'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
I just had this emailed to me this morning. What a thought. God cant give us anything more if we are holding on to stuff already. Our bags are full. If we are holding on to bitterness than God cant give us healing in that area. We wont let go. If we are holding on to that angry feeling...God cant give us joy. We wont let go.
If God does take something from you...realize that He will fill that void with something better. Just let God do His will in your life. We are here because He put us here. So lets do His will not our own. He knows the future so if He takes something from you and you dont think it fair, trust God for in your future you did not need this thing anyway and now He can replace it with something else. But if you hold on to it, He cant replace it....Let go and let God do His will.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Joseph...blessed while in prison
What circumstances lead us to places in life. Decisions made, prayers prayed, words stated, even attitudes during life changing times. God leads us where He wants us to go...it is our choice, however, whether we go that route. If you look at Josephs life before he was in the picture. Jacob had to work several years longer in order to take Rachel, his true love, as wife. Then Rachel was barren. Whereas her sister Leah bare 6 boys, Rachel had none. Rachel had to struggle through many torturous years and watch her sister and her handmaids produce children. Oh but look what would become of her son Joseph later down the road. How many times do we want to give up as we sit at the wayside and watch others be so productive. We watch others do great things for God. We think what are we doing so wrong? Why are we barren? Why can't we produce anything for God? But we do not know the future.
Gen 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
I love that: God remembered Rachel. God thought of Rachel and decided it was now her time. See before it was not the right timing for her to bare. Maybe a test of patience. But now God remembered her. He opened her womb...so it was God who had it shut for so long, but now it was opened to bare Joseph.
Joseph had to endure the teasing of his brothers. He was special and his parents knew that. He had to endure being different. It can become weary being a child among several brothers not only the youngest but special too. Can you imagine?? Then for his brothers to become so sick of seeing how special he was to trade him as a slave. So now onward to Egypt as a slave. Could Joseph possibly have been so much in despair to just give up. But something beyond his control drove him onward. Look where he ended up...Pharaoh's house! No one but God could possible chain these events together. He is a slave yes, but not just a slave...a slave in Pharaoh's house! How many times do we look at our small world...the slave part...and not fix our eyes on the entire circumstance. We may be a slave but I guarantee you that God has huge plans for our lives. We may be in the Pharaoh's home and not even realize the events taking place. Hang in there.
Gen 39:2
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
So Joseph finds grace in their sight and moves up in chain of command. He has everything under his hands. He has great responsibility. Things are looking up...But then look at what happens.
Gen 39:7
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Who comes on the scene none other but temptation. Of course Joseph resists the temptation but still is punished for it.
Gen 39:20
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.
Then Joseph finds favour in the eyes of the prison guard. No matter what Joseph did God blessed him and the Lord was with him through it all. He was now in prison but God still used him. He interpreted dreams and the butler was free but yet forgot about Joseph. 2 years later sitting in prison for a crime he did not commit, after being placed into slavery because his own brothers did not like him...Pharaoh has a dream that needs interpretation. What do you think went through Josephs mind? Despair, discouragement, frustration, anger, resentment, and any other unpleasant thought that may have tried to seep in to those prison walls.
Gen 39:21
But the LORD was with Joseph
The Lord encouraged him, gave him hope when Joseph saw none. Joseph could have had a bad attitude through it all. How many prayers do you think he prayed to be released from this prison? Do you think he may have plotted a way of escape? An early way out of this trial he was in? Don't we all do that. Look for our way of escape? But we need to wait on the Lord. He will bring us through. Do what His commandments say. Pray and Fast. God will bring us out of our trials but maybe not as quickly as we would like. Imagine what would of happened had Joseph escaped from prison. He may have not heard the dreams of the butler. He would not of been brought forth to the Pharaoh to interpret his dream. Who would have stocked the food for the 7 years of famine? I am sure God would of found someone else to do it but it would not of been Joseph.
If we want to do something huge for God...Just live your life doing what you are supposed to do. Be obedient to God's will. Your time will come but it's the small decisions we make in difficult times that have large impact.(Pastor Sullivan's sermon Sunday 8/24 :) ) So hang in there, stay in the "prison" for as long as God needs you there. Stay barren until God opens your womb. Stay a slave until God sets you free. But watch your attitude and decisions you make. Keep our eyes focused on God and all will fall into place...eventually! God bless you.
Gen 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
I love that: God remembered Rachel. God thought of Rachel and decided it was now her time. See before it was not the right timing for her to bare. Maybe a test of patience. But now God remembered her. He opened her womb...so it was God who had it shut for so long, but now it was opened to bare Joseph.
Joseph had to endure the teasing of his brothers. He was special and his parents knew that. He had to endure being different. It can become weary being a child among several brothers not only the youngest but special too. Can you imagine?? Then for his brothers to become so sick of seeing how special he was to trade him as a slave. So now onward to Egypt as a slave. Could Joseph possibly have been so much in despair to just give up. But something beyond his control drove him onward. Look where he ended up...Pharaoh's house! No one but God could possible chain these events together. He is a slave yes, but not just a slave...a slave in Pharaoh's house! How many times do we look at our small world...the slave part...and not fix our eyes on the entire circumstance. We may be a slave but I guarantee you that God has huge plans for our lives. We may be in the Pharaoh's home and not even realize the events taking place. Hang in there.
Gen 39:2
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
So Joseph finds grace in their sight and moves up in chain of command. He has everything under his hands. He has great responsibility. Things are looking up...But then look at what happens.
Gen 39:7
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Who comes on the scene none other but temptation. Of course Joseph resists the temptation but still is punished for it.
Gen 39:20
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.
Then Joseph finds favour in the eyes of the prison guard. No matter what Joseph did God blessed him and the Lord was with him through it all. He was now in prison but God still used him. He interpreted dreams and the butler was free but yet forgot about Joseph. 2 years later sitting in prison for a crime he did not commit, after being placed into slavery because his own brothers did not like him...Pharaoh has a dream that needs interpretation. What do you think went through Josephs mind? Despair, discouragement, frustration, anger, resentment, and any other unpleasant thought that may have tried to seep in to those prison walls.
Gen 39:21
But the LORD was with Joseph
The Lord encouraged him, gave him hope when Joseph saw none. Joseph could have had a bad attitude through it all. How many prayers do you think he prayed to be released from this prison? Do you think he may have plotted a way of escape? An early way out of this trial he was in? Don't we all do that. Look for our way of escape? But we need to wait on the Lord. He will bring us through. Do what His commandments say. Pray and Fast. God will bring us out of our trials but maybe not as quickly as we would like. Imagine what would of happened had Joseph escaped from prison. He may have not heard the dreams of the butler. He would not of been brought forth to the Pharaoh to interpret his dream. Who would have stocked the food for the 7 years of famine? I am sure God would of found someone else to do it but it would not of been Joseph.
If we want to do something huge for God...Just live your life doing what you are supposed to do. Be obedient to God's will. Your time will come but it's the small decisions we make in difficult times that have large impact.(Pastor Sullivan's sermon Sunday 8/24 :) ) So hang in there, stay in the "prison" for as long as God needs you there. Stay barren until God opens your womb. Stay a slave until God sets you free. But watch your attitude and decisions you make. Keep our eyes focused on God and all will fall into place...eventually! God bless you.
Monday, August 18, 2008
2 women, 2 circumstances
Luk 8:43
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Luk 8:44
Came behind [him], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luk 8:45
And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press [thee], and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luk 8:46
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Luk 8:47
And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
Luk 8:48
And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
_____________________________________
Mar 5:24
And [Jesus] went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
Mar 5:25
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Mar 5:26
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
Mar 5:27
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mar 5:28
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
_____________________________________________
Luk 7:36
And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
Luk 7:37
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that [Jesus] sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
Luk 7:38
And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment.
_____________________________________________
Two women. These 2 women have always intrigued me. Maybe because they both came so close to Jesus. Both came to Him with a need. The woman with the issue of blood had a life threatening disease. She had spent all that she had so she was now poor as well. She was probably somewhat of a recluse due to the nature of her disease. But she heard that Jesus was in town. He was walking the streets. She knew what kind of power He had. She knew that just one touch would heal her. Could she fight through the crowd that surrounded Him. Could she face all those people to get her healing she so desperately needed? How far was she willing to go? If she could crawl along the ground, just to grasp the hem of Jesus' garment, she knew healing would come. She had such a need she was willing to humble herself, and face many people who would probably look down on her for her desperation. She knew she had to touch Him. Oh, if we could be so hungry for touching Jesus.
On the other hand we have a more quiet scene. We have a woman with a past. She has done many things wrong with her life. But she has heard the Master is going to dinner with a Pharisee. She has heard where He would be at a certain time. I don't know how many people were at dinner that night but I know it was quieter. The people were not thronging around Him. Jesus sat at meat. Maybe a nice meal before Him. Some chit chat going on. Some teaching occurring. Then she walks in. She starts with the tears as she approaches His feet from behind. Just His presence brings her what she needed to feel. But she does not stop there. She proceeds to wipe His feet with her hair. Then brakes open the very thing that cost her all her earnings for the past year. Maybe it took her longer than that to save up for this moment. She poured out all that she had saved up onto Jesus. She was not only going to receive a blessing from the Lord but in turn she would give to Him her offerings, her all.
2 women in 2 different circumstances. Both beautiful stories of how we should live our lives. How we should focus on touching Jesus. If you only had that 1 moment in time to touch Him, would you only touch the hem of His garment? Or would you take your tears and pour them on His feet, wipe them off with your hair and follow that with pouring out your lifetime of possessions? Would you crawl through thousands of people, amongst the crowd, to touch Him or would you wait for a quiet time to bless Him with your offering?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Drifting on the swells of life...
When you are drifting in the ocean on a boat, you casually float along the swells. As you drift along you may be fishing, visiting with friends, or just sitting back enjoying the scenery. As you move along in the water it is a gradual pace in which the waters take you further from your port. You drift along and if you are not carefully watching, eventually you look for land and it is farther than you thought. You may have not realized it because you were distracted by other activities, but the swells have pulled you far out and away from land. You may have not intentionally drifted out so far, but you did. Apply this to your spirit now. If the water is life and swells are circumstances. What activities occurred on the boat is your reaction in life...distracted. God is the land for this story sake. Has the waters of life taken you away from your Lord. Maybe it was a gradual swell that took you away. The circumstances took you up and down, left and right, nonetheless they took you further and further away. It is not until someone says "Wow, look how far you are from land." Then you look up and get that sinking feeling of how far out you are and what it will take to get back! Luckily God has put a powerful engine on your little boat to get you back to shore.
Moral of the story is: Keep your eyes on God when in the seas of life. Dont stray so far to where you have to squint your eyes to see land. If you do happen to stray, turn on the motor of prayer to get you back quickly and safely to the arms of God. It usually is a gradual process when you drift from God, I am not talking about backsliding, just drifting...from His presence.
Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you at all times. Help me to not get so distracted by circumstances of life. And, when I do drift thank you for providing me a resource to safely come back into your arms once again and Thank you for accepting me back.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Glimpse into the past...Will help your future
Everyone has a story...Here's a glimpse of mine.
I grew up knowing the Lord. He was always with me. I spent many days in the hospital due to my asthma. He was with me. Though I did not know He was with me. I went to Sunday School but that was usually it. I was baptized at 7. I remember one day as a child in my room I started praying. Then I was crying and I did not understand what was happening but looking back, now I know. God was reaching down and touching my heart. He was placing something inside of me that would keep me for my long journey ahead.
Months maybe years went by and I never really reflected too much on that. Through teenage years...Ha Ha Wow aren't those fun...I occasionally thought about the Lord. I would send up a prayer or two. I did not attend church but once with a friend. I would not call myself a christian by all means at that stage. But the Lord was with me. I was not living the way He would of wanted me to but He stayed at my side and listened to my prayers. He comforted me in times of need.
As I became a young adult I am sorry to say I did not draw any closer to the Lord. But I always knew He was with me, watching over me. I did attend church more often than in the past but I still did not have a strong relationship with the Lord. I got the Holy Ghost when I was a teenager but I still was not ready to turn my life completly over to Him. I did my own thing but when trouble came I would reach out to Him. Then as adulthood came I finally made a commitment to trust in the Lord with everything I had. I received the Holy Ghost again and again and again. I was faithful to the house of the Lord. I battled my way to do right when wrong just seemed better.
Now the Lord has become my friend, counselor, Prince of Peace, Heavenly Father and my everything. Through good times and bad I praise Him. How can I not give Him the glory when I look back and see all He has brought me through. I know I kept this generic still with little details but look at your own life. This is my testimony of what He has done for me. Only I can relate to this story because it is mine. But look back...What did He do for you behind the scenes? What did He put inside of you? Has He given you joy in times of despair? Has He given you life when death was at your door? Did He put you in green pastures after pulling you from your miry clay?
He has literally saved my life atleast thrice that I can count and that I am aware of. He has made me laugh when I should of cried. He has made me productive when I should be sitting on a corner talking to myself! He has renewed my soul when dark days hung on.
What has He done for you? No matter all the bad things that may be happening right now...Take a moment right now to reflect on what He has done in your life. Pick just one thing, and thank Him for it. You will feel better instantly. No matter what you have been through Jesus can relate to your situation and help you through it.
When you are looking up then you will take your eyes off all the destruction going on around you. Sometimes it is good to just look up for a while toward God and give your spirit a rest from all the stress and worries of this life. Look up and reflect back to a time that God really moved in your life. He is a healing God. Not only physical wounds but spiritual, emotional wounds can also be healed. He can heal wounds from abuse, addictions, or just unsettling events from your past. Let God heal you...but first you must expose your wound to Him so He can bandage you up!
Remember back as a kid you fell off your bike or skinned your knee at some point. Then good ole mom or dad, grandpa or grandma wanted to clean out the wound. You knew it was going to hurt so you would inch away as they came at you. But if they did not get the debris out it was going to just get infected and then turn into a body wide infection. Apply this to spiritual now. God must examine your wound, clean it out though it may be painful, then bandage it. If it is not thoroughly cleaned out and something that does not belong gets left in there...an infection can happen called bitterness. Allow the Lord to bandage your wound. And for goodness sake keep the bandaid on to let the healing process occur. Dont rip up the bandage and pick at the scab! Let it go and let healing run through your body from your heavenly Father above.
I grew up knowing the Lord. He was always with me. I spent many days in the hospital due to my asthma. He was with me. Though I did not know He was with me. I went to Sunday School but that was usually it. I was baptized at 7. I remember one day as a child in my room I started praying. Then I was crying and I did not understand what was happening but looking back, now I know. God was reaching down and touching my heart. He was placing something inside of me that would keep me for my long journey ahead.
Months maybe years went by and I never really reflected too much on that. Through teenage years...Ha Ha Wow aren't those fun...I occasionally thought about the Lord. I would send up a prayer or two. I did not attend church but once with a friend. I would not call myself a christian by all means at that stage. But the Lord was with me. I was not living the way He would of wanted me to but He stayed at my side and listened to my prayers. He comforted me in times of need.
As I became a young adult I am sorry to say I did not draw any closer to the Lord. But I always knew He was with me, watching over me. I did attend church more often than in the past but I still did not have a strong relationship with the Lord. I got the Holy Ghost when I was a teenager but I still was not ready to turn my life completly over to Him. I did my own thing but when trouble came I would reach out to Him. Then as adulthood came I finally made a commitment to trust in the Lord with everything I had. I received the Holy Ghost again and again and again. I was faithful to the house of the Lord. I battled my way to do right when wrong just seemed better.
Now the Lord has become my friend, counselor, Prince of Peace, Heavenly Father and my everything. Through good times and bad I praise Him. How can I not give Him the glory when I look back and see all He has brought me through. I know I kept this generic still with little details but look at your own life. This is my testimony of what He has done for me. Only I can relate to this story because it is mine. But look back...What did He do for you behind the scenes? What did He put inside of you? Has He given you joy in times of despair? Has He given you life when death was at your door? Did He put you in green pastures after pulling you from your miry clay?
He has literally saved my life atleast thrice that I can count and that I am aware of. He has made me laugh when I should of cried. He has made me productive when I should be sitting on a corner talking to myself! He has renewed my soul when dark days hung on.
What has He done for you? No matter all the bad things that may be happening right now...Take a moment right now to reflect on what He has done in your life. Pick just one thing, and thank Him for it. You will feel better instantly. No matter what you have been through Jesus can relate to your situation and help you through it.
When you are looking up then you will take your eyes off all the destruction going on around you. Sometimes it is good to just look up for a while toward God and give your spirit a rest from all the stress and worries of this life. Look up and reflect back to a time that God really moved in your life. He is a healing God. Not only physical wounds but spiritual, emotional wounds can also be healed. He can heal wounds from abuse, addictions, or just unsettling events from your past. Let God heal you...but first you must expose your wound to Him so He can bandage you up!
Remember back as a kid you fell off your bike or skinned your knee at some point. Then good ole mom or dad, grandpa or grandma wanted to clean out the wound. You knew it was going to hurt so you would inch away as they came at you. But if they did not get the debris out it was going to just get infected and then turn into a body wide infection. Apply this to spiritual now. God must examine your wound, clean it out though it may be painful, then bandage it. If it is not thoroughly cleaned out and something that does not belong gets left in there...an infection can happen called bitterness. Allow the Lord to bandage your wound. And for goodness sake keep the bandaid on to let the healing process occur. Dont rip up the bandage and pick at the scab! Let it go and let healing run through your body from your heavenly Father above.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
This is the God I serve.
Someday my hope is to tell my life story. If you only knew the trials God has brought me through you could catch a glimpse of why I love the Lord. You see He has brought me through some dangerous perils. He literally saved my life, more than once. He protected my mind. He has healed me. He has rescued me when I did not want rescuing. He has protected my integrity. He has blessed me multiple times. He has comforted me in dark hours. He has counseled me. He has carried me. He has spoken for me when I could not speak. He has kept me close when I pushed Him away. He watched over me, before I ever turned my life over to Him. He has loved me when I was unlovable. When I thought I could not go on, He provided me with strength to endure. He has been so good to me, I could never tell it all. He has done things that I am unaware of. Yes, I may be young and have plenty of life before me but all I need to know is my God is all powerful, omnipotent, mighty king, and....He is my friend. What do I have to fear? If God is for us, who can be against us?
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