Communion With God

Colossians 4:2-6 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.... Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Am I devoted to prayer?  I love to sit and talk with my hubby.  It doesn't really matter what we talk about just as long as it's time together.  My mom's phone number get dialed a few times every day.  We may not have anything in particular to discuss.  I just love knowing she is on the other end of the line.  Strong Christian friends are so special.  Without an agenda, we can talk about anything and know that it will go back to the Lord.

Do I value and treasure the time that I can have with God the same way I love the time I have with people that are so dear to me?  Whatever I may be going through, whatever my worries are, I can go to Him and know that I will be encouraged, granted discernment, and comforted.  Talking with the Lord and being in his word on a constant basis helps a great deal with fulfilling what the He asks of me in Colossians 4.

In the gospels we are told to go into all nations and tell others about the HIM.  Being in communion with God is our instruction manual.  How do we function without it?

Alive in Christ

Thankfulness

Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." 

When we are truly thankful it is hard to be selfish, conceited, self-reliant, or proud.  Humility, gratitude, joy, peace, and God-reliance is what a truly thankful heart starts with and also produces.  We can't understand and accept the gift of salvation if we aren't thankful.

ALIVE

Colossians 2:13-14 "When you were dead in your sins...God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."

We have been given fullness in Christ according to verse 10.  We are alive and we have hope because of Christ.  Because of what Jesus did at the cross, we have the right to become children of God.  All we have to do is accept what He did for us and trust in him (John 1:12)!  No longer are we held to Old Testament law.  Man's rules mean nothing - even if they seem to have wisdom in them.  We are free in Christ.

HIS

Colossians 3:1-4 "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

We are to be heavenly minded.  If we are God's then our life is his.  Our minds are his, our hands are his, our hearts are his, our eyes are his, our feet are his.... We are to do everything for the glory of God.  No longer are we our own.  What a relief!  Now, let's start acting like it.

Paul's Afflictions

Paul's afflictions:  He endures with praise, joy and trust in the Lord!

In Colossians:
"... we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." 
"We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.  To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."
"...I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.  My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

In Philippians:
"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.  As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.  Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."
"...I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain..."


I  have to question myself when I read Paul's heart as he endures persecution.  I truly pray that I will never have to face such terrible things.  Yet, I know that if Paul hadn't gone through what he did, his reliance on God, faith in God's promises, and love for God would not have been nearly as wonderful!  As Philippians 4 promises, God will give me the strength to endure whatever comes my way if I am living in the Him and doing his will.  Rather than concentrating so hard on hoping for no life threatening situations in my life, I need to concentrate on living this short life COMPLETELY for the LORD!  Whatever trials come my way, God's grace and love is sufficient.  To die is gain if it is for the Lord.  He gives and he takes away.  This life of mine is only existing so that I may spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  Oh, how I have been failing in this!


Lord, give me courage to be bold for you!  Set my heart on FIRE!  Keep the Devil far from me, that I would  trust in your promises and leave no room for his lies.  Father, you know my heart and where I fail.  Strengthen me, I pray!  You are the Almighty!  Nothing can thwart your plan.  You knit me together in my mother's womb.  You discern my going out and my lying down.  Before I speak a single word, you know it completely!  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before even one of them came to be.  Search me, O God, and know my heart.  Test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  You are the most important thing in my life.  I am sorry for where I have not proven this to be true.


(Reference Psalm 139)

Fear Will Not Rule Me

Colossians 1:16-17  "...For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together..."

For the most part, I don't deal with fear in everyday life.  However, I do have to turn over my fear of persecution to the Lord.  Being teased and not liked because I am a Christian doesn't phase me.  Torture (which doesn't really pertain to the U.S. yet) because of my faith is what scares my socks off!  Sometimes I think about where this country is headed and it makes me nervous.  Other countries know what it means to be persecuted for their faith.  When I think about the terrorist attacks and past wars (example: the Nazis against the Jews) I wonder if that will come here some day.
Elections are coming up.  This is an area where I have to be prayerful and trust that God has already ordained who will be voted in.  God has a plan that will bring glory to His name and bring us to our knees in praise and adoration.  His majesty and power will shine one day and each president that is put in place is one more stepping stone.  I may not agree with all decisions that politicians make, but I can know that my duty is to pray for the leaders of this country.  That is the ONLY thing that I need to worry myself with.  God has it in his hands.  If a war, invasion or another 911 type situation... or whatever else is what it takes to bring our country to it's knees, then I believe God will allow it and use it.  I most certainly pray for protection and do not want anything like that to happen, but I know God will give me what I need to go through it and live for Him in all circumstances.  My reward is in Heaven and I happily await the day when I get to spend eternity with my Heavenly Father!

Colossians 1:22-23  "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel..."

My life is in God's hands.  Christ died for me and rose again, conquering death, that I may spend eternity in Heaven.  He took my sins upon himself and will present me holy and without blemish on the day I meet my awesome God.  My hope lies in HIM!


Thank you, Lord, for our leaders.  I ask that you would give them wisdom in their decisions.  I pray for discernment for the voters this fall.  Help our hearts to be open as we vote in the next president.  Keep us united in freedom of religion, Lord.  But most of all, give our country a hunger for you!  Your will be done, Father God.  Whatever it takes, show us our need for you!

Bearing Fruit

Colossians 1:9-14 "... we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

We are to be FRUIT bearers.  

Matthew 7:18-21 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.  Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heave, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."


John 15:16 "You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last..."


What kind of fruit has my life produced?  What legacy will I leave?

Will God be praised through what I have done and what I will do?  How can I live my life as a praise offering?  

My answer lies in the Bible.

Bucket List

My Bucket List
1. Be a godly wife and mom
2. Give more than I think I possibly can
3. Read the entire Bible in a year
4. Serve in a way I've never served before - Allow God to stretch me
5. Sing my heart out for God in a new way
6. Live a thankful life
7. Take my kids to Disney World by the time they're 16
8. Adopt at least one child
9. Mentor a young girl
10. Share Christ with at least 100 people
11. Help someone in a way they can't help themselves
12. Have a ministry as a family
13. Learn how to play a guitar

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Attitude of Contentment

Contentment... Two areas of struggle:

Life Circumstances:
We always seem to know what is best for us.  Losing full control can be a big struggle.  When life takes an unexpected turn, it can be difficult to find joy in it.  After all, it wasn't in our plan! .... Oh, wait, we're supposed to be in God's plan!


Material things:
With everything this life in America has to offer, and with all the mixed messages media and entertainment sends us, it is SOOOO HARD not to have the attitude of 'I want'.


One thing I have realized is that, for me, the first struggle is much easier to take hold of and turn over to God.  The latter is an area where my trust in God is clouded and my need for Him is not easily seen when I allow myself to be ungrateful for what I already have.  It is a much sneakier battle that Satan loves to use!  Little things weave their way in and before I know it, I'm unhappy about things that are huge blessings - things that I'm usually so thankful for.  The gift of salvation alone is marvelous!  Nothing could be better!  I should never be ungrateful for anything.

Periods of struggle are very good for us!  They're hard, but they are what grow us the most!  I never want to be in the place where I feel like I don't need to be in the Word.  I never want to feel like my life is fine without God.  When things go wrong (according to my plan) I MUST seek out HIS will in the situation!  Concentrating on serving the Lord right where I am and with whatever I've been given is a necessity.  .

When I find myself with the attitude of being ungrateful, nothing helps more than when I open my Bible and dig in.  Then if I seek out a way that I can serve someone else, it completes the task.  These are two awesome things to adjust my heart issues!  There is no bigger blessing than blessing someone else.

L.O.V.E. O.T.H.E.R.S.

Philippians 2:1-11  "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


If Jesus - the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Great I AM, Lamb of God - can humble himself and take on the life of a servant, who am I to think I deserve to be treated better than others?  Who am I to act as though my life matters more than anyone else's life?  Who am I to expect my needs to be met before another's? Who am I to complain about how hard life can be?  I have SO MUCH, yet I can be SO SELFISH!  John F. Kennedy said it well, "To whom much is given, much is expected."  Luke 12:48  "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." And then there is the parable of the widow who gave all she had.  Luke 21:1-4  "As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.' "  


To the person who has much, much is expected!  This doesn't just mean financially.  Do I have a house that can be a safe place for others?  Do I have clothes that I don't need or use that someone else could use?  Is my fridge full?  Are my arms capable of giving a hug or a helping hand to someone who needs it?  Of course the answer to these questions is yes.  


As Christians, we need to live our lives by the words LOVE OTHERS.  


L - lend a hand   
O - offer grace and mercy   
V - live in victory   
E - encourage others   


O - offer hospitality    
T - be giving with your time   
H - be humble   
E - be eternally minded   
R - reach out to the widows and the fatherless   
S - preach salvation always

Mighty God, I Praise YOU!

Psalm 148

"Praise the Lord.


Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.  
He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.


Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, 
lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and maidens, old men and children.


Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart.


Praise the Lord."

Oh, God you are mighty!  

I praise you and I thank you for who you are, what you've done, and what you are still going to do!  

You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  

All that is was created by YOU.  

You give and you take away.  

Your works are beyond me.  

How could I ever question you and your will?  

I am so humbled by your grace and mercy!  

Praise you, Father, for you are the GREAT I AM!  

Let my life be a praise offering!

Look to the Hills

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - from where will my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."  Psalm 121:1-2

I have found there to be two things that generally happen when I find myself in a difficult circumstance.  First of all, I pray.  Second of all, I try to find a solution to the problem.   These two things can definitely go hand in hand.  However, the second can sometimes interfere with what I was trying to accomplish with the first.  When trying to resolve a problem, prayer MUST accompany it!  I need to trust that the Lord has the solution.    Otherwise, my pursuit will more than likely lead me away from his will.  God promises to give wisdom to those who ask for it.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

Billy Graham says this:  "As we look unto God instead of at ourselves and our circumstances, our perspectives change.  Do not get bogged down in the circumstances of life.  Look unto the hills for the guidance of Christ."

Expecting Grace?

Doing what is right can be such a struggle.  Why is that?  My 4 year old son has a relatively good handle on what is okay and what is not.  The need for constant explanation before receiving consequences isn't needed the way it used to be.  Discipline is administered more quickly.  Mercy is taken into account at times, but he tends to abuse it when it is given too much.
As I mature in my Christian walk I can't help but think God must view me the same way.  Mercy was something I needed A LOT more of earlier in my faith walk.  And though I may want it just as much now, it isn't always the best thing for me.
When I look at the big picture of what the Lord did for me - taking my sins at Calvary - I know I take that for granted.  The pain, physically and spiritually, that Jesus underwent is soooo much greater than I can possibly imagine!  I can remember doing things as a teenager and being grateful for the fact that God would forgive me... again.  If I had pictured Jesus having to die for me every time I sinned, it probably would have put a different light on things for me.
Willful disobedience is something that, as a parent, I will not put up with for very long.  God is my Heavenly Father.  How long will He, in his sovereignty, put up with mine?  While I can thankfully say that willful disobedience is something I very rarely choose now, I also wonder if there are choices in my life that I mask over with an excuse - things that I don't realize are disobedience to Him.  I imagine there are those areas in everyone's life.  My prayer is that the Holy Spirit reveals these things to me in HIS timing and that I am open to hearing from Him.  It can certainly be a painful thing.  That is why so many people say 'be careful what you pray for'.  However, if my life's goal is supposed to be honoring and living fully for my God, then how can I pray anything but that?

A Spouse's Duty

Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord..."
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."

     Washing with water through the word... I believe this is a part of the verse that often gets missed.  I also believe that it is one of the most important verses in this whole passage.  The thought of 'word' meaning 'Jesus' did cross my mind, but I don't think that is correct.  The commentary in my Bible says that Paul paints a word picture: The truth of Scripture leads to a clean spirit just as water removes dirt from our bodies.  As we study and apply God's Word to our daily lives, we grow in holiness and purity.
     If the husband's job is to lead his family and love them the way Christ does the church, then doesn't that imply that the most important detail would be to raise them up in the Bible?  It's a very popular idea in the church that parents are to educate their children about what the Bible teaches.  This is great!  But how about spouses doing that for one another?
     The wife is to be a helpmate to her husband.  As a wife, I NEED to encourage my husband to BE IN THE WORD!  My husband is supposed to do the same thing for me.  When it says Jesus washes us in the word I take it to mean that Jesus pours out the words of God into our lives.  The husband should be loving the wife the way Jesus does.  Bible studies as couples, prayer time together, talking about what you've each been reading seperately, memorizing verses together - these are all ways to accomplish this.  We are to be a team.  We are to encourage each other in the Lord.  How are we accomplishing this?
      Sanctus Real's song, "Lead Me", is an awesome song about a husband who realizes his wife's needs and his children's needs in a new way.  He's discovering the man that God wants him to be to his family.  "Courageous" is a wonderful movie exemplifying these same things.  As a mom and wife I found myself challenged and encouraged also.

Lord, give me the discernment and wisdom to be the wife that you call me to be and the mom that you have designed me to be.  Give me courage to live for you and shine you to my family.

Envy Rots the Bone

Luke 12:13-21  Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"  Then he said to them, "Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  And he told them this parable:  "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, 'What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.'  Then he said, 'This is what I'll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
"But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'  This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."


1 Timothy 6:10  "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 


Proverbs 14:30  "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."


Proverbs 30:7-9  "Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die:  Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."


Exodus 20:17  "You shall not covet your neighbor's house.  You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."


Am I grateful for what I have?  Am I satisfied with how the Lord has blessed me?  Do I look at what others have and desire it in an ungodly way?  Do I give only out of my abundance?  Lord, examine my heart.  See if there is any offensive way in me.

Unclean Heart?

Luke 11:37-43  "When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.  But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.  Then the Lord said to him, 'Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness,  You foolish people!  Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?  But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.  Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.  You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.  Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.' "

Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?... 

We can wash up and look so nice and clean from the outsider's point of view.  We can carry our Bibles with us as we walk through the church doors because that's what a good Christian does... But do we even open it during the week?     * Psalm 119:11  "I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you."


We can find lots of good things to do in the community.  Others may see us and think we have such servant hearts.  But what is our motivation?     * Ephesians 6:7  "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."  


We can count out a portion of our pay check each month and give it to the church.  The Bible says to, doesn't it?     * 2 Corinthians 9:7  "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 

...but you neglect justice and the love of God.


* Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
* Matthew 22:37-38 "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  The second is like it:  'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
* Ephesians 5:1-2 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Jeremiah 9:24 " 'but let him who boasts boast about his: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,'  declares the Lord."