! A life of faith, excitement, risk, great miracles and most of all dependance on Jesus! Are you living in the promised land of your own life? Maybe you are walking on the border of the promised land right now. Maybe you are wondering if God can really bring you to the places you believe you were born to go. Well, I want to encourage you right now! Believe God and take the first step in following Him! He will lead you if your heart is willing! Don't be a wanderer living in the fog of unbelief waiting for death! Be a BELIEVER living in the wonder of our Awesome God of miracles!
Psalm 77:14- You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the peoples.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Overcoming Depression!
I was walking through Wal-mart yesterday and in passing, I saw the face of a woman. Her face has been with me since then. I have been praying for her although I do not know who she is. Something in her expression touched me deep in my soul. I recognized the face of someone who is severely depressed. I have seen this face in my own mirror in past years. It is not something I feel very often anymore. But knowing depression in my own life, helped me relate to the pain and hopelessness that gripped this woman.
In the last week, I have been reading the Psalms. The Psalms are full of the emotions of man. They range from purely joyful moments to utter despair. It is amazing how the Bible has the answer to every one of life's problems! This is because it was written about real people! God inspired these words to those who have gone before us so we would have a way to deal with all the things that come our way. It is a manual for our life and a love letter from our God. His Word will get us through with grace and mercy.
So as I was reading, I found the answer to heal depression in one verse! It is comforting how one verse can be so packed full of answers for my life. I can testify to the accuracy of this verse because the Lord has used this method to heal my life of depression.
Psalm 42:5 says; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior..."
Here are the steps that I see in this verse:
Step 1: The Psalmist asks himself the questions; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" It is important to ask yourself these questions so you know what it is that is causing the depression. You can even ask the Lord to help you. You might even want to talk to a friend about it. But figuring out what is really going on is the first step.
Step 2: Put your hope in God! Hope is actually the emotional state that is opposite of despair. So if we spend some time meditating on who God is, we see the hope of Him helping us through the situation. If we remember He parted the Red Sea, He healed the sick, He raised the dead, and He died for us, we have a much better perspective to gaze at our problem. When we consider God, every circumstance has hope. After all, nothing is impossible with God and everything is possible!
Step 3: Make a decision to praise Him! Jesus is our Savior. Often when I feel depression gripping my soul, I get out my journal and I start writing down everything I am thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to start, but as I get going, I feel my soul being lifted and I thank God for all of the beautiful creation around me, the amazing people in my life, and His abundant love for me. I am His favorite! You are His favorite! We are all His favorite! We cannot be grateful and depressed at the same time.
I am blessed to testify to the fact that depression is not something we need to live with day after day. God has given us the answer to dealing with depression. Depression was a daily struggle in my past and now it is just a word on the list of things from which the Lord has healed me.
In the last week, I have been reading the Psalms. The Psalms are full of the emotions of man. They range from purely joyful moments to utter despair. It is amazing how the Bible has the answer to every one of life's problems! This is because it was written about real people! God inspired these words to those who have gone before us so we would have a way to deal with all the things that come our way. It is a manual for our life and a love letter from our God. His Word will get us through with grace and mercy.
So as I was reading, I found the answer to heal depression in one verse! It is comforting how one verse can be so packed full of answers for my life. I can testify to the accuracy of this verse because the Lord has used this method to heal my life of depression.
Psalm 42:5 says; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior..."
Here are the steps that I see in this verse:
Step 1: The Psalmist asks himself the questions; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" It is important to ask yourself these questions so you know what it is that is causing the depression. You can even ask the Lord to help you. You might even want to talk to a friend about it. But figuring out what is really going on is the first step.
Step 2: Put your hope in God! Hope is actually the emotional state that is opposite of despair. So if we spend some time meditating on who God is, we see the hope of Him helping us through the situation. If we remember He parted the Red Sea, He healed the sick, He raised the dead, and He died for us, we have a much better perspective to gaze at our problem. When we consider God, every circumstance has hope. After all, nothing is impossible with God and everything is possible!
Step 3: Make a decision to praise Him! Jesus is our Savior. Often when I feel depression gripping my soul, I get out my journal and I start writing down everything I am thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to start, but as I get going, I feel my soul being lifted and I thank God for all of the beautiful creation around me, the amazing people in my life, and His abundant love for me. I am His favorite! You are His favorite! We are all His favorite! We cannot be grateful and depressed at the same time.
I am blessed to testify to the fact that depression is not something we need to live with day after day. God has given us the answer to dealing with depression. Depression was a daily struggle in my past and now it is just a word on the list of things from which the Lord has healed me.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Morning Glory!
I have the pleasure of getting my grandsons ready for school several mornings each week while my daughter is at work. We have a routine we go through to get ready for our day. Included in this routine is a short bible study. Deuteronomy 11:19 says about God's commandments; "Teach them to to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This is something I took to heart when my children were at home and it is a pleasure to continue this tradition with my grandchildren. It is a wonderful time of talking about the Lord and His Word together! We love it!
Well, recently we had an extra special morning. I was running really late. So I was making lunches while the boys ate breakfast. Although I was not happy about oversleeping and rushing to make it to school on time, God took the opportunity to "perfect His strength in my weakness." He is always so sweet and comforting! As I was preparing lunches I looked over at the table and saw a scene that brought tears to my eyes. My eight-year-old grandson was reading the Children's Bible to his three-year-old little brother. He was holding the bible with the pictures facing his little brother and reading it, just like I do. He went along reading and then he stopped in the middle and did something remarkable. He looked away from the words and look straight into his little brothers eyes and he explained something to him.
It was a beautiful moment! I forgot about the lunches and paused to feel the presence of God in my kitchen! They were reading about the poor widow who put two small copper coins into the offering in Mark 12:42-44. This is the point where he stopped the story and spoke directly to his brother. He said, "You know when we are at church and they pass the baskets around and we put our money in?" His brother answered, "Yes." He replied, "This is what was happening when the widow gave her coins in the temple." I loved it! He had given a practical example from his three-year-old brother's life that connected him to the bible story! I could not have done it better myself. The glory of God filled my kitchen and I basked in it!
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus addressed His disciples before leaving the earth and descending to heaven. This scripture is called The Great Commission. In this passage, Jesus says; "...go and make disciples of all nations..." and "...teaching them to obey all I have commanded you..." It applies to all those who are disciples of Jesus. Disciple means "learner." As long as we are on earth, we are going to be "learners or disciples." The more I read my Bible over and over, I realize I will never come to a full understanding of it. I will never get tired of reading it! I will always find new truths as God reveals Himself to me personally through His Word each day!
Every believer on this earth has someone in their life who is willing to listen. We each have circles of influence which God has given us to make a difference. Many Christians I know claim they do not know enough about the Word of God and they use this as an excuse to disqualify themselves from fulfilling The Great Commission. When Jesus said this, He was not making a suggestion! He was commanding us! I know I do not feel fulfilled when I do not have outlets to testify and teach about Jesus. When God gives us a command, He is doing it for our own benefit! We were born to worship and praise God!
So on this special morning when things looked rushed and hectic, the Lord stopped me in my tracks by sending His glory into my kitchen. My grandson was following my example and sharing what he knows about God's Word with his little brother. What a joy! Although my eight-year-old grandson might not be aware of The Great Commission, he was fulfilling it in my kitchen! This is discipleship--pure and simple! It was a beautiful sight in my eyes and I know it blessed the heart of my Father in Heaven! Just like that, God filled my morning with His glory!
Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
Well, recently we had an extra special morning. I was running really late. So I was making lunches while the boys ate breakfast. Although I was not happy about oversleeping and rushing to make it to school on time, God took the opportunity to "perfect His strength in my weakness." He is always so sweet and comforting! As I was preparing lunches I looked over at the table and saw a scene that brought tears to my eyes. My eight-year-old grandson was reading the Children's Bible to his three-year-old little brother. He was holding the bible with the pictures facing his little brother and reading it, just like I do. He went along reading and then he stopped in the middle and did something remarkable. He looked away from the words and look straight into his little brothers eyes and he explained something to him.
It was a beautiful moment! I forgot about the lunches and paused to feel the presence of God in my kitchen! They were reading about the poor widow who put two small copper coins into the offering in Mark 12:42-44. This is the point where he stopped the story and spoke directly to his brother. He said, "You know when we are at church and they pass the baskets around and we put our money in?" His brother answered, "Yes." He replied, "This is what was happening when the widow gave her coins in the temple." I loved it! He had given a practical example from his three-year-old brother's life that connected him to the bible story! I could not have done it better myself. The glory of God filled my kitchen and I basked in it!
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus addressed His disciples before leaving the earth and descending to heaven. This scripture is called The Great Commission. In this passage, Jesus says; "...go and make disciples of all nations..." and "...teaching them to obey all I have commanded you..." It applies to all those who are disciples of Jesus. Disciple means "learner." As long as we are on earth, we are going to be "learners or disciples." The more I read my Bible over and over, I realize I will never come to a full understanding of it. I will never get tired of reading it! I will always find new truths as God reveals Himself to me personally through His Word each day!
Every believer on this earth has someone in their life who is willing to listen. We each have circles of influence which God has given us to make a difference. Many Christians I know claim they do not know enough about the Word of God and they use this as an excuse to disqualify themselves from fulfilling The Great Commission. When Jesus said this, He was not making a suggestion! He was commanding us! I know I do not feel fulfilled when I do not have outlets to testify and teach about Jesus. When God gives us a command, He is doing it for our own benefit! We were born to worship and praise God!
So on this special morning when things looked rushed and hectic, the Lord stopped me in my tracks by sending His glory into my kitchen. My grandson was following my example and sharing what he knows about God's Word with his little brother. What a joy! Although my eight-year-old grandson might not be aware of The Great Commission, he was fulfilling it in my kitchen! This is discipleship--pure and simple! It was a beautiful sight in my eyes and I know it blessed the heart of my Father in Heaven! Just like that, God filled my morning with His glory!
Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Unveiled
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a wedding of some close family friends. It always amazes me to see the beauty of the bride as she walks down the aisle to her waiting groom. It is a special moment when the father gives the bride to the groom and lifts up the veil. All of the love of the bride comes shining through her face!! In this moment she is free to share all of herself with the man of her dreams. Her father has given the groom permission to have and to hold his daughter.
This special time in the wedding reminds me of our Father in heaven's gracious gift of intimacy! In the Old Testament, we see intimate relationships between God and man. In Exodus 33:11, it says; "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." When Moses came back to camp after speaking with God, something peculiar happened. It says in Exodus 34:29; "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." His face was glowing like a bride. This frightened the people so Moses began to wear a veil over his face. But Moses took the veil off when he went to meet with the Lord.
In the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive as man on earth, there was a veil that hung in the Holy Place of the temple. It was a separation between the people and the presence of God. At the moment that Jesus died, the veil ripped from top to bottom. The veil was from ceiling to floor and about 12 inches thick. Only God could have ripped this veil. It is such a beautiful imagery God our Father gave us. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ. So when Jesus died, the Father removed the veil so that all believers, who are the bride, could enter into an intimate relationship with His son, the Groom.
God has given us this gift through Jesus to enter into His presence each day and to talk to Him as a friend. In the process of spending time with God, His glory is revealed in our lives. And unlike Moses, we are to walk around without a veil. And as we do, our faces will be shining with the radiance of having God with us! And through this miracle, people will be faced with the reality of the glory of God.
I love meeting with my Lord in the morning. He always greets me with the anticipation of a groom waiting for His bride. He reminds me how loved I am! He shares his thoughts and plans with me. He helps me understand how valuable I am to Him and those He has placed in my life. He fills my cup to overflowing. And then I can go to face the day with His glory all over me and around me. As I walk through the day, I can share His wisdom and great wonders with all I meet. Just like He waits for me, He is waiting for you! Go to Jesus! You are His bride and He is your groom!
2 Corinthians 3:18- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
This special time in the wedding reminds me of our Father in heaven's gracious gift of intimacy! In the Old Testament, we see intimate relationships between God and man. In Exodus 33:11, it says; "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." When Moses came back to camp after speaking with God, something peculiar happened. It says in Exodus 34:29; "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." His face was glowing like a bride. This frightened the people so Moses began to wear a veil over his face. But Moses took the veil off when he went to meet with the Lord.
In the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive as man on earth, there was a veil that hung in the Holy Place of the temple. It was a separation between the people and the presence of God. At the moment that Jesus died, the veil ripped from top to bottom. The veil was from ceiling to floor and about 12 inches thick. Only God could have ripped this veil. It is such a beautiful imagery God our Father gave us. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ. So when Jesus died, the Father removed the veil so that all believers, who are the bride, could enter into an intimate relationship with His son, the Groom.
God has given us this gift through Jesus to enter into His presence each day and to talk to Him as a friend. In the process of spending time with God, His glory is revealed in our lives. And unlike Moses, we are to walk around without a veil. And as we do, our faces will be shining with the radiance of having God with us! And through this miracle, people will be faced with the reality of the glory of God.
I love meeting with my Lord in the morning. He always greets me with the anticipation of a groom waiting for His bride. He reminds me how loved I am! He shares his thoughts and plans with me. He helps me understand how valuable I am to Him and those He has placed in my life. He fills my cup to overflowing. And then I can go to face the day with His glory all over me and around me. As I walk through the day, I can share His wisdom and great wonders with all I meet. Just like He waits for me, He is waiting for you! Go to Jesus! You are His bride and He is your groom!
2 Corinthians 3:18- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
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