this is all thoughts.. no scripture attached because i think the scripture each of us would attach would be different...
we all have something that throughout our lives God has been trying to work on us in... change to a degree... I believe whatever it is.. it is also usually a gift.. so that if used properly.. it will bring glory to God.. and if used improperly.. it will either bring glory to self or bring downfall.. depending on how God decides to use it...
when I was in the first grade I wrote big.. and the teacher punished me until I wrote very teeny tiny small.. surely not her intention.. she just wanted me to write smaller and I.. true to form... took it to the extreme... my outspoken mind has been the thing that God has really been trying to change.. but is it really the mouth... or is the true root of it the rebelliousness... because.. just like the teeny tiny writing... I tend to say everything or nothing... and really God wants me to bring this into submission to Him... and stop being rebellious with it... there is a scripture in samuel that says that rebelliousness is like witchcraft... I have never really understood how it is like witchcraft.. but I know that God absolutely hates rebelliousness... this was His greatest issue with the Israelites.. they would come to Him and submit and then go right back to their own ways... I have this same issue apparently...
I cannot pretend I have the answers.. I am just realizing what the trouble is...
I find that God teaches us much of the same lessons over and over just in more depth... like with this thing about my mouth and speaking only what is necessary or positive or encouraging.. I was fasting one day a week from the mouth over a year ago.. and I realized just how much unnecessary comments we really make... yet here I am again.. being reminded from God that I say alot of things that don't need said and sometimes things that do need said I stay silent about...
I remember as far back as my childhood I was being taught about speaking unnecessary things... yet here I am.. all these years later.. hearing it again... much of the dissention in my life has been caused by things I should not have said...
will I ever get it right?? idk.. but thankfully God has the patience enough to continue teaching me and changing me... by the time He is done I will surely wonder who I really am...
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Exodus 16: 9-20
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Announce this to the entire community of Israel: ‘Present yourselves before the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud.
present yourself before the Lord.. I am thinking we should do this daily.. I am thinking that instead.. many days we feel that we have too much dirt on us so we don't want to be in His presence.. almost like we have to 'prepare' ourself to go before the Lord.. I am thinking something is wrong in that... we should all be desiring to be in the place where we can see the glory of the Lord.. either in our eyes or in our spirit...
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
"then you will know I am the Lord your God" if you read the old testament.. that is much of the reasoning behind what God did... why is it that we don't KNOW He is the Lord our God??
13 That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. 14 When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. 15 The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was.And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. 16 These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.”17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.
God gives us just what we need... we keep thinking we need more than enough.. God gives just enough so we are still dependent on Him...
19 Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 20 But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.
some of them didn't listen.. LOL!! hard heads just like us.. .
present yourself before the Lord.. I am thinking we should do this daily.. I am thinking that instead.. many days we feel that we have too much dirt on us so we don't want to be in His presence.. almost like we have to 'prepare' ourself to go before the Lord.. I am thinking something is wrong in that... we should all be desiring to be in the place where we can see the glory of the Lord.. either in our eyes or in our spirit...
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
"then you will know I am the Lord your God" if you read the old testament.. that is much of the reasoning behind what God did... why is it that we don't KNOW He is the Lord our God??
13 That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. 14 When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. 15 The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was.And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. 16 These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.”17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.
God gives us just what we need... we keep thinking we need more than enough.. God gives just enough so we are still dependent on Him...
19 Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 20 But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.
some of them didn't listen.. LOL!! hard heads just like us.. .
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
James 4: 1-11
1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
imagine that the reason we don't have what we really want is because we don't ask God for it.. or.. if we do.. our motives are wrong.. we only want what will give us pleasure.. instead of seeking the will of God we seek the will of self...
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us jealously longs for us to be faithful. 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
we have a choice.. to be of this world or of God.. yet don't we really desire to be a little bit of both? yet that makes us an enemy of God... does it really? that is pretty harsh... the Spirit God has placed within us longs for us to be faithful... what is is that we desire more than the Spirit... and wouldn't that make God feel uncomfortable to be within us....
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
humble ourselves before the Lord.. I think sometimes I daily humble myself.. yet somehow.. as the day goes on.. if I am not very careful.. it somehow becomes about me again...
11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
I am realizing that it is very difficult to never speak evil about anyone at all.. I mean just random comments.. like someone gives me the willies... what is the purpose of that comment? it does no earthly good and surely no heavenly good... why is it that we cannot make everything we say to be encouraging and uplifting... why is it such a struggle to be a positive force all the time... surely it shouldn't be...
Father continue to change me.. re-create me.. make me more like you.. in Jesus name I ask.. amen.amen.amen.
imagine that the reason we don't have what we really want is because we don't ask God for it.. or.. if we do.. our motives are wrong.. we only want what will give us pleasure.. instead of seeking the will of God we seek the will of self...
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us jealously longs for us to be faithful. 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
we have a choice.. to be of this world or of God.. yet don't we really desire to be a little bit of both? yet that makes us an enemy of God... does it really? that is pretty harsh... the Spirit God has placed within us longs for us to be faithful... what is is that we desire more than the Spirit... and wouldn't that make God feel uncomfortable to be within us....
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
humble ourselves before the Lord.. I think sometimes I daily humble myself.. yet somehow.. as the day goes on.. if I am not very careful.. it somehow becomes about me again...
11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
I am realizing that it is very difficult to never speak evil about anyone at all.. I mean just random comments.. like someone gives me the willies... what is the purpose of that comment? it does no earthly good and surely no heavenly good... why is it that we cannot make everything we say to be encouraging and uplifting... why is it such a struggle to be a positive force all the time... surely it shouldn't be...
Father continue to change me.. re-create me.. make me more like you.. in Jesus name I ask.. amen.amen.amen.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Ecc 7: 1-4, 8
1 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
the day you die is better than the day you were born... what do you think about that?
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.
better to spend your time at funerals than at parties because everyone dies and we need to take this to heart...
I find it amazing that most people spend their life trying to stay young.. look young.. live forever... (myself included.. in the look young part...) but what is that really about? isn't that really vanity? why are we not instead grateful to be given another year... more wisdom.. even the gray hair and the wrinkles that show we have lived our lives and come through it... we have survived everything that was thrown our way....
would you really want to go back to being young and have to re-do it all again?? I am sure I would not... I have learned too many of my lessons in the school of hard knocks.... and while we can look at a young woman or man and say how attractive they are.. how desireable.. what real value does that have? other than instant gratification... can you have a real conversation with them? do they know anything? or are they making all the same stupid mistakes you and I made?...
being young has it's value... that is how the world continues... yet I would be such a better mother now than I was when I had my kids... maybe that is the value of family... so that the ones who know more are able to balance out what we don't know as parents while young.. LOL!
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.
how many times would we say sorrow is better than laughter?? even though I agree that sadness influences us.. changes us... apparently.. refines us...
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
a wise person thinks alot about death... I would say these 4 verses really surprised me... truly they were not my intention but they caught my eye... I felt as though I never read them before.. never thought like this before... I think we need to be aware that we could be taken at any time so be ready for death.. but should we really be thinking about death alot??
8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.
this was the scripture I really had intended to be looking at... again it is about an end being better than a beginning... and I am SURE that patience is better than pride... anything is better than pride... LOL!! I know because I fight that one all the time! Why would an end be better than a beginning....
the day you die is better than the day you were born... what do you think about that?
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.
better to spend your time at funerals than at parties because everyone dies and we need to take this to heart...
I find it amazing that most people spend their life trying to stay young.. look young.. live forever... (myself included.. in the look young part...) but what is that really about? isn't that really vanity? why are we not instead grateful to be given another year... more wisdom.. even the gray hair and the wrinkles that show we have lived our lives and come through it... we have survived everything that was thrown our way....
would you really want to go back to being young and have to re-do it all again?? I am sure I would not... I have learned too many of my lessons in the school of hard knocks.... and while we can look at a young woman or man and say how attractive they are.. how desireable.. what real value does that have? other than instant gratification... can you have a real conversation with them? do they know anything? or are they making all the same stupid mistakes you and I made?...
being young has it's value... that is how the world continues... yet I would be such a better mother now than I was when I had my kids... maybe that is the value of family... so that the ones who know more are able to balance out what we don't know as parents while young.. LOL!
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.
how many times would we say sorrow is better than laughter?? even though I agree that sadness influences us.. changes us... apparently.. refines us...
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
a wise person thinks alot about death... I would say these 4 verses really surprised me... truly they were not my intention but they caught my eye... I felt as though I never read them before.. never thought like this before... I think we need to be aware that we could be taken at any time so be ready for death.. but should we really be thinking about death alot??
8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.
this was the scripture I really had intended to be looking at... again it is about an end being better than a beginning... and I am SURE that patience is better than pride... anything is better than pride... LOL!! I know because I fight that one all the time! Why would an end be better than a beginning....
Thursday, October 13, 2011
unbelief or doubt?
Henry Drummond... a 19th-century Scottish evangelist says, "Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is can't believe; unbelief is won't believe. Doubt is honesty; unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is being content with darkness."
this really shed some light for me... whew.. so even though I sometimes get doubtful and can't see the way.. God can understand that... but that is different from unbelief... which just refuses to believe what God said...
there is a scripture where Jesus asks a man does he believe? the man says I believe! help my unbelief!!
I think he was really asking Jesus... give me the supernatural power to tenaciously believe whatever You say to me!!.. I am asking Jesus that same thing.. .even on my days of confusion or wondering how in the world will God do this??? let there always be a tenacious side of my Spirit that is led by God alone that won't let me let go... won't let me give up... won't let me walk away... let me always believe with a supernatural belief!
I love you Lord! continue to change me and make me more like you....
this really shed some light for me... whew.. so even though I sometimes get doubtful and can't see the way.. God can understand that... but that is different from unbelief... which just refuses to believe what God said...
there is a scripture where Jesus asks a man does he believe? the man says I believe! help my unbelief!!
I think he was really asking Jesus... give me the supernatural power to tenaciously believe whatever You say to me!!.. I am asking Jesus that same thing.. .even on my days of confusion or wondering how in the world will God do this??? let there always be a tenacious side of my Spirit that is led by God alone that won't let me let go... won't let me give up... won't let me walk away... let me always believe with a supernatural belief!
I love you Lord! continue to change me and make me more like you....
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
faith vs fear
1 Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” 2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. (Genesis 15)
I read in a devotional that Abram had a major character flaw.. it was fear... I have to admit.. I am guilty of this same flaw... so I sorta felt good to know that Abram had it too...
think about the things he did out of fear or doubt...
he repeatedly lied and said that Sarah was his sister because he feared someone would kill him because of her...
he laid with Hagar and conceived Ishmael when he was supposed to be waiting on a child with Sarah...
amazingly.. God fixed all the things he messed up... like with the saying Sarah was his sister.. none of the other men who took her slept with her so she would not be defiled for the promised child... (wonder why the Hagar thing didn't mean he was defiled?? but obviously it didn't...) Ishmael.. which you would think could cancel out the promised child... didn't.. God allowed him to have Isaac despite the things he had done that were surely not God's perfect plan... apparently they were God's permissive plan.. and surely for other use later on.. as God doesn't waste anything...
and yet.. as doubtful and fearful as he was.. the bible said Abram believed the Lord... he didn't always look like he believed.. yet he apparently did... and God counted him righteous because of his faith...
I find myself fearful or doubtful sometimes.. yet no matter what... I always come back to believing what God said... what else is there?? I would rather live believing a sovereign and mighty God.. than to live believing in nothing.... I pray God will see me as righteous and faithful too...
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. (Genesis 15)
I read in a devotional that Abram had a major character flaw.. it was fear... I have to admit.. I am guilty of this same flaw... so I sorta felt good to know that Abram had it too...
think about the things he did out of fear or doubt...
he repeatedly lied and said that Sarah was his sister because he feared someone would kill him because of her...
he laid with Hagar and conceived Ishmael when he was supposed to be waiting on a child with Sarah...
amazingly.. God fixed all the things he messed up... like with the saying Sarah was his sister.. none of the other men who took her slept with her so she would not be defiled for the promised child... (wonder why the Hagar thing didn't mean he was defiled?? but obviously it didn't...) Ishmael.. which you would think could cancel out the promised child... didn't.. God allowed him to have Isaac despite the things he had done that were surely not God's perfect plan... apparently they were God's permissive plan.. and surely for other use later on.. as God doesn't waste anything...
and yet.. as doubtful and fearful as he was.. the bible said Abram believed the Lord... he didn't always look like he believed.. yet he apparently did... and God counted him righteous because of his faith...
I find myself fearful or doubtful sometimes.. yet no matter what... I always come back to believing what God said... what else is there?? I would rather live believing a sovereign and mighty God.. than to live believing in nothing.... I pray God will see me as righteous and faithful too...
Saturday, October 8, 2011
John 13: 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
the same way God loves us is the way we are to love others... sheesh...
I remember a song from when I was a kid that said.. and they'll know we are christians by our love... at the time.. I surely had no realization of what christian love really is supposed to be.. but now.. as I see how deep the love is that God is calling us to.. I get it.. I still think it is asking way too much.. I want to give the excuse that so many people use.. saying I am only human.. I am screwed up too...
I don't think God expects us to get it right all the time.. but I think He expects us to get it closer to right each time...
Lord.. you will have to help me to love as you love.. because this job is way too big for me...
the same way God loves us is the way we are to love others... sheesh...
I remember a song from when I was a kid that said.. and they'll know we are christians by our love... at the time.. I surely had no realization of what christian love really is supposed to be.. but now.. as I see how deep the love is that God is calling us to.. I get it.. I still think it is asking way too much.. I want to give the excuse that so many people use.. saying I am only human.. I am screwed up too...
I don't think God expects us to get it right all the time.. but I think He expects us to get it closer to right each time...
Lord.. you will have to help me to love as you love.. because this job is way too big for me...
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
exodus 3: 1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,t the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai,t the mountain of God.2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 5 “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your fathert—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
first.. God shows Himself to someone... isn't that just what happens with each of us... we are in a bad place.. we don't know what to do.. who to trust.. who to turn to.. and God shows up and shows us that He alone is God and He is the only one who can rescue us from our situation...
7 Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
and we don't want to do it... just like moses had every excuse in the book.. how many excuses have you given God about what He is asking you to do... how long will we protest.. how long will we run from it... run from Him...
11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” 13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.t Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh,t the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.16 “Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you. 17 I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’
I believe each of us has a purpose to rescue someone.. whether it be one person or thousands of people... we all have the purpose of being the tool God uses to change a life or a nation... God has good plans for those who follow Him.. but those who don't know any better.. can't do any better... so we are used.. to be a likeness of God to a dying world.. a dying person... not necessarily a physical death.. but a spiritual death... and it is our duty to show who the only Living God really is.. and that He not only saves our souls.. but saves us from a situation.. He saves our minds... saves our bodies...
how long does God have to talk us into walking out our purpose?
first.. God shows Himself to someone... isn't that just what happens with each of us... we are in a bad place.. we don't know what to do.. who to trust.. who to turn to.. and God shows up and shows us that He alone is God and He is the only one who can rescue us from our situation...
7 Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
and we don't want to do it... just like moses had every excuse in the book.. how many excuses have you given God about what He is asking you to do... how long will we protest.. how long will we run from it... run from Him...
11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” 13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.t Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh,t the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.16 “Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you. 17 I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’
I believe each of us has a purpose to rescue someone.. whether it be one person or thousands of people... we all have the purpose of being the tool God uses to change a life or a nation... God has good plans for those who follow Him.. but those who don't know any better.. can't do any better... so we are used.. to be a likeness of God to a dying world.. a dying person... not necessarily a physical death.. but a spiritual death... and it is our duty to show who the only Living God really is.. and that He not only saves our souls.. but saves us from a situation.. He saves our minds... saves our bodies...
how long does God have to talk us into walking out our purpose?
Monday, October 3, 2011
what is the cost?
Luke 14: 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
I have read verses 25-27 for years and not really understood it... today I have a little bit of clarity...
as He said "you must hate your father and mother and family" what He's really saying is that He has to have the #1 seat...
God has really been dealing with me to keep Him as #1 in my life.. and I think... what am I putting before Him? I have seriously told Him that anything that is my will and not His.. I hand it to Him... really, my own will would be so much easier than God's will... my own will doesn't cost me anything... but God's will costs me even myself... I guess that is His point... LOL! I think we put other people and other things before God without even realizing we have done it... and I think the more we mature spiritually.. the more He is telling us that He is first and He will not compete with anything at all... I am glad things don't go smoothly every day.. if they did.. I would be thinking I am the center of the universe again... when there are troubles and I have to cry out to God, then I know that I need Him more than anyone or anything else.. I can do NOTHING without Him...
He also warns us to count the cost... I remember when God gave me this vision and this purpose and He says to me... do you accept this call? and I say yes... then He says... be sure about it... before you answer.. you don't realize the cost... that sorta scared me... I remember when I had to have my kids' dad and God told me that he was not for me.. and I said I want him anyways.. and God tells me that I will have him, but it will come at a much higher cost than I realize... and He was SO RIGHT... so when I finally got away from that.. I tell God never again will I choose a man... never... of course I did choose a few short term men but ran at the slightest sight of commitment because I meant that "never again"... everything we do in life comes at a cost.. whether it be for self or for God... I guess I am realizing that if I have to pay for it either way.. I would rather pay for God's will than my own because I know that God's plan for me are for the good (Jer 29:11)... and my own may not work out that way... well.. really will NOT work out that way!
28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
I have read verses 25-27 for years and not really understood it... today I have a little bit of clarity...
as He said "you must hate your father and mother and family" what He's really saying is that He has to have the #1 seat...
God has really been dealing with me to keep Him as #1 in my life.. and I think... what am I putting before Him? I have seriously told Him that anything that is my will and not His.. I hand it to Him... really, my own will would be so much easier than God's will... my own will doesn't cost me anything... but God's will costs me even myself... I guess that is His point... LOL! I think we put other people and other things before God without even realizing we have done it... and I think the more we mature spiritually.. the more He is telling us that He is first and He will not compete with anything at all... I am glad things don't go smoothly every day.. if they did.. I would be thinking I am the center of the universe again... when there are troubles and I have to cry out to God, then I know that I need Him more than anyone or anything else.. I can do NOTHING without Him...
He also warns us to count the cost... I remember when God gave me this vision and this purpose and He says to me... do you accept this call? and I say yes... then He says... be sure about it... before you answer.. you don't realize the cost... that sorta scared me... I remember when I had to have my kids' dad and God told me that he was not for me.. and I said I want him anyways.. and God tells me that I will have him, but it will come at a much higher cost than I realize... and He was SO RIGHT... so when I finally got away from that.. I tell God never again will I choose a man... never... of course I did choose a few short term men but ran at the slightest sight of commitment because I meant that "never again"... everything we do in life comes at a cost.. whether it be for self or for God... I guess I am realizing that if I have to pay for it either way.. I would rather pay for God's will than my own because I know that God's plan for me are for the good (Jer 29:11)... and my own may not work out that way... well.. really will NOT work out that way!
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