Jeremiah 29:11-13
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."
I love reading scripture that we all know by heart in The Message. I feel like it's more real. It's kinda like, okay, you know this. You've heard it a million times. Why are you worried? What were you stressed out about?
Why do we so often stress about things and THEN go to God? He's sitting by us waiting for us to call on Him. Waiting for us to say "Dad, I can't do this without you. I need your help!" That's all he wants. For us to admit that we are nothing and that we can do nothing without Him! Why is that so hard? I often make life more difficult and drawn out than it really should be.
I am striving to be serious about finding God and seeking His will above anything else in my life. With my whole haeart I want to know GOD!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
My New Favorite Psalm
Psalm 51:7-15 (The Message)
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Faith
I feel like this is one of those "Christian-ese" words that we use, but I'm convinced we have no idea what faith really is!
Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.
Okay, check this out! We've been told it hadn't rained on the earth and all the sudden God tells Noah to build an ark! He's going to destroy the earth because the people have corrupted it. Right? Yeah, looks take a closer look. Noah was FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD!!!! WHAT?!!! Five hundred just by the time he had three boys, THEN God told him to build an ark!
I don't know about you, but to me, faith is trusting and following God when everyone around you is telling you "No, bad idea". Noah was walking so closely to God that God chose HIM out of EVERYONE on the earth! God found Noah blameless.
I want to have more faith in a God like that!
Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.
Okay, check this out! We've been told it hadn't rained on the earth and all the sudden God tells Noah to build an ark! He's going to destroy the earth because the people have corrupted it. Right? Yeah, looks take a closer look. Noah was FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD!!!! WHAT?!!! Five hundred just by the time he had three boys, THEN God told him to build an ark!
I don't know about you, but to me, faith is trusting and following God when everyone around you is telling you "No, bad idea". Noah was walking so closely to God that God chose HIM out of EVERYONE on the earth! God found Noah blameless.
I want to have more faith in a God like that!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
This is what it looks like!
Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and good, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I am a big fan of the book of Acts simply because it gives a very raw, down to earth picture of what the church actually looks like! It has been about 3 years since I have been shown this verse and really explained in great detail what it means, looks like, and the great impact that it can have for a community!
As I read this I am even more excited about small groups starting in 3 weeks and very excited about the impact that they could have in Tyler! God is doing great things at Dayspring and I am incredibly blessed to be a part of this body!
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and good, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I am a big fan of the book of Acts simply because it gives a very raw, down to earth picture of what the church actually looks like! It has been about 3 years since I have been shown this verse and really explained in great detail what it means, looks like, and the great impact that it can have for a community!
As I read this I am even more excited about small groups starting in 3 weeks and very excited about the impact that they could have in Tyler! God is doing great things at Dayspring and I am incredibly blessed to be a part of this body!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
It's not enough to be challenged....
We must be CHANGED in order to be FORMED!
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Being not only a sarcastic person, but someone who speaks their mind on......too much......this hits home!
I would love to say that I speak truth and speak things that lift others up, because I do, but not as much as I'm supposed to! I need a big banner in front of me that says "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth EVER!"
So this is my challenge today. To me, and to you!
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Being not only a sarcastic person, but someone who speaks their mind on......too much......this hits home!
I would love to say that I speak truth and speak things that lift others up, because I do, but not as much as I'm supposed to! I need a big banner in front of me that says "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth EVER!"
So this is my challenge today. To me, and to you!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Encouragement from our good friend James!
I love the book of James. SERIOUSLY! I am so encouraged when I read it and I feel like I understand so much of it when I do, but also learn something new everytime I open it up! So now, all you.....okay, both of you, that read this blog, you will now see a peek into WHY I love James so much!
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James start out telling you that you're GOING to face trials. Life's not gonna be picture perfect. James doesn't waste much time though saying the purpose of it all is so that we may be mature and lack nothing! LACK NOTHING!!! We won't be formed into the image of God simply by being challenged. We must be changed. That is when we must realize that trials are a part of the life and the joy comes from knowing that God has chosen to form us into the image of Christ.
The challenge for us......Don't stop! Don't just look at life and go through it's course and say "Man, God is really challenging me." When you are changed, THAT'S when you are FORMED!
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James start out telling you that you're GOING to face trials. Life's not gonna be picture perfect. James doesn't waste much time though saying the purpose of it all is so that we may be mature and lack nothing! LACK NOTHING!!! We won't be formed into the image of God simply by being challenged. We must be changed. That is when we must realize that trials are a part of the life and the joy comes from knowing that God has chosen to form us into the image of Christ.
The challenge for us......Don't stop! Don't just look at life and go through it's course and say "Man, God is really challenging me." When you are changed, THAT'S when you are FORMED!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Small Groups
This has pretty much consumed my life the past 2 months! I didn't realize what a task this was going to be until I began! Not sure that I have completely mastered the task, but God has amazed me at how he has worked through me in order to get everything needed done!
My pastor gave me a book to read about small groups and an almost idiot proof way to organize them! =) The title of the book is Activate by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas. They are both pastors of the Journey Church in NY. www.journeymetro.com I never expected a book about small groups to challenge me to the core! It did! I just want to share one of the things that kicked me in the butt!
"When you ask someone to lead a group, you are not asking that person to help you out; you are offering the opportunity to embark on a spiritual adventure, to make a difference, to engage in what God created them to do."
YEAH! So how bout I HATE asking people to help me. Hate it! I have always wanted to do things on my own. It's not a pride thing at all, which most of you are probably thinking "yeah right!". Seriously though. I have always been the type of person to rather do things myself than ask for help. A "pride" issue may be closer to it!
This statement alone empowered me beyond anything anyone has ever said to me in my life. I suddenly looked at calling people and asking them to be a small group leader in a whole different light. I was excited to ask people to lead. There were few that said no, but I never felt knocked down because of it.
I feel like I am in the middle of a HUGE learning curve in my life. It is exciting, adventurous, and empowering! I have never been more certain of where I am now and more confident in the abilities that God has given me!
I LOVE MY GOD!!!
My pastor gave me a book to read about small groups and an almost idiot proof way to organize them! =) The title of the book is Activate by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas. They are both pastors of the Journey Church in NY. www.journeymetro.com I never expected a book about small groups to challenge me to the core! It did! I just want to share one of the things that kicked me in the butt!
"When you ask someone to lead a group, you are not asking that person to help you out; you are offering the opportunity to embark on a spiritual adventure, to make a difference, to engage in what God created them to do."
YEAH! So how bout I HATE asking people to help me. Hate it! I have always wanted to do things on my own. It's not a pride thing at all, which most of you are probably thinking "yeah right!". Seriously though. I have always been the type of person to rather do things myself than ask for help. A "pride" issue may be closer to it!
This statement alone empowered me beyond anything anyone has ever said to me in my life. I suddenly looked at calling people and asking them to be a small group leader in a whole different light. I was excited to ask people to lead. There were few that said no, but I never felt knocked down because of it.
I feel like I am in the middle of a HUGE learning curve in my life. It is exciting, adventurous, and empowering! I have never been more certain of where I am now and more confident in the abilities that God has given me!
I LOVE MY GOD!!!
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