Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It is time for me to remind myself of Truth! You are welcome to read along if you like.
I have the choice to worry or to pray, I can have stress or peace, I can trust myself or God.
The choices seem obvious, so why do I worry? Why the stress? Why not trust God? You may be different, but I often forget obvious Truth, I need to be reminded. This is not a suggestion but a command, Be anxious for Nothing!
So what should I be anxious about right now? Should my list include my finances, my past, my future, my job, my family, my health, my relationships, my schedule? Should my list include all of your problems as well? How about the problems of government, the world, the church, the future of the planet? You would think with a list that long I must be God, herein lies the problem, I have forgotten I am not God! Obvious Truth!
Just for the next few moments I am going to move these things on my list over to His and I will leave NOTHING on my list! I trust my list of problems isn't too big for God to handle, I'll leave them all to Him. I challenge you to add to His list today.
Thank you Father God for Peace!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
What do you want to ask God?
If you could ask God any question and you knew He would answer, what would you ask?
As I ask people what they would ask God, the questions for God are really amazing, they often don't seem to have an answer.
The nice thing about asking the question is, I don't have to have the answers, I am not God. I just know there is a God.( For some of you the question may be how do I know there is a God?)
Through the process, I have discovered most of the answers can be found as we consider the attributes of God spelled out in the Word. As we consider that God is infinite, good, just, merciful, gracious, holy, perfect to name a few of His attributes, we discover the answers to many of our questions.
What is your question for God? I challenge you to open the Bible, find what the Word reveals about God and most likely you will have your answer. If not, let me know, I love the process of getting to know God through the questions we have about Him.
As I ask people what they would ask God, the questions for God are really amazing, they often don't seem to have an answer.
The nice thing about asking the question is, I don't have to have the answers, I am not God. I just know there is a God.( For some of you the question may be how do I know there is a God?)
Through the process, I have discovered most of the answers can be found as we consider the attributes of God spelled out in the Word. As we consider that God is infinite, good, just, merciful, gracious, holy, perfect to name a few of His attributes, we discover the answers to many of our questions.
What is your question for God? I challenge you to open the Bible, find what the Word reveals about God and most likely you will have your answer. If not, let me know, I love the process of getting to know God through the questions we have about Him.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Lord is Great
As I consider God, I mean the one true God of the universe, the Creator of this whole thing, the One who keeps the whole thing together, the One with the ultimate plan...yeah, that GOD. I often find myself trying to bring Him down to my level, trying to shape a god the way I think he should look, do the things I think he should do...make the story come out the way I think it should go.
We are pretty good at trying to shape a god for ourselves, of course we'll add some of His attributes, we'll take the love and the grace, but we'd often like to get rid of the justice, the holiness, the perfection and make Him more like us. Apart from Him we have none of His attributes, we think we know how things should unfold and when they don't, we are rocked.
When you stop and ponder the attributes of the God in charge, the One with the plan, when you stop and consider Him for a moment, you will praise God that neither you or I are running the universe.
God is in completely in charge, His ways are higher than our ways, He is above us in every-way and yet he stoops so we can get a glimpse of Him.
Psalm 135:5-6 For I know that the Lord is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
Stop for a moment today and consider Him, high and lifted up, in His glory, you may never be the same.
We are pretty good at trying to shape a god for ourselves, of course we'll add some of His attributes, we'll take the love and the grace, but we'd often like to get rid of the justice, the holiness, the perfection and make Him more like us. Apart from Him we have none of His attributes, we think we know how things should unfold and when they don't, we are rocked.
When you stop and ponder the attributes of the God in charge, the One with the plan, when you stop and consider Him for a moment, you will praise God that neither you or I are running the universe.
God is in completely in charge, His ways are higher than our ways, He is above us in every-way and yet he stoops so we can get a glimpse of Him.
Psalm 135:5-6 For I know that the Lord is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
Stop for a moment today and consider Him, high and lifted up, in His glory, you may never be the same.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Surrender
We are taught by our world to never surrender, never give up, never quit! We learn these lessons well, we fight on in most areas of life, we don't want to surrender a tennis match or the remote control for the TV, much less surrender our precious time, our precious money, our precious reputations. We are trained to always be in control, to have a back-up plan, be prepared for anything, to hold tightly to everything.
Then comes the Christian life, this life is all about surrender, we are to surrender everything to God. We overlook the fact that it is His time, His money, His reputation, He lives in us. We are not asked to surrender to some wicked king, to someone who wishes to destroy us, but to the God of the universe. The one who loves us and surrendered His Son to the cross to pay the price for our sin. He knows the price He paid, we can never understand.. we are asked to surrender the stuff we are clinging to so He can give us what really blesses us. Only He knows what is truly best, trust Him.
How about just for a few hours today, try surrendering your time, your stuff, your plans to the King. You never know what He will do.
Then comes the Christian life, this life is all about surrender, we are to surrender everything to God. We overlook the fact that it is His time, His money, His reputation, He lives in us. We are not asked to surrender to some wicked king, to someone who wishes to destroy us, but to the God of the universe. The one who loves us and surrendered His Son to the cross to pay the price for our sin. He knows the price He paid, we can never understand.. we are asked to surrender the stuff we are clinging to so He can give us what really blesses us. Only He knows what is truly best, trust Him.
How about just for a few hours today, try surrendering your time, your stuff, your plans to the King. You never know what He will do.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Facing Fear
It seems when God leads us in a direction the first emotion we often face is fear.
Even as I consider writing in a blog, there is a battle with fear. There is a fear of writing something stupid,
there is a fear of embarrassment for myself, my family, my friends, our church. There is fear that I have nothing worthwhile to share, that nobody cares what I think or write, why waste the time? There is a fear of criticism, especially criticism that will be deserved. With all these fears in mind, I decided to write,
1 John 4:18-19 "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not experienced His perfect love. We love each other because He loved us first."
There is nothing to fear because I am in Christ, Loved by God! Punishment looks back, but as I look back, I am reminded that Jesus Christ took the punishment on the cross for ALL my sins....
So I write, for His Glory, I have nothing really to fear because He first loved. As God leads you to take a step for His Glory today, Just DO IT, when faced with fear, DO IT anyway...You are Loved!
Even as I consider writing in a blog, there is a battle with fear. There is a fear of writing something stupid,
there is a fear of embarrassment for myself, my family, my friends, our church. There is fear that I have nothing worthwhile to share, that nobody cares what I think or write, why waste the time? There is a fear of criticism, especially criticism that will be deserved. With all these fears in mind, I decided to write,
1 John 4:18-19 "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not experienced His perfect love. We love each other because He loved us first."
There is nothing to fear because I am in Christ, Loved by God! Punishment looks back, but as I look back, I am reminded that Jesus Christ took the punishment on the cross for ALL my sins....
So I write, for His Glory, I have nothing really to fear because He first loved. As God leads you to take a step for His Glory today, Just DO IT, when faced with fear, DO IT anyway...You are Loved!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Giving Up Control
As I begin the day in quiet, I begin one of the most difficult tasks that I face each day...giving up control, stepping off of God's throne, allowing Him to be in charge. It's quite funny to really believe I am in control, it only takes a moment, a sudden turn of events, something unexpected, a situation which I cannot impact and the reality hits home. I am not in control! Why is this obvious fact so difficult for me to grasp?
Thankfully for me and all of you, I am not in charge, instead the Good One, the Perfect One, the Loving One, the God of Grace is working all things together for good.
As I move through life on earth, I begin the days with a simple prayer;
Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I am Your child, liberated and depending on Your power.
Therefore Christ, this is Your day to be lived for Your glory, work through my eyes, my mouth, my thoughts, my actions to carry out Your Victory.
Although I do not know the author of the prayer, the Author of Life, I know! Praise Him!
Thankfully for me and all of you, I am not in charge, instead the Good One, the Perfect One, the Loving One, the God of Grace is working all things together for good.
As I move through life on earth, I begin the days with a simple prayer;
Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. I am Your child, liberated and depending on Your power.
Therefore Christ, this is Your day to be lived for Your glory, work through my eyes, my mouth, my thoughts, my actions to carry out Your Victory.
Although I do not know the author of the prayer, the Author of Life, I know! Praise Him!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
How God Speaks
God speaks to us in many different ways, He speaks through His Word, through His people, through circumstances, through His creation, the list goes on...He Speaks to each of us individually. When the Word of God is preached, His Word accomplishes what He desires.
"How to have the perfect marriage" was the title of the sermon from Matthew 22, some were struck by our marriage as the bride of Christ, for others it was about sex, for others it was about Alzheimer's disease, for others it was about God's love in our marriages, for some the greatness of God, the great I AM was the key, and for others the message was about heaven. For some the message really did not mean anything to them at this time in their lives.
The significant impact on our lives comes when God speaks to us individually. It is all about God and what He through His Spirit speaks to His children...Thank You Father for your Word, Speak Lord, your servants are listening.
How to have the Perfect Marriage
"How to have the perfect marriage" was the title of the sermon from Matthew 22, some were struck by our marriage as the bride of Christ, for others it was about sex, for others it was about Alzheimer's disease, for others it was about God's love in our marriages, for some the greatness of God, the great I AM was the key, and for others the message was about heaven. For some the message really did not mean anything to them at this time in their lives.
The significant impact on our lives comes when God speaks to us individually. It is all about God and what He through His Spirit speaks to His children...Thank You Father for your Word, Speak Lord, your servants are listening.
How to have the Perfect Marriage
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