Identity theft
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Identity Theft
Identity theft
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Disturbing the Peace
I am just going to be honest. This has been a terrible week. I had a friend die in a tragic accident. I had "just before payday stress". I had a really scary fall and I am still waiting for God to do some restoration. Read on to see what God has showed me about coping with a time like this.
Disturbing the Peace
These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33
There are a few pockets of beauty in the dry, flat West Texas landscape, One of them is McBride Canyon. There are trees big enough to climb, and I remember a time when one of our church friends climbed one and stayed there all day. He even had his food tossed up to him and ate in the tree. A few years later we made a trip there for a campout with my brother's cub scout troop. It was special for me because my friend who had moved away came back and camped with us. We talked non-stop for hours. We slept in a pop up camper on one of the bunk beds and our friend and her daughter slept on the other bunk bed. We finally wore our selves out and fell asleep listening to the crickets and frogs and night sounds that were different from what we heard in town. About 5 in the morning our friend got up to take her little girl to the bathroom. We woke up as they were leaving the camper. We lay there in the dark and listened again to the quiet sounds, then of course started talking.We talked about being away from civilization which we knew so much about at 12 years old. After a few minutes, one of us wondered if there were bears in these "woods". Our imaginations ran with that for a few minutes, even though the nearest bear was probably 700 miles away. We had started to quiet down when we heard a sound that struck terror in our hearts. The zipper on the camper. We jumped sky high, sure that a bear had not only found its way to the Texas Panhandle, but learned how to unzip a camper. I said the only thing I could think of. "Who Goes There?" This was met by hysterical laughter, not from a bear, but our friend and her daughter.
God has offered us peace as one of the fruits of the spirit. He has promised to fight our battles and carry our burdens and bind up the broken hearted. He has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. Unfortunately we also have an enemy who wants nothing more than to disturb our peace. He will work in our minds and speak through other people. He will bring difficult situations He will tempt us to worry or resent and then hit us with guilt when we succumb to these temptations. Talk about playing both ends against the middle. How do we combat this when it comes?
The first thing is to put on our armor. Ephesians 6:10-17 reads
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
I don't know about you but I need to read and remember this every day, especially in hard times. Us the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit.
Second remember the promises of God, including these words of Jesus.
These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Micah 7:8 us one that I go to in hard times. Do not rejoice over me my enemy for though I fall I will rise again, and though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light.
Finally I have a challenge for you. Try to come up with a part of your identity in Christ fro each letter of the alphabet. For example, Accepted, Beloved, Cherished, Delivered, Forgiven,
These things can help us through weeks like this and any time the enemy tries to come against us. Also lets commit to holding each other up in prayer. Ask God who needs you to fight for them and swing those swords.
Disturbing the Peace
These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33
There are a few pockets of beauty in the dry, flat West Texas landscape, One of them is McBride Canyon. There are trees big enough to climb, and I remember a time when one of our church friends climbed one and stayed there all day. He even had his food tossed up to him and ate in the tree. A few years later we made a trip there for a campout with my brother's cub scout troop. It was special for me because my friend who had moved away came back and camped with us. We talked non-stop for hours. We slept in a pop up camper on one of the bunk beds and our friend and her daughter slept on the other bunk bed. We finally wore our selves out and fell asleep listening to the crickets and frogs and night sounds that were different from what we heard in town. About 5 in the morning our friend got up to take her little girl to the bathroom. We woke up as they were leaving the camper. We lay there in the dark and listened again to the quiet sounds, then of course started talking.We talked about being away from civilization which we knew so much about at 12 years old. After a few minutes, one of us wondered if there were bears in these "woods". Our imaginations ran with that for a few minutes, even though the nearest bear was probably 700 miles away. We had started to quiet down when we heard a sound that struck terror in our hearts. The zipper on the camper. We jumped sky high, sure that a bear had not only found its way to the Texas Panhandle, but learned how to unzip a camper. I said the only thing I could think of. "Who Goes There?" This was met by hysterical laughter, not from a bear, but our friend and her daughter.
God has offered us peace as one of the fruits of the spirit. He has promised to fight our battles and carry our burdens and bind up the broken hearted. He has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. Unfortunately we also have an enemy who wants nothing more than to disturb our peace. He will work in our minds and speak through other people. He will bring difficult situations He will tempt us to worry or resent and then hit us with guilt when we succumb to these temptations. Talk about playing both ends against the middle. How do we combat this when it comes?
The first thing is to put on our armor. Ephesians 6:10-17 reads
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
I don't know about you but I need to read and remember this every day, especially in hard times. Us the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit.
Second remember the promises of God, including these words of Jesus.
These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. for I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Micah 7:8 us one that I go to in hard times. Do not rejoice over me my enemy for though I fall I will rise again, and though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light.
Finally I have a challenge for you. Try to come up with a part of your identity in Christ fro each letter of the alphabet. For example, Accepted, Beloved, Cherished, Delivered, Forgiven,
These things can help us through weeks like this and any time the enemy tries to come against us. Also lets commit to holding each other up in prayer. Ask God who needs you to fight for them and swing those swords.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Be still
Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
I was watching the ducks at the park the other day. They appear to be sitting perfectly still on top of the water. I learned, though, that their feet are paddling 90 to nothing where we can't see them. I love to swim. It is a good workout and it is relaxing. On thing that I do for cardio is to tread water. My head is above water and I look relaxed but my legs and arms are in constant motion to keep me afloat. On the other hand, if I relax and lean my head back and let my muscles relax, I will float.If I want to keep afloat with no effort, I can use a floatation device like a ball, kickboard or noodle.
I am not going to lie. As soon as I hit save on this post, I entered a situation where I have to be still. I have learned again that I have to let God be in control of my loved ones and my life. I have so many ideas of things that I can do to help God get things fixed more quickly. I can tread water furiously and thrash and flail, That is not what I am supposed to be doing though. What I am supposed to be doing is pray, praise the Lord, and be still . These are the words that He has given me.
First my verse that I love and hate. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10-11.
Exodus 14:13
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Ephesians 6:13.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
1 Samuel 12:16
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!
Right now I do not feel very confident but it is not about feelings. God is good and he is faithful. I am probably not the only one who needs to hear this now so we will stand together.
Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
I was watching the ducks at the park the other day. They appear to be sitting perfectly still on top of the water. I learned, though, that their feet are paddling 90 to nothing where we can't see them. I love to swim. It is a good workout and it is relaxing. On thing that I do for cardio is to tread water. My head is above water and I look relaxed but my legs and arms are in constant motion to keep me afloat. On the other hand, if I relax and lean my head back and let my muscles relax, I will float.If I want to keep afloat with no effort, I can use a floatation device like a ball, kickboard or noodle.
I am not going to lie. As soon as I hit save on this post, I entered a situation where I have to be still. I have learned again that I have to let God be in control of my loved ones and my life. I have so many ideas of things that I can do to help God get things fixed more quickly. I can tread water furiously and thrash and flail, That is not what I am supposed to be doing though. What I am supposed to be doing is pray, praise the Lord, and be still . These are the words that He has given me.
First my verse that I love and hate. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10-11.
Exodus 14:13
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Ephesians 6:13.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
1 Samuel 12:16
“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!
Right now I do not feel very confident but it is not about feelings. God is good and he is faithful. I am probably not the only one who needs to hear this now so we will stand together.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Game of Thrones
Welcome back to Unseen. I have been overcoming obstacles both personal and technological. Read on to see what I have learned about Lordship.
Game of Thrones
Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16
Fourth of July is a time for picnics, parades and fireworks. It is also a time for gratitude for what we have as a nation. The first settlers came here for freedom from an oppressive king, as did many who came here later. Even with the challenges we have in our country right now, from violence to an uncertain election outcome, we have so much to be grateful for. Today we have very little knowledge about the reality of monarchy. Our information comes from watching the lavish British royal weddings and the birth of royal cuties. It is supplemented by movies such as Princess Diaries, leaving us with a somewhat off kilter view. The reality is that in a monarchy which does not have the balancing effects of democracy, the king's power is absolute. He has control of religion, politics and money. A king rules for life and the rule is passed down to his heir, which gives birth to the saying, "The king is dead. Long live the king."a king can be deposed and overthrown, but it usually involves bloodshed.
The same is true in our spiritual life. In a perfect world, God is on the throne of our hearts, but it is not a perfect world. It is a world polluted and corrupted by sin and dark forces. The throne of our heart is often occupied by self, by money , by power, by intelligence or by pleasure. These are not benevolent dictators and will wreak havoc in our lives. The only way to depose these tyrants is to accept the rule of God in our lives. He has earned the right because of Jesus blood that was shed. Unlike these false gods, He is a loving and compassionate king.
God deserves our loyalty because of who he is. Paul tells Timothy to "keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen" 1 timothy 6:14-16.
God himself describes it this way.
“This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell what will come. Isaiah 44:5-7
Just as the king's authority is passed down to his heir. Revelation 1:5 says
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Game of Thrones
Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16
Fourth of July is a time for picnics, parades and fireworks. It is also a time for gratitude for what we have as a nation. The first settlers came here for freedom from an oppressive king, as did many who came here later. Even with the challenges we have in our country right now, from violence to an uncertain election outcome, we have so much to be grateful for. Today we have very little knowledge about the reality of monarchy. Our information comes from watching the lavish British royal weddings and the birth of royal cuties. It is supplemented by movies such as Princess Diaries, leaving us with a somewhat off kilter view. The reality is that in a monarchy which does not have the balancing effects of democracy, the king's power is absolute. He has control of religion, politics and money. A king rules for life and the rule is passed down to his heir, which gives birth to the saying, "The king is dead. Long live the king."a king can be deposed and overthrown, but it usually involves bloodshed.
The same is true in our spiritual life. In a perfect world, God is on the throne of our hearts, but it is not a perfect world. It is a world polluted and corrupted by sin and dark forces. The throne of our heart is often occupied by self, by money , by power, by intelligence or by pleasure. These are not benevolent dictators and will wreak havoc in our lives. The only way to depose these tyrants is to accept the rule of God in our lives. He has earned the right because of Jesus blood that was shed. Unlike these false gods, He is a loving and compassionate king.
God deserves our loyalty because of who he is. Paul tells Timothy to "keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen" 1 timothy 6:14-16.
God himself describes it this way.
“This is what the Lord says—
Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell what will come. Isaiah 44:5-7
Just as the king's authority is passed down to his heir. Revelation 1:5 says
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Even though we have limited understanding of kingship, God does not. He is not a tyrant, but a merciful master who in exchange for our loyalty gives us his unlimited protection and provision.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Baby steps
Welcome back to Unseen. It has been a busy couple of weeks. Today's post goes out especially to the new graduates and to anyone leaning to walk a new path.
Baby Steps
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8
Baby Steps
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8
I was watching a little girl try to learn to walk the other
day. She pulled up on the coffee table and let go. She stood for a minute
wobbling. She took one shaky step, then another and then a third. Mom was
cheering her on and beaming. As she looked up to get a better glimpse of mom,
the baby lost her footing. Boom. Down she went. She sat for a minute and then
pulled up again. This time she made a few more shaky steps before falling. The
third time she reached mom, who scooped her up, laughing and kissing her.
Before long she will be walking everywhere and mom will wonder why she was so
anxious for this day. Babies are much easier to catch on all fours.
What if the scene were a little different? What if the baby
fell down and instead of getting up she sat and looked at mom. What if she
thought, “Well, if I can’t do it right,
I’m not going to do it at all.” What if she thought, “I guess it’s just not
meant for me to walk.” Maybe she thought, “I wish I could walk as well as
Billy, but I can’t so I’ll just sit here and resent him for it.” Worse yet,
what it mom looked at the baby when she fell and said, “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be
a walker. I got you a new pair of shoes and everything.”
We would never dream of doing that to a baby, would we?
Unfortunately we do it to new Christians all the time. Change the words to
this. “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be a Christian. You got
baptized and everything.” We also are
prone to react the same way the baby did, when we are learning to walk with
God. Have you heard these words,or said them?
“I should help teach a class or tell someone about Jesus,
but I don’t know enough. If I can’t do it right (or perfect) I’m not going to
do it at all.”
“I guess it’s just not meant for me to pray for people’s
healing.”
“I know God wants me to write, but since I can’t write like
Rick Warren, I’ll just sit here and resent him.”
Your objections are different than mine, I’m sure but no
less destructive. Falling down is a part of learning to walk physically and of learning to walk with God. Fortunately God is a patient and helpful father. When we fall, the enemy swoops in to make the very most of it. He will whisper, "see you did it again. Your out of luck this time. You might as well not even try. One of my life verses is Micah 7:8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. We need to "gird our loins with truth" (Eph 6:12) to stand up to that kind of talk. Roman s 8:1 and 2 is a beautiful verse that we too often forget. It tellds us, There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death. Not only do we have God's assurance, but also the help of the Savior. 1 john 2:1 says
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have
an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for
our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Can you think of a better reason to get back up after falling?
One place we as Christians often fall short is in dealing with others who fall. We can act like the mother in the story, and not like the Heavenly Father. Romans 14 talks about dealing with weaker brothers. He says that we must accept them and try not to put a stumbling block in their way. Galations 6:1-2 gives us this advice. "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
We will fall we are learning to walk with God for the first time or learning to walk with him into a new place in life or ministry. Put on your belt of truth and lets walk together.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have
an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for
our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Can you think of a better reason to get back up after falling?
One place we as Christians often fall short is in dealing with others who fall. We can act like the mother in the story, and not like the Heavenly Father. Romans 14 talks about dealing with weaker brothers. He says that we must accept them and try not to put a stumbling block in their way. Galations 6:1-2 gives us this advice. "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
We will fall we are learning to walk with God for the first time or learning to walk with him into a new place in life or ministry. Put on your belt of truth and lets walk together.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Turtles
God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Psalms 46:10.
Turtles are one of God's most interesting creations. I knew lots of facts about them. Their shells are beautiful works of art and each as individual as human finger prints. In addition to being beautiful, they protect the turtle's vulnerable body. Without a shell, the turtle would be easy game to predators. but with it, only the most aggressive and resourceful enemies can harm it.
Nothing I learned in books prepared me for the reality of having a turtle at our house. One day while driving through the middle of nowhere in West Texas, I saw a box turtle crossing the road. I picked it up and took it to the babysitter, thinking that it would be fun for the little boys there. The first lesson we learned was that while we hear that turtles are slow, they can really put a move on when exposed to two year olds. The turtle came home with us after a couple of days of torture at the babysitter's. This gave rise to a series of utterances that I never dreamed would ever come out of my mouth. For instance, I never dreamed I would have to tell a child, "Don't give that turtle coke." or "Don't chase the turtle." One sentence that was uttered just a little too late was, "Don't kiss the turtle.!" His reply was "I kiss Spike" Spike's response was to clamp down on his lip. My child let out a blood curdling scream and let go of the turtle, who hung off of his lip. As I stared, Spike let go of his lip and fell from 2 year old height. I put him in the cage, where he was very still for 2 days. I was unreasonably pleased when I heard scratching in the cage. Apparently the shell can protect turtles from the most ruthless of danger.
Jesus tells in Matthew 6 about how God cares for his creation but says that we are of much more value. We serve a God who cares deeply about our well being. Matthew 10:29-30 tell us this.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
We need to be assured of God's care and protection for us. In a difficult time or when beginning a new stage in life, we need to know that God will protect us from fear, from physical danger, and from the attacks of the enemy. One of the most beautiful verses I know of is Psalms 46:10-14. God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, thought the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. The Lord Almighty's with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.
When Abraham was afraid, God told him in Genesis 15, I am your shield and your very great reward. He says the same thing to us today. One thing he gives us is his presence. He told Jeremiah in Jer. 1:9
"Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with your wherever you may go. In Ephesians 6, he tells us about a resource we often ignore - our spiritual armor. This includes the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
We may feel weak and ineffective, and on our own we are. However with God we can be assured of protection and can face our lives and our enemy with faith and confidence.
Turtles are one of God's most interesting creations. I knew lots of facts about them. Their shells are beautiful works of art and each as individual as human finger prints. In addition to being beautiful, they protect the turtle's vulnerable body. Without a shell, the turtle would be easy game to predators. but with it, only the most aggressive and resourceful enemies can harm it.
Nothing I learned in books prepared me for the reality of having a turtle at our house. One day while driving through the middle of nowhere in West Texas, I saw a box turtle crossing the road. I picked it up and took it to the babysitter, thinking that it would be fun for the little boys there. The first lesson we learned was that while we hear that turtles are slow, they can really put a move on when exposed to two year olds. The turtle came home with us after a couple of days of torture at the babysitter's. This gave rise to a series of utterances that I never dreamed would ever come out of my mouth. For instance, I never dreamed I would have to tell a child, "Don't give that turtle coke." or "Don't chase the turtle." One sentence that was uttered just a little too late was, "Don't kiss the turtle.!" His reply was "I kiss Spike" Spike's response was to clamp down on his lip. My child let out a blood curdling scream and let go of the turtle, who hung off of his lip. As I stared, Spike let go of his lip and fell from 2 year old height. I put him in the cage, where he was very still for 2 days. I was unreasonably pleased when I heard scratching in the cage. Apparently the shell can protect turtles from the most ruthless of danger.
Jesus tells in Matthew 6 about how God cares for his creation but says that we are of much more value. We serve a God who cares deeply about our well being. Matthew 10:29-30 tell us this.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
We need to be assured of God's care and protection for us. In a difficult time or when beginning a new stage in life, we need to know that God will protect us from fear, from physical danger, and from the attacks of the enemy. One of the most beautiful verses I know of is Psalms 46:10-14. God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, thought the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. The Lord Almighty's with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.
When Abraham was afraid, God told him in Genesis 15, I am your shield and your very great reward. He says the same thing to us today. One thing he gives us is his presence. He told Jeremiah in Jer. 1:9
"Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with your wherever you may go. In Ephesians 6, he tells us about a resource we often ignore - our spiritual armor. This includes the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
We may feel weak and ineffective, and on our own we are. However with God we can be assured of protection and can face our lives and our enemy with faith and confidence.
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