Become a slave

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6.18

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.
Lev. 26.13

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8.17

yesterday in sunday school our class went thru Romans 5. romans just gets me right there! tho i may have a shallow understanding of the book because of this culture and current traditions, it still remains relevant. if i could choose one main theme which draws me to Christianity, it would be the theme of having to become a slave. slaves don't have rights - or a vote - or say-so in any matters. they are expected to do what they are commanded without pay. they can be abused or honored, depending on their master. they are to be obedient and submissive.

ephesians 6.6, speaking to slaves about their masters, goes on to say, 'Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.' so being a slave of Christ is to draw new joy and strength from the depths of their hearts.... and our hearts, too. we are not excluded from being slaves to Christ. too often serving and submitting does not draw joy and strength from my heart... usually it tends to draw out the heathen in me.

o merciful master,
you've ask of me to give everything i have ever possessed, including my very soul. when my focus is so shallow - when my eyes fall upon how hard i have it, show me that You've already called me into priesthood. tho You've given me the status of kingship, help to remember that You've equipped me to perform the duties of a slave. i want to be obedient to You. i want to submit with a grateful heart. break me when my ego arises. o Lord, it's hard to be humble... in You i am made whole. as i abide in You, i see how surrendering to Your commands is not a burden, but a joy. my heart rejoices that i can abide in You, even when i fall hard.
in Jesus Name ~ Amen

*lexi *juanita *cynthia

Continuously Evoking a Response

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8

sometimes during my personal study times, i grab my dictionary (the big, thick book with all the pronounciations and origins) and search the simple words to find greater meaning. perhaps it's a way of enlarging my vocabulary, but every time i use the dictionary, some deep understanding hits me. tonight is no different.

before i opened my Bible, i asked Jesus to show me what He wanted me to hear. the song, 'draw me close to you' popped into my mind. so i thot, hmm... where's that verse about 'draw near to God and He draw near to you'? james is quite the straight shooter - no beating around the bush with him. so i read the verse a couple times, and thought of some other verses which could relate. like isaiah 33.3 - written the same way - 1st, i have to do something, then Jesus will do something. both have a promise. 1st i need to move, then He will move.

and then i grabbed my hefty dictionary and scrutinized the word, 'draw'. there are about 20 definitions, but 4 of them jumped out at me.
A.) to cause to move after or toward one by applying continuous force; drag
B.) to suck or take in
C.) to evoke to response
D.) to receive at a regular time

...continuous force. what else am i to do continously? PRAY!!! what an amazing connection. draw near to Jesus by praying constantly. and what a great image: to suck in God and He will suck me in. i love that. i desire that. to be sucked in by God.

and the next one i absolute was blown away with. (it's probably my dippiness shining thru, but, hey!) what can i do which will cause Jesus to evoke a response, which in turn will cause Him to evoke a response to me? i've mused that question over and over tonight. and again i'm draw to prayer, but a specific type. (guess i'm dividing prayer into different types!) supplication or intercession. listening is part of prayer, but i don't believe that listening is all that prayer is. sometimes we need to get in the trenches and pray until God is evoked to a response. that is the discipline of prayer... praying continuously when no response is evoked. and i'm confessing that this area of my life has been void lately. i've failed to dig in and get dirty in the trenches. i've backed away - ran AWOL.

Jesus has used a couple people in my life lately to challenge me - to search out my priorities - and to seek what has been lacking. He even used this incredible couple whom i met at a garage sale. this couple reminded me that God doesn't keep secrets, but instead He waits for us to trust in Him to reveal the next move. and sometimes that next move isn't known until we are falling thru the air.

Hey Jesus,
it seems so bold for me to evoke You to a response so that You can respond to me. and honestly, i'm not sure that i could ever evoke You to respond, but You do tell us to ask. and You give us the story about the widow and the judge - and her consistency gained a way to her heart's desire. i don't want to run anymore. i know the difficulty of spending time and energy and effort on my knees. and i'm again at a place where i desires that. i've missed it... honestly i've missed that time with You. so, i humbly ask You to train me how to apply a continuous force which will evoke a response from You. Holy Spirit, have Your way within me. if lacking sleep is what You desire, then i'm ready. if fasting, then let's go! i'm trusting You to reveal what is next. i'm claiming ps. 33:20-22 as my means to stand upon. i wait in hope for You; my heart rejoices, for i trust in Your Holy Name. May Your unfailing love rest upon me, even as i learn to put my trust in You.
in Jesus Name ~ Amen
*Tatia *Valerie *Laura

Distinguishing the Holy from the Common

You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.
Lev. 10.10-11

Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Ezek. 22.26

in reading about the acts of the priests near the beginning of leviticus, i've been reminded of a few things:
~ the priests had a messy job
~ they knew specifically what their tasks were

about the priests having a messy job - one of their tasks was to kill the sacrificial animal and throw its blood against the altar. can you say, "slaughter house"? but thru this sacrifice, people were made right with God. and the priests knew better than anyone how this occured. it amazes me how one Sacrifice, a human being, could make restitution for all of us. Jesus, the perfect One, restored us to God so that our sacrifices are no longer needed. no wonder it was so difficult for the priests and teachers of the law to understand Jesus. He transformed the need for church.

the priests didn't wonder what they were expected to do: it was written out for them. the law taught them everything needed to perform their jobs to the fullest. they knew specifically how to sacrifice different offerings. and then comes along this verse: 'YOU must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and YOU must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.' it had to start with their hearts. they needed to know the law and teach others to obey it.

sara groves has a lyric in the song 'just showed up' that catches my attention often. this is what it says, 'I'm going to live my life inspired, look for the holy in the common place, open the windows and feel all that's honest and real until I'm truly amazed'. i wonder if this is how the priests lived their lives, or if they were de-sensitized to the holy. i wonder where in my life, i've become de-sensitized to the holy. where have i've lost my sense of wonder and inspiration?

my High Priest,
may You help me to live this life inspired. help me to see the holy in the common place. sensitize me to distinguish between the holy and the common. i open the windows on my heart to feel all that's honest and real until You amaze me. show me ways that i can choose to bring the holy into the common place. may You create holy moments during my job, my resting, my playing, my praying, my times of laundry and ironing. let Your holy rain down from on high, filling my heart with wonder. please don't let me loose this sense of awe.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

*Lee Ann Womack *Sara Groves *Kelsey

The hard things in life

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Luke 9.23-26

there are stages in life - phrases thru which we all pass. i go thru stages of reading. there are times when i desire to read absolutely everything in front of me, and then there are times when i dread reading a chapter. currently i'm in the 'read-anything-i-can-get-my-eyes-upon' stage. so next to my bed right now are these books: The Message Bible, Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible, The Sacred Way, The Sacred Romance, Prayers That Avail Much, Revolution in World Missions, 90 Minutes in Heaven, Utmost for His Highest, Simplify Your Life, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Book of Sudoku, The Practice of Godliness, The Power of Prayer and Fasting, Enjoy the Silence, Heaven, my prayer journal, Diary of Daily Prayer, Thunder of Heaven, Love and Respect, Red Moon Rising, Thr3E, SpiritLed Woman magazine, and The Secret of Victorious Living. Those are all the books stacked up next to my bed. (it's pretty pathetic, but i've read parts of each of them within the last 3 weeks.)

so i was reading The Secret of Victorious Living and came across this passage which jumped out at me. this is a fictional statement as to what our forefathers may tell us today. (and keep in mind, this book was written before 1934 (which is the copyright date.):
"...We were not so tempted as you are to forget that the destinies of the race are within the soul. It is easier to build a skyscraper than to build great caracter. It is easier to erect your modern apartment houses than to achieve the peace that passeth all understanding, when you are in them. It is easier to amass physical power than it is to achieve spiritual life which knows how to use it. It is easier to harness the forces of the external universe than to release the inner powers of the divine world by which man lives indeed. And when you do this easier thing and omit the deeper matter, where does it bring you save to catastrophe? Lift up your eyes and see. One civilization after another has fallen, fooled by its illusions. What profit without the soul?"

i love how our forefathers would tell us about character, spiritual life, peace that passeth understanding, and innner powers of the divine world. i long for those things, those things which satisfy the soul. and it is so easy to get lazy and not pursue them. i'm learning that it's very difficult to quiet the soul and listen for what my Savior desires to say to me. it is easier to skip on building character... oh but the profit which will come should one put in the time and energy to raise one. and about this peace that passeth understanding - in this crazy world which forces us to be constantly busy and moving, it is so tough find peace. but Jesus proclaimed that He came to bring peace. and so spending time with Him has to be fulfilling, and it builds character.

Oh Jesus,
thru Your Word i read how my forefathers struggled to pursue You. they stumbled and fell, gained strength and rose again just to stumble more. i see the same pattern or stage in my own life. but thru the trials and errors, the strength to persevere continues to pour into my soul. as i try to hold fast to you, my mind is filled with thoughts of who You are creating me to be. You've changed me - You placed within me desires that this world could never offer. i want to know this peace, and to be able to release the divine powers into a lost and hurting world, and have Your characteristics, and be compelled to live out what my Spiritual life manifests. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
thru Your Name, Jesus, i humbly pray ~ Amen.

*Tricia *GNC Event across the nation *Prom go-ers

His Song

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
psalm 42.8

saturday night i stayed up way too late to finish a book. it was an excellent book - part of a series called the Martyr's Song series which i highly recommend by Ted Dekker. so after finishing the book i laid in bed for a few minutes trying to fall asleep, but plagued by all the action-packed adventures from the book. so, i turned on the light, grabbed my Bible and felt compelled to turn to psalm 42. after reading about the thristy deer, panting souls, downcast souls, and deep calling to deep, i ran across this verse about God directing His love by day and His song being with me at night. i could tell it was one of those verses that would roll around my head for a few days, and then something would tie it to my heart. well, i've found what it is: Invisible Children i've read articles and books about these chidren soldiers. these kids are abducted in the dark of night and forced into becoming soldiers. some kids walk 10+ miles a night and sleep in towns, so they won't be quite as scared to sleep in the bush. i can imagine how they fear the dark of night... and how this verse ties right in - "at night His song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life." can you hear their broken hearts praying to the God of their lives? and to have His song be a comfort in the thick blackness at night. that moves my heart... to tears.

this weekend there are events thru out the nation - rallying people to make a stand for these kids. i realize it's a problem on foreign soil, but our God is there, too. and that transcends my pride as an american. these are people need help - they are oppressed and in slavery. Isaiah, a great prophet, wrote: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?"
Isaiah 58:6

this is a chance to make a difference, even if it means i loose some sleep.

All-Powerful God,
i fall before You; i stumble and fall at Your greatness. You are omnipotent, and that makes You worthy of praise. You use Your power for good. You have the power to break free those bound in slavery. i lift up this event for these invisible kids to You and set it upon Your altar. may it be an offering which pleases You. use this event to move people to see beyond the walls of our nation, and do something good. you know each of the kids and families affected by these wars. make Your presence known among this country of uganda. reign down, Holy Spirit, and let these people soak You up. let their weary souls find rest in You. Jesus, baptize these broken souls with Your blood, the blood that cleanses all sin and shame.
in Jesus's Powerful Name and by His Blood ~ Amen

*GNC *World Vision Uganda *Andy

Oh so many lessons to learn in one parable

Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men; it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
proverbs 25.6-7

"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
luke 14.8-11

i read the proverbs often, and some how these few verses slipped past me. i've heard this parable spoken by Jesus many times, and yet i didn't realize He was expounding on the wise words of solomon. Jesus simply added some 'life application' to the story which solomon spoke nearly 2000 years earlier. i love it when the old and new testaments connect. that fires me up!

there's something amazing in the words which the king and the wedding host say, "come up here," and "friend, move up to a better place." i've been rolling those phrases around my mind for about 2 hours now, since my lunch break. to hear a king say to me, 'come up here'... has to be such a great honor. but before this person hears those words, he needed to take a back seat. he had to decide to be humble - to give up what would would have been a good seat.

a friend and i have a phrase for the seats near the rear of an airplane... we call them 'dumpster' class, as opposed to first class. as someone who worked for an airline, i flew in dumpster class often. but then there were times... oh the good times, when i would be sitting in dumpster, and the flight attendant would come to me and say, 'your seat assignment has changed.' and that is the key to move to first class... to the good seats! oh what joy to sit in first class as opposed to those cramped seats. and the warm towelettes... and the food and drinks for free! it's a real treat!

there's something amazing when someone invites you to come... like when Jesus says, 'come to me, all of you who are struggling right now, and i will give you rest.' (loose translation of matt. 11.28) there's power in an invitation. and there is power in being willing to give up what may be entitled to us - in being humble enough to hold open a door for someone - in giving up our hard earned money for someone in need - in opening our homes to a homeless person - in losing sleep to pray for someone.

King of kings...
it is by Your great invitation to join You on this journey called life. thanks for calling out to me when i needed You most. Your timing is excellent. thanks for giving us this example to be humble and how to give of ourselves. Your life is an example of humility; let me follow hard after You. guide me in ways which i can be willing to give up for Your sake. let Your light shine thru me. be glorified thru my actions and thru times of seeking Your wisdom and truth.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen
*valerie *valerie *Allison

Untamed Animals

"Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance."

So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
1 sam 6.7-12

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' "

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.
mark 21.1-7

so as a reader you probably skipped over the verses. but can i recommend going back and reading them? go back and catch how the two stories resemble each other. see how the ark and Jesus both had a mission which included wild animals. see the animals overcame their natural instincts.

not sure if you've ever experienced the wrath of a bucking bronco or a cow without her calf, but it's pretty intense. my grandfather was trampled once by a cow when she felt threatened for the safety of her calf. and i've been bucked off a horse... (there's a funny story in that somewhere!) but some how God ordained for these animals to behave and do exact what they needed to do. not only did the cows abandon their calves, but they were under control even after being yoked and pulling a cart. critters feel very threatened when something is following them! so it's really not a normal behavior for these cows. and this colt knew how to behave with a rider on it's back. (again, that's not normal!) i've been part of training horses, and it's not easy. horses have a mind of their own.

time after time in the Bible, God uses object lessons to get people's attention. i can only imagine how these philistines marveled at these cows, and how the disciples must have thought Jesus was insane for attempting to sit on a wild colt. but the miracles happened. and they still happen today.

Amazing Father,
You have a way of taming the wild, from jonah's experience in the belly of the fish to calming the raging sea. what in me needs to be tamed? what object lesson do you have for me today? open my eyes so i can see great and marvelous things You create and say. let me hear Your voice, and not miss what it is that You desire for me to understand. (that was the long version, "let me hear what You are saying.") as the trees lift up their arms in praise, let me rejoice even more, for You are good and Your love endures forever.
*Derrick *Landra *Misty

Untamed Animals

"Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance."

So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
1 sam 6.7-12

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' "

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.
mark 21.1-7

so as a reader you probably skipped over the verses. but can i recommend going back and reading them? go back and catch how the two stories resemble each other. see how the ark and Jesus both had a mission when then were on the wild animals. see how both needed the overcame to natural instincts of these two 'beasts'.

not sure if you've ever experience the wrath of a bucking bronco or a cow without her calf, but it's pretty intense. my grandfather was trampled once by a cow when she felt threatened for the safety of her calf. and i've been bucked off a horse... (there's a funny story in that somewhere!) but some how God ordained for these animals to behave and do exact what they needed to do. not only did the cows abandon their calves, but they were under control even after being yoked and pulling a cart. critters feel very threatened when something is following them! so it's really not s not a normal behavior for these cows to behave. and this colt knew how to behave with a rider on it's back. (again, that's not normal!) i've been part of training horses, and it's not easy. horses have a mind of their own.

time after time in the Bible, God uses object lessons to get our attention. i can only imagine how these philistines marveled at these cows, and how the disciples must have thought Jesus was insane for attempting to sit on a wild colt. but the miracles happened. and they still happen today.

Amazing Father,
You have a way of taming the wild, from jonah's experience in the belly of the fish to calming the raging sea. what in me needs to be tamed? what object lesson do you have for me today? open my eyes so i can see great and marvelous things You created and said. let me hear Your voice, and not miss what it is that You desire for me to understand. (that was the long version, "let me hear what You are saying.") as the trees lift up their arms in praise, let me rejoice even more for You are good and Your love endures forever.
*Derrick *Landra *Misty

Sovereignty of God

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
job 1.20-21

No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
isaiah 40.24-25

i've sat here for about 5 minutes staring at my monitor after i posted those verses. and i'm still sitting here - trying to collect my thoughts. there are just not words to describe what is going thru my mind and heart.

apart from my inability to express myself, i find much comfort in the Word and the silence. every person reacts differently to pain and suffering. i find in those times, that i tend to cling more strongly to Jesus. my prayer life is more receptive, instead of being demanding. my heart is more open to hear Truth in different forms.

there's an illustration which i recently heard about persecution, but it seems to apply to hurt and suffering for me. if you think of a stream, it flows at a steady, slow moving pace when the stream is wide. but, when the stream is narrow, when it finds opposition, the stream quickens, even rushes thru the narrow opening. right now i feel like i'm rushing, or pushing to get thru the narrow parts; my strength is high, my faith is strong. and i give the glory of this feeling to the One who hears the prayers of the faithful. surely that great cloud of witnesses is standing in the gap, pulling heaven down to earth. and for those of you who are standing in the gap for me and my friends, we are grateful.

oh sovereign God. tho i don't understand, i believe. and it is You whom i believe, because right now my heart is torn asunder. with all my strength, i cleave to You. tho my head races with thoughts, my heart is quiet - waiting to see how You are repairing the broken walls of these temples. let your praise be heard in the depths of who i am. God, i praise You with everything in me for being our comfort. tho i may joke about the Holy Comforter Church, You've truly raised up a church to be your comforters. thanks for sending us your love thru Jesus Christ.
amen.

Quiet Eye

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
psalm 46:10

so i'm reading this book, The Secret of Victorious Living by Harry Emerson Fosdick. it was copyrighted in 1934, and is a collection of sermons from Harry. so one would think that sermons from nearly 75 years ago would not be relevant, but let me tell you, that could not be farther from the truth. i highly recommend picking up a copy for yourself.

so to continue with this post, and to complete my shoutout to mr. fosdick, here are two quotes.
"We certainly must know people-and it would be strange if they were not often ourselves-whose religion is shallow and cheap, superficial, ineffective, no staying power in it, no depth to it, because the life knows no quietness. It is commonly said that the trouble with such people is that they lack faith, that they do not believe enough, but the chances are all in favor of another diagnosis. There is no great spiritual life without a quiet eye."

"You see, it is true-our lives are like brooks. When they babble they are shallow. When they are deep they are still. That is prayer-to run deep and still."

and so i fall with my knees to the earth and my hands lifted high with my head bowed low... and wait for that still, small voice to be heard in me. and this is what i hear, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

"Speak, for your servant is listening."
*Denise *Shottie *Brandon *Chad

Subjection

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 cor. 9.27

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
rom. 6.18

Oswald Chambers rocks my world. his book, Utmost of His Highest, is truly one of my favorites. today passage is about fixing our eyes on the goal, and not allowing ourself to fall away. here are some lines which have struck me:
*It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal.
*My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life.
those two statement are worthy of putting some thought into.

sometimes being a single 29 year old is really tough. it's easy to begin to think that i'm not 'complete' because i am not married... and i should begin seeking a spouse, (cause those who know me know i don't look for someone 'special'). and then i read some scripture about families and all their troubles. and i look to my family and see all its trouble. and i get scared. "gun shy" is a term that would apply to me. and it's not because i've been hurt by some boyfriend whom i've loved deeply. i have had some great boyfriends - and most of them i'm still good friends with. some are married, one divorced, one still single.

yesterday while at work, i had this crazy idea - this thought which again this morning has re-visited my mind. this is the thought - "in one year you will be married". so with that being said, i'm scared, and at the same time, kinda anxious to see if it will be true.... and if so, how God will place someone in my path. even as i type this, i'm nearly trembling, which is not like me at all. i don't tremble.

Jesus,
as i tremble at the thought of finding a husband, so i bend my knees to You. if this is Your will, let me follow obediently. let my subject all my independence to You and Your Lordship. my desire is to follow You faithfully - for You to be my focus and my goal. Father, let my devotion to You in my private time result in radical worship for You. let all my affections be for You. before You i lay down my fears and hesitations. i've guarded my heart with an iron scepter, and now this one thought is causing me much discord. so i seek You for reassurance and guidance. when i seek You i will find You when i seek You with my whole heart. that's the promise i'm leaning on.
in Jesus Name ~ Amen.
*denise *steven *cheryl

Knee Pains

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
heb 12.7

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
heb 12.10-11

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
heb 12.12

so yesterday my knee started hurting. if i straightened it and placed any pressure on it, it would shoot throbbing pains up my leg. so walking was a real pain. (denise so lovingly continued to call me 'limpy' all night.)gotta love having roommates!

so before i went to bed last night i grabbed my bible. i had been thinking of the verse about Jesus being the author and perfector of our faith all day yesterday, so i opened the old good book to hebrews 12. and lo and behold in chapter 12 it speaks of hardship as discipine from the Lord. how ironic is that...? and then it goes on to say 'strengthen your weak knees'. so it was good reading. good for the soul and the knee.

i have this 'pact' with God when i have pains in my body. instead of praying about my pains, i pray for others who are struggling w/ the same issue. and that tactic often seems to take away my pain, or it brings me some peace at least. so last night i was intensely praying for those who struggle with knee issues.

so back on topic... this discipline from the Lord can come in different ways. suffering and pain - hardship - whatever. the SLR speaker this year focusing on embracing interruptions. and surely God couldn't have 'disciplined' me at a better time, driving home this lesson about embracing interruptions. so i go limping along and praying for others. by the grace of God go i.

amazing Father,
tho no discipine seems pleasant at the time, i'm grateful that You treat me as a child. i'm grateful for this time while You've drawn me closer to You

Mighty Prayers

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
Acts 12.5

Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
Acts 12.8-10

i was challenged by a guy who works with Wycliffe to read thru the book of Acts. and since that was 2 weeks ago, and i'm only on chapter 13...

so this is the challenge to read thru Acts: 1st, see how God moved; 2nd, see how the people were faithful; 3rd, see how the people were unfaithful. and so this challenge adds new light to all that Jesus commanded. it's been really good for me to attend Perspectives.

so this guy peter, a.k.a. the Rock, had some belief changes. God revealed to Him that he should not declare anything unclean which God has made clean. for Peter, this was definitely crisis of beliefs. he had been taught that salvation is predominately for the Jews. not so anymore - the times have changed! Gentiles were to be included in the blessing of salvation.

so Peter is out preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen. and in so, he upset some officials and incidently he was throw in jail. (there's a lesson about suffering for the Name of Christ in there somewhere!) so what do these faithful believers do? they gather together for the sole purpose of calling down heaven for the release of Peter from the chains of imprisonment. an urgent prayer vigil.

so what happened to this kind of prayer? why have we shyed away from getting on our knees and begging God to move? why don't we call up our most dear friends and have a prayer vigil when things are going awry? how can we get back to this? when is our faith in God gonna drive us to believe that He is only one who can transform a terrible situation into one that can transform lives?,

oh, Holy Spirit, may You come in power and might - drawing our hearts to surrender our strength to You, for You are the only One who can transform what was dead to something alive and active! free us to cry out with expectant hearts for Your mercy and grace. We need You more now than ever before. it is by Your grace that we live free from fear and emprisonment. thanks for bestowing this salvation upon me. may i be used for Your kingdoms growth. may You open doors that have been locked for way too long. may You free the prisoners, set the captives free to know You and You crucified and raised. may Your salvation spring up and may the earth open wide to receive it. it is an honor to be called a follower of You. where in my life am i desperate to see You move? open my eyes and heart to beg of You to move on behalf of others.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen
*Lacey *Kyle *Philip

To What Have I Died?

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Rom. 7:4

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:2, 5, 8

oh, the good book of Romans. again i'm reminded how complex this book can be, and yet, how simple it's truth can be discerned. all this talk about the law... learning about what reigns in my body and what shouldn't. i realize that we don't speak much about a specific law very often, but these Romans had to know the law well, in order to discern what Paul was speaking to them about.

ok, so i died to the law so that i could belong to Christ in order to bear fruit to God. but what does it mean that i died to the law? what part of me died, because somedays, those parts feel mighty alive? where in my life am i feeling God 'prune' me? what parts of the law am i still upholding, but should be 'put to death'? what fruit have i been bearing lately? do others know that i am a disciple because of my actions? what does 'fruit' look like? ...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. has my Father's glory increased lately due to my 'fruit'? does increasing my Father's glory honestly matter to me?

my Jesus,
i know that i've died to the law thru Your blood, and i'm clean, and i belong to You. i know all these things are true. but i want to open myself up to You. if there is any place within me where the law still residse, please prune it away. i desire to bear fruit for You. let me be discerning to know when to move. may You create opportunities for all the fruit within me to be evident to those around. let me know when to do good to others, to speak the Truth in love, to humble myself enough to do those deeds which others care not to do. give me a servant's heart; replace arrogance with compassion. Holy Spirit, what in me needs to die? please reveal this to me - i want to be a true disciple. refine me - melt me- mold me - burn out the impurities within that i may be made holy for Your glory. as the hymn goes:
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

In Jesus's Holy and Precious Name ~ Amen
*Leslie *Hamilton *Linda

Seeking Discernment

"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
1 kings 3:7-10

webster defines discernment as the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. also discernment is a power to see what is not evident to the average mind. seems like a similar definintion of faith: now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (hebrews 11:1).

in any case, i've been reading the Word about discernment. the book of proverbs has many insights into how a discerning person reacts to varying situations. and the story listed above about david is a prime example of someone who possesses discernment. david could've asked for anything, but he chose to ask God for a discerning heart to guide him. that's amazing to me. so now i'm on a quest to seek discernment - to find ways to increase in discernment - to cry out to God for this grace to be bestowed upon me.

my Jesus,
as i read about david and how he chose to requests a discerning heart, i'm convince that discernment is something to be sought after. so i come before You and ask for a discerning heart. let this be for Your glory.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen.
*Sarah *Lydia *Denise