Remembering those who serve and served our country
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Revolution
I was watching a Christian television network this afternoon and "Enjoying Your Life" with Joyce Meyer came on. As always, Joyce had some very insightful words to share and I'd like to pass some of what I learned from what she shared on to you here.
Joyce spoke about a "Revolution" being a radical movement within. We don't need a revival. We need to radically change...move! In 1 Thessalonians 5:15-16 it reads, "See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all. Rejoice always."(NAB) The word "seek" is stronger than just "looking for". It means to crave, passionately pursue, to go after with all of your might.
Too often we find it easy to "seek" good for someone who is on our "A" list or someone we know to be a good person. This passage does not merely mean to pursue what is good for a nice person; someone easy to like. We must CRAVE good for the one who has betrayed us, the one who wants to continue in a life of sin, the one...who in our own understanding, is unlovable. Crave and pursue good with all of your might for EVERYone!
How do we go about being able to carry this out? In Colossians 3:12 it says, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (NAB)Heartfelt compassion...that is LOVE. How do you clothe yourself physically? Do you put care into it? Most often wanting to look and even smell your best? Do you take that much time "putting on" your spiritual self? We need to put MORE care into "dressing" our spiritual self than into dressing our physical self. Radically love! Choose to encourage at least 3 people every day before the sun sets.
In continuing your personal revolution you must also focus on James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful." (NAB) We do need to confess our sins and pray for each other. A fervent prayer simply means...passionate...powerful...with great intensity. There are those who pray for very long periods of time. God bless them! But some of us find that we can pray fervently in shorter, precise prayers. Whichever you believe works for you to stay in passionate communication with our Lord, by all means stick with it. I find it easier to pray shorter, powerful prayers to God during the day.
My prayer is that we pursue our spiritual revolution...craving to do good to ALL...clothing ourselves in Jesus' love daily...and...intensely communicating with God as we live and breathe throughout the day.
Joyce spoke about a "Revolution" being a radical movement within. We don't need a revival. We need to radically change...move! In 1 Thessalonians 5:15-16 it reads, "See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all. Rejoice always."(NAB) The word "seek" is stronger than just "looking for". It means to crave, passionately pursue, to go after with all of your might.
Too often we find it easy to "seek" good for someone who is on our "A" list or someone we know to be a good person. This passage does not merely mean to pursue what is good for a nice person; someone easy to like. We must CRAVE good for the one who has betrayed us, the one who wants to continue in a life of sin, the one...who in our own understanding, is unlovable. Crave and pursue good with all of your might for EVERYone!
How do we go about being able to carry this out? In Colossians 3:12 it says, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (NAB)Heartfelt compassion...that is LOVE. How do you clothe yourself physically? Do you put care into it? Most often wanting to look and even smell your best? Do you take that much time "putting on" your spiritual self? We need to put MORE care into "dressing" our spiritual self than into dressing our physical self. Radically love! Choose to encourage at least 3 people every day before the sun sets.
In continuing your personal revolution you must also focus on James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful." (NAB) We do need to confess our sins and pray for each other. A fervent prayer simply means...passionate...powerful...with great intensity. There are those who pray for very long periods of time. God bless them! But some of us find that we can pray fervently in shorter, precise prayers. Whichever you believe works for you to stay in passionate communication with our Lord, by all means stick with it. I find it easier to pray shorter, powerful prayers to God during the day.
My prayer is that we pursue our spiritual revolution...craving to do good to ALL...clothing ourselves in Jesus' love daily...and...intensely communicating with God as we live and breathe throughout the day.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Refreshed to Reflect
There comes a time in every one's life when your entire being needs to be refreshed....body, mind, and soul. When we are not able to "refresh" it begins to show like a computer monitor that gets stuck in the same mode. It sort of "freeze frames".
Of course we all know to set aside little pockets of time to be alone with God and simply gather ourselves together mentally so that we can survive bodily and in our soul. Our souls are so much more than just getting little pockets of time. Our souls need gaps of time.
Recently I was able to get away for a night. I have been married nearly 22 years and this is the first time that I have allowed myself to and been able to get away...totally alone. I rented a hotel room for the night. After checking in, I went to the lake (alone), sat at a table and talked with God about how gorgeous it all was there. I went to dinner then back to the hotel room where I began to relax. I crashed...and I mean crashed...for nearly two hours. I awoke around 9:30 and decided to really BE with God.
During the next hour or so, I had a wonderful time with Jesus, truly my best friend whom I need to be alone with much more often. I really didn't know where to turn to in the Bible but I did know that I wanted wisdom. Where do you look for wisdom in the Bible? Proverbs of course. I turned to Proverbs 31.
Some of the verses really stood out to me:
Of course we all know to set aside little pockets of time to be alone with God and simply gather ourselves together mentally so that we can survive bodily and in our soul. Our souls are so much more than just getting little pockets of time. Our souls need gaps of time.
Recently I was able to get away for a night. I have been married nearly 22 years and this is the first time that I have allowed myself to and been able to get away...totally alone. I rented a hotel room for the night. After checking in, I went to the lake (alone), sat at a table and talked with God about how gorgeous it all was there. I went to dinner then back to the hotel room where I began to relax. I crashed...and I mean crashed...for nearly two hours. I awoke around 9:30 and decided to really BE with God.
During the next hour or so, I had a wonderful time with Jesus, truly my best friend whom I need to be alone with much more often. I really didn't know where to turn to in the Bible but I did know that I wanted wisdom. Where do you look for wisdom in the Bible? Proverbs of course. I turned to Proverbs 31.
Some of the verses really stood out to me:
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Strength and dignity...She has that innermost beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit later spoken of in the New Testament. Laughing at the days to come simply means that she does not worry about tomorrow for today has enough cares in itself.
Look at this women in the mirror. What does she look like? I picture her as a lady who takes care of herself; looking the best that she can (if you read the entire passage it tells of how she dresses herself). I imagine a look of gentle confidence in her eyes...a comforting and friendly smile on her face...and I imagine that she IS noticed...not because she is a "hottie" but because she is confident in who she is in Jesus. Her entire being exudes His being.
She acquires her wisdom from the Lord so that faithful instruction can come from her. That is why she is respected. She does not get caught up in things that really don't matter. She prioritises. THAT is something that stuck out to me. I do get up early for tea and quiet time...but other things...even caring for myself as my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit...therefore it is a reflection of Jesus.
I pray that you are able to truly take time to get refreshed in Jesus. Quiet your mind and spirit...listen to Him...talk with Him...rest in Him....reflect Him.
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