Thursday, July 29, 2010
One Shot
I just wanted to take a moment to remind any readers that we only have ONE shot at this life and we are called to be holy and set apart and spread the Good News of Christ. Does your life reflect one who is set apart and consecrated to the Lord? When people around you look into your life, do they see one who truly walks out God's Word in their lives? Are we walking in God's purpose for our lives? Are we doing to work He set out for us to do here on earth? Or, are we wasting time on the things of this world that are meaningless? We only get one life on this planet, we can never go back and have a do-over. I encourage you to take an honest look at your life and ask the Lord what needs to change in order for you to begin making more of an impact for the Lord on those you are surrounded by.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Beauty for Ashes
It is snowing for the second time this month is East Texas and as I watch the beautiful snow falling, I am reminded how in Isaiah 1:18 it tells us that though our sins are like scarlet, they will be made white as snow. How thankful I am for that!
Recently at a small group bible study,I got so tickled because another woman asked me, "how do u get the back of your hair to poof like that on the crown of your head? Do you use a special product or blow dry it a special way? I have tried for years to get my hair to do that."
What was so funny to me is that my hair poofs like that because its damaged in that area from me pulling it out over and over in that spot in childhood from emotional trauma. That area on my head has been a huge source of insecurity for years in my life! Yet, here was the sweet woman wanting to know how I made my hair look so good with my poof! The discussion today in bible study was based around Isaiah 61 that tells us he gives us beauty for ashes. I couldn't help but laugh to myself on the way home thinking about how the woman went on and on about how much she liked my "poof"! If she only knew how many hours I have spent trying to hide that area! I guess he truly does make something beautiful (my poof!) from the ashes (my damaged hair)! God has such a sense of humor!
Recently at a small group bible study,I got so tickled because another woman asked me, "how do u get the back of your hair to poof like that on the crown of your head? Do you use a special product or blow dry it a special way? I have tried for years to get my hair to do that."
What was so funny to me is that my hair poofs like that because its damaged in that area from me pulling it out over and over in that spot in childhood from emotional trauma. That area on my head has been a huge source of insecurity for years in my life! Yet, here was the sweet woman wanting to know how I made my hair look so good with my poof! The discussion today in bible study was based around Isaiah 61 that tells us he gives us beauty for ashes. I couldn't help but laugh to myself on the way home thinking about how the woman went on and on about how much she liked my "poof"! If she only knew how many hours I have spent trying to hide that area! I guess he truly does make something beautiful (my poof!) from the ashes (my damaged hair)! God has such a sense of humor!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Hope for the Addicted
For those of you who are caught in a cycle of addictive sexual sin patterns, I thought what author, speaker and counselor Harry Schaumburg said in his latest book, Undefiled, was excellent. There is hope for true freedom from sinful patterns. It takes a supernatural work of God to create in us a pure heart. Man is incapable of changing His ways. Behavior management is not enough to change one's sinful ways toward true, lasting change.
Schaumburg says, "We are in bondage to sin and therefore it takes divine illumination and persuasion for the heart to respond. This is a very old and fundamental concept stated even in Jeremiah's day: 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil' (Jeremiah 13:23 NIV). We are so corrupt, enslaved to sexual sin, that repentance is impossible apart from God's illumination."
This is why the grace of God is such a gift to us. Nothing in man's corrupt nature would ever choose repentance or have a desire to turn from habitual sin. Man's original corruption that infuses every heart makes it incapable of obeying God. Without His gift of grace, man would always choose the path toward destruction. If you feel frustrated that you can't seem to change your sinful ways, there is hope! The fact that you are even looking for help is proof alone that Christ is operating in your life because nothing within your corrupt nature would ever choose righteousness. Find hope in Christ alone! He who began a good work in you WILL complete it! Let's continue to ask the the Lord to create in us a pure heart. Praise you Lord for the work you have begun in our lives!
Schaumburg says, "We are in bondage to sin and therefore it takes divine illumination and persuasion for the heart to respond. This is a very old and fundamental concept stated even in Jeremiah's day: 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil' (Jeremiah 13:23 NIV). We are so corrupt, enslaved to sexual sin, that repentance is impossible apart from God's illumination."
This is why the grace of God is such a gift to us. Nothing in man's corrupt nature would ever choose repentance or have a desire to turn from habitual sin. Man's original corruption that infuses every heart makes it incapable of obeying God. Without His gift of grace, man would always choose the path toward destruction. If you feel frustrated that you can't seem to change your sinful ways, there is hope! The fact that you are even looking for help is proof alone that Christ is operating in your life because nothing within your corrupt nature would ever choose righteousness. Find hope in Christ alone! He who began a good work in you WILL complete it! Let's continue to ask the the Lord to create in us a pure heart. Praise you Lord for the work you have begun in our lives!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thank you Lord!
Lord,
I thank you that there is nothing that comes our way that You didn't already know about! Lord, I am humbled that in spite of my failures, you still chose to create me for a purpose that would bring glory to your name. Father, today, anyone that reads this, may they be encouraged that no matter what choices they may have made in the past, no matter how ugly their sin was, you knew them before they were ever formed in their mother's womb and you chose to create them in spite of their sin! May that truth free us from the shame that attempts to hold us back from walking in our God-given destinies to glorify Your Name!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
I thank you that there is nothing that comes our way that You didn't already know about! Lord, I am humbled that in spite of my failures, you still chose to create me for a purpose that would bring glory to your name. Father, today, anyone that reads this, may they be encouraged that no matter what choices they may have made in the past, no matter how ugly their sin was, you knew them before they were ever formed in their mother's womb and you chose to create them in spite of their sin! May that truth free us from the shame that attempts to hold us back from walking in our God-given destinies to glorify Your Name!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Monday, August 3, 2009
Set our Hearts Ablaze
Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace! I am forever grateful that you would take my place on the cross where I deserved to be.
Lord, I ask that you would stir up our gifting today and may we walk in our God-given destinies! May we steer clear of the path that leads to destruction and refuse to be distracted by the enemy any longer! Keep our minds steadfast on you Lord and the works you predestined us to do here on earth that would bring glory to your name. Align our hearts with yours Father and continue to refine us with your refiner's fire! Set our hearts ablaze today Lord with your all consuming holy fire!
Lord, I ask that you would stir up our gifting today and may we walk in our God-given destinies! May we steer clear of the path that leads to destruction and refuse to be distracted by the enemy any longer! Keep our minds steadfast on you Lord and the works you predestined us to do here on earth that would bring glory to your name. Align our hearts with yours Father and continue to refine us with your refiner's fire! Set our hearts ablaze today Lord with your all consuming holy fire!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sin and Selfishness
I recently received a phone call from a young married person whose spouse was leaving the marriage because they were involved in an extramarital relationship. I had the opportunity to reach out to the one “fleeing” and I was reminded through our conversation of the true nature of infidelity: selfishness. When we make the decision to cheat, what we are basically saying to God and to our spouse is, "I really do not care how this affects you nor hurts you. I’m going to do what I want to do and I could care less about you and your feelings." So, in essence, we are worshiping self! We choose our ways over God's ways.
The excuses I hear over and over again for sin all revolve around the god of self. I am deeply concerned for the body of Christ because we have become so selfish. To think that we can do whatever pleases us and disregard God’s commands is absurd! Have we lost all fear of the Lord? The word says not to fear man, but to fear The One who after the body dies, has the power to cast the soul to hell.(see Luke 12:5 )
Over and over again the New Testament tells how there is no place in heaven for the sexually immoral. (see Galatians 5:19-21) Now, I certainly don’t believe that if one has committed sexual sin they are banned from eternal life in heaven. Nor do I believe that if you continue to stumble in sexual sin that you are doomed for eternal damnation. I believe that if we are truly in Christ we cannot continue on down a path of self-destruction for long because the Bible teaches that those who are in Christ cannot go on sinning. Having said that, I do believe God requires us to fight against sexual sin with every last breath is us! Are we fleeing from extramarital relationships or are we continuing on in them without a care in the world how it will affect our spouses and children?
I had one woman tell me she absolutely believes there is no way she would ever get caught in her adulterous affair! How scary to think we have become so arrogant in our ways that we think we have the power to keep our sin hidden. Let me say this from experience: the enemy is after your darkest secrets! He finds complete pleasure in exposing your sin publically. The word says he runs to the throne day and night telling on the saints! If you think your secret is safe, think again! As I heard Beth Moore once state at a women’s conference,” Satan comes to tempt you, trap you, and tell on you!” He is after whatever darkness you are presently walking in.
I pray that God would have mercy upon us and grant us another day to repent. May today be the day that we turn from our wicked, selfish ways and return to the Lord while we still have time!
The excuses I hear over and over again for sin all revolve around the god of self. I am deeply concerned for the body of Christ because we have become so selfish. To think that we can do whatever pleases us and disregard God’s commands is absurd! Have we lost all fear of the Lord? The word says not to fear man, but to fear The One who after the body dies, has the power to cast the soul to hell.(see Luke 12:5 )
Over and over again the New Testament tells how there is no place in heaven for the sexually immoral. (see Galatians 5:19-21) Now, I certainly don’t believe that if one has committed sexual sin they are banned from eternal life in heaven. Nor do I believe that if you continue to stumble in sexual sin that you are doomed for eternal damnation. I believe that if we are truly in Christ we cannot continue on down a path of self-destruction for long because the Bible teaches that those who are in Christ cannot go on sinning. Having said that, I do believe God requires us to fight against sexual sin with every last breath is us! Are we fleeing from extramarital relationships or are we continuing on in them without a care in the world how it will affect our spouses and children?
I had one woman tell me she absolutely believes there is no way she would ever get caught in her adulterous affair! How scary to think we have become so arrogant in our ways that we think we have the power to keep our sin hidden. Let me say this from experience: the enemy is after your darkest secrets! He finds complete pleasure in exposing your sin publically. The word says he runs to the throne day and night telling on the saints! If you think your secret is safe, think again! As I heard Beth Moore once state at a women’s conference,” Satan comes to tempt you, trap you, and tell on you!” He is after whatever darkness you are presently walking in.
I pray that God would have mercy upon us and grant us another day to repent. May today be the day that we turn from our wicked, selfish ways and return to the Lord while we still have time!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Spiritual Warfare
God’s word clearly teaches us that we are to put on his full armor to take a stand against the evil one. I know it’s not always comfortable talking about spiritual warfare, but I think it is of importance to understanding why we fall into some of the traps we do. God would not have taught us about the importance of being fully armed if we were not engaged in a real battle. Aside from our own evil desires within that lead us into sin, we have an enemy who attempts to do everything he can to get us to stumble.
If you have never read C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, I highly recommend it. It will give you an awareness of the works of the enemy. In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors in them and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
I don’t believe we are to give too much attention to Satan and his cohorts, but I think what C.S. Lewis says here has a lot of merit. Understanding that Satan and his forces do exist and have powers here obviously is important to know or God would not have told us about them. Scripture tells us that we can be easily seduced away from our devotions to Christ. In the Amplified Version, 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But (now) I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” As you can see from this scripture, Paul is deeply concerned that the believer's mind might be seduced away from his devotion to God. Let's begin to recognize that our minds are where the battle begins so we can avoid any unnecessary warfare.
If you have never read C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, I highly recommend it. It will give you an awareness of the works of the enemy. In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors in them and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
I don’t believe we are to give too much attention to Satan and his cohorts, but I think what C.S. Lewis says here has a lot of merit. Understanding that Satan and his forces do exist and have powers here obviously is important to know or God would not have told us about them. Scripture tells us that we can be easily seduced away from our devotions to Christ. In the Amplified Version, 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But (now) I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” As you can see from this scripture, Paul is deeply concerned that the believer's mind might be seduced away from his devotion to God. Let's begin to recognize that our minds are where the battle begins so we can avoid any unnecessary warfare.
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