Just Thinking. . .

I love when sermons, ideas, lessons, books, people make me think deeper about God! Even if I'm not sure what has been said is true, it makes me think more, dig more, become more curious. I'm currently reading a Christian historical fiction book. Now, it's fiction for a reason, so I'm not claiming that everything in the book is the truth to stand on. However, it has a little paragraph in it that I LOVE and thought was so true, even for today. This passage is from a book by Bodie and Brock Thoene, "Fourth Dawn", pg. 49. The book talks a lot about Jewish names for planets, star constellations, etc. in Jesus time. Now, I am no expert in that area and so I haven't verified the information. But again, it's the idea that made me think, and I hope it does the same for you! This passage is based on what the "watchers of the stars" noticed as the conception of Christ drew nearer.

"On clear nights Zachariah climbed onto the roof and gazed into the heavens and saw the certain sign of Messiah as Mars, the star called "The Adam" in Hebrew, moved nearer and nearer to the constellation of The Virgin (Virgo). The branch lifted high in her right hand, the shock of wheat in the other, the constellation of The Virgin told a story to anyone with eyes to see and a mind to ask the questions." (HERE is the part I love) "As the eternal plan quietly unfolded on earth, the heavens proclaimed the glory of God! Great wonders were transpiring above the nations. Yet except for a handful of men, no one on earth took note of the signs of the times."

Does that sound like today? Signs all around, but no one cares to notice. I do believe that God put ALL things around us to point to him. Not to be worshipped (as I think evolution has encouraged us to do with the creation), but to point us to the Creator! I just wish I knew how to study it! This book has made me want to know more about Hebrew and my Jewish heritage. It just seems so difficult to get started. Maybe you can help me. . .

Wouldn't it be great for the world to see what occurred in the heavenlies on the night of Jesus birth? His conception? It was no little event in the history of God's plan. The universe had to be proclaiming His name!

I hope you're thinking! I can't seem to stop wondering!

Devotion Day: Powerful

Feel powerless. . .

Your child falls and breaks their arm, and you can't take away the pain

Your country is attacked and thousands of innocent people lose their lives, and you can't fight back

Your best friends divorce, and you can't bring them back together

Your family chooses a different faith, a different path, and you can't make them believe in Truth

A child is molested-you know it-the system fails him/her, and you can't protect them

A tornado sweeps through and destroys all you have, and you can't turn back time & bring it back

But there is one who holds power. . .His name is the Christ, Jesus, Yeshua, fully God, fully man

Mark 5:25-34 NASB

"A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse-- after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, "If I just touch His garments, I will get well." Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?" And His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

We have access to this power. . .it's called prayer. No, God is not a genie in a bottle, but He has given us the Holy Spirit. . .do we access it like we could? Do we "feel" the power that He gives? When we experience situations like listed above, we often grieve, agonize, worry. . .Why?
Because we can't fix them. Often, we have to live with it. But how do we live with it? By laying them down at the foot of the cross. By constantly lifting the people and the situation to our Lord. No, we don't have the power to change. . .but I serve a God who raises people from the dead, heals the sick, and even more amazing, can take away the sins of the earth. Everything else seems like child's play compared to the removal of sin.

Tap into the power. His power can forgive your sins. His power can move mountains. I just have to let Him work through me OR get out of His way!

Mercy for Monday

So, this bit of mercy was delivered to me through a testimony of a dear friend. . .a woman who was my worship mentor at camp. I was blessed to see her a few weeks ago, and my heart needed that! She has been battling cancer for years. I hadn't seen her without her hair (when I was with her at camp in the past, she hadn't cut her hair. It was long and gorgeous), and she was radiant! Still smiling, still the same God-centered woman! I asked her how she was feeling, and she says (the way only she could). . .paraphrased, "I don't ask myself that. I can't. The Word says that in Him we live and move and have our being. So how I am is not the concern, I am in Him and I live and move in Him." Praise God! What a teacher in her actions! Love that woman! So, for this week, I hope that you will meditate on the following scripture and be reminded that it is in Him that you live and move and have your being!
"For in him we live, and move, and have our being. . ."

Acts 17:28 (KJV)

Getting back into the Swing of Things!

So school has started, and I need to use my quiet mornings to get my blog going again! It has not started so smoothly. So, I decided to ease back into it although this is not my normal day to write.
I hope this is an encouraging moment of truth for you. His Word for our soul.
Isaiah 53:10-11
First of all, GREAT chapter! Plan of salvation. . .from the Old Testament. It just proves that you can't understand the New Testament without the old!!
"But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities."

Jesus Christ, Yeshua, the Exalted One, the Messiah foretold in Isaiah. That alone is amazing, but as I was being taught from this scripture, I loved the words, "pleased" and "satisfied". Because it reminded me that Jesus "gave up" His life for me, and Isaiah says that His soul was anguished but that it satisfied Him. It pleased the LORD.

That is almost too much for me to handle. It's a verse I've known for a long time but lately it's really stuck with me. . .the Creator of the Universe was, essentially, glad to do what He did. It satisfied Him to die in my place.

And, while it seems too difficult to handle, I imagine that if my child was dying, and I was offered the opportunity to die in their place that I would probably be pleased to do so. And, I'm nothing but a sinful woman at heart. He's so much more! Thank you LORD for giving us life that speaks of You! You have put us in these relationships so that we can understand just a glimmer of Who You are! Everything around us has meaning. Everything whispers Your Name!

Devotion Day: All of Creation Sings

I love music! One thing I love most about it is that it is something that I can take from this world. Music will still abound when I meet my Creator. So awesome to think about! The following scriptures were part of a lesson from the Stepping Up study I just finished through Beth Moore. I had read the scriptures before, but now in a new light. . .

Job 38:7: God is talking to Job and asking some (what I would call) "sarcastic" questions, such as Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Then in verse 7 it says that during the creation, "the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy"!! Wow, music was already on it's way during the creation of the earth. The STARS sang! Angels shouted for joy! Can you picture it???

I guess I never thought about it much, but Psalm 150:6 says that all that has breath praise the Lord. So, the next time your dog barks for no reason maybe he's giving a shout out to his Creator. I'm sure living creatures, other than humans, are much more compliant in the praise department. Isaiah 55:12 says that the mountains and the hills will break forth with shouts of joy. Revelation 5:13 also adds that all created things (in, on, under heaven and in the sea) "speak" honor and glory to the Most High! Now that should be interesting to be a part of!

But what is even more awesome is that our God sings. Zephaniah 3:17 states that God rejoices over US with singing, in Matthew 26:30 Jesus sang the Psalms, and in Hebrews 2:10-12 Jesus sings praises to the Father! WOW! Thanks to Beth for bringing all these scriptures together!

In light of this, I wonder what He thinks about our music that is not praiseworthy.

Not judging, just wondering what He thinks about His creation once again twisting what He meant to glorify Him.

The overall Bible study was on the Psalms of Ascent. Psalm 124 says (paraphrased from HCSB), "If the Lord had not been on our side, let Israel say. . .Then the waters would have swept over us. Praise the Lord who has not let us be ripped apart!" What I love is Beth's interpretation, which makes you think. . .(from pg. 53 of her workbook), "If God hasn't been good to you, don't bother. If He's never rescued you, save your breath. But if He has, and you know He has, lift your voices and give Him the praise due His name!"

I'm wondering how much "wasted" breath I've uttered today? Better get busy praising!

Don't want the rocks to cry out!

"I tell you if these (His followers) become silent, the stones will cry out!" (Luke 19:40)

Praise the one, true God today!

Devotion Day: Things You Don't Expect to See

Things that you don't expect to see (not saying you won't. . .it just doesn't seem right)

A uniformed police officer riding in the BACK of a police car.

A cat chasing a dog up a tree.

A vegetarian eating a Big Mac.

An Amish lady with a hot pink designer handbag

A doctor smoking.

A waitress refusing to take an order.

A Hardees working wearing the golden arches.

A hula dancer working in Nebraska.

A teacher who hates books.

Disney World with no mouse.

Texas without cowboy hats.

A hunter sleeping in during hunting season.

Black friday with no sales.

An active marine overweight.

A bakery without doughnuts.

A member of P.E.T.A wearing a fur coat.

Col0ssians 3:12-17 (NASB) - So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

A Christian without compassion. . .A Christian who is unkind. . .A Christian who is proud. . .A Christian who is harsh in word or deed. . .A Christian who can't forgive. . .A Christian who only loves those who love them. . .A Christian without peace in their heart. . .An ungrateful Christian. . . .Christians who don't teach or encourage others. . .A Christian who doesn't worship. . .

Hmm. . .things you don't expect to see? Thanks to a sermon I heard by Bob Coy on Colossians 3 I was really convicted about this. I had to ask myself. . .am I moving towards becoming a Colossians 3 believer OR am I in the paragraph above. . .something you don't expect to see (and not in a good way)! Maybe the world has become so used to seeing Christians behave in an unexpected way that they don't know what to expect from us. No wonder Christianity in America is stagnant and bland and no longer causing change. If we lived with compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness, lovingkindness, gratefulness and teaching others to do the same and showing the peace we have in Christ, our world might really understand who we serve and that God is God Almighty! Someday the world will know but God will have to do it by showing Himself. Then, every knee will bow!

Daily Devotion: Just thinking

So, I've been on a bit of a break! Please accept my apologies. I really had good intentions when I started this blog and plan to try to get back on track. But be forewarned, my summer schedule is NOT very organized, and we are gone a lot!

In my current summer Bible study, we have been encouraged to have "face time" with God daily. Not just praying like normal, but being prostrate before the Lord. Beth Moore's little phrase is "the way up is down". It has been humbling. Recently, after we returned from a weekend wedding, I was spending a little time on my face, and God reminded me that He uses ALL things around me to point to Him. I just don't always recognize it.

I had been thinking how good it felt to lay in my bed following a 3 1/2 hour road trip. That led to thinking how at the beginning of vacation it's always sooooo exciting. Even a road trip! Thinking about where you are going! Getting to eat in various places! Snacks in the van (all the things I won't keep in my house)! Then, you have fun while your there, but at some point you are ready to come home. Then, when you reach home, what joy! All of this entered my head while in face down position, and God said, "See. It's kind of like life. Starting the journey. . .everything on earth is exciting and new. Every little thing is interesting. Then, you journey through life a bit, and you start wishing you were home. And, the way home. . . is less exciting, kind of tiring, and you're just ready to rest. Then, you are home! What joy!!!! That is how it will be with Me once you arrive. What joy!"

I hadn't really thought about life like that but I think it's true! We are to press on in this life, but we should be eagerly awaiting our arrival at home!

Jesus said in John 14:1-3 (NASB)"Do not let your heart be troubled;believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

"How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God." (Psalm 84:1)

How lovely a dwelling place You have created for us here, but my soul longs for Your dwelling place surrounding Your throne where Satan has lost and battles are gone forever!