What do you love to do? Do you have to stop and think hard about it? In the face of all you have to do have you forgotten what it is you love to do?
God created YOU unique, special. When you were conceived, no matter the circumstances, His knitting needles began to knit you into just the person you are. Oh yes, you have been shaped by circumstances and people and life... yet deep inside is the treasure of YOU.
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully make; Your works are wonderful..." (Psalm 139:13, 14).
Today think of all the "Have to" things on your list that need to get done. Now add one "Get to" thing... just for you. Something that will celebrate the unique creation you are in God's sight.
It doesn't matter that you aren't where you hope to one day be with your career, your relationships, your weight, or any number of markers on the wall that you have for yourself. Just celebrate you in some simple yet specific way.
Get some fresh flowers for yourself.
Sit outside and have a coffee break.
Go for lunch with a friend.
Buy a cheap kid's paint set and nurture that desire to paint.
Have ice cream!
Give yourself permission to take a nap.
Stop at a park on your way home and enjoy the green for even five minutes.
As nurturing women we can bury ourselves in the needs of others. One lady told me she didn't even know anymore what her dreams were. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. That's why He made you uniquely you, placed you in this time in life and in the circle you are in. The plans God has for you are things that will bring joy to your heart. They are "get to" things!
Start today and celebrate you. Ask God to begin to show you the "get to" things among the "have to" things.
His work is wonderful. That includes you. See yourself through His eyes today and celebrate!
~Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You see me as no one else does. You made me and You have said I am wonderful. Help me today to see myself as You do. Help me to celebrate me as I thank You. Help me to take some time for the " get to" things in my "have to" life and may I bring joy to You as I do. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Is There Any Need for Church??
There are those that would say that going to church is not necessary for salvation. There are those that would disagree. Here's what I think: going to "church" is not necessary for salvation. However, I do think that fellowship with other believers is necessary for continued growth and discernment in your Christian faith walk. Jesus said that gathering together to study his words and his message and finding agreement (everyone agreed as to what was meant, and all understood.)
"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers,* I am there among them." Matthew 18:19,20 (NLT) *Greek: gathered in my name
These were Jesus' words, people! He instructed us to gather together so that we might lift one another up, and be able to discern God's will in all matters, rather than our own. All believers have the Holy Spirit within to help guide their ways, but God did not take away our free will when He gave us the Spirit. We are still tempted, and we will still ignore the Spirit's prompting and need others that will hold us accountable, and take the time to explain why our sin was sin. (I think that quite often our sin may not actually be intentional, or we just have not evaluated whether our actions or thoughts are sinful.)
The only perfect human was Jesus himself, and even He kept fellowship with others so that He might teach them, and so that all might learn from one another and keep each other accountable to the Word of God and to His instruction as Christ followers. Jesus also stated that the church would be the rock upon which His foundation would be laid.
By "church" He meant a body of believers that were in fellowship with one another on a regular and consistent basis. Whether that means going to an organized church every Sunday, or having a bible study in your home regularly, I don't know if it matters. What does matter is that you have fellowship.
In fact, I think it's possible to have virtual fellowships, if they are consistent, and the people in fellowship with one another can truly be in fellowship with one another. I also feel it's necessary that there is some educated knowledge of scripture, with attendees all having various levels of spiritual maturity, but with at least one person that is able to teach the others (because they have studied the word extensively and have tested their interpretations of it.)
Even Jesus went to synagogue regularly. "When Jesus came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. Luke 4:16 (NLT) If Jesus, the Son of God, and Savior of all, went to church regularly, who are we to dissuade anyone??? I for one wouldn't want to take the chance that I might be discouraging someone from seeking the Lord.
If you read 1 Corinthians 12:12-25 You will find that Paul shows us here that we all need one another, because we are each a part of the whole "body of Christ." And goes on to say that "This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it..." 1 Cor 12:25-27 (NLT)
For those that say that the church today is not what Jesus intended, I say this: Many churches and congregations have stumbled in their efforts to spread the Good News, and some have had leaders that stumbled. But who are we to judge? Do we not have logs in our own eye? I do not think that we can lump all churches into this group.
There are churches available that teach the Word of God, as it is written; and that strive to be truly godly in their leadership, and encourage their members to do the same. The only thing that is accomplished by discouraging church attendance, is that unbelievers usually stay unbelievers, and sinners die without ever knowing the saving grace of God.
So again I say: Do I think that church attendance is the only way to be in fellowship with other believers? No, I don't. However, I do think you must be in fellowship, in some manner. Do I think that every believer needs another to help hold them accountable? Most assuredly yes. To believe otherwise, is to listen to the deceiver, just as Eve did in the Garden, when she was told that by eating the fruit of knowledge, she would be as God. You cannot be sinless, it is not possible. You can try, and you can come close, perhaps, but all of us are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. Even after accepting Christ as our savior. Let go of pride in self, and reach out in love to others that may need your "body part."
Love and Blessings in His Holy Name.
"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers,* I am there among them." Matthew 18:19,20 (NLT) *Greek: gathered in my name
These were Jesus' words, people! He instructed us to gather together so that we might lift one another up, and be able to discern God's will in all matters, rather than our own. All believers have the Holy Spirit within to help guide their ways, but God did not take away our free will when He gave us the Spirit. We are still tempted, and we will still ignore the Spirit's prompting and need others that will hold us accountable, and take the time to explain why our sin was sin. (I think that quite often our sin may not actually be intentional, or we just have not evaluated whether our actions or thoughts are sinful.)
The only perfect human was Jesus himself, and even He kept fellowship with others so that He might teach them, and so that all might learn from one another and keep each other accountable to the Word of God and to His instruction as Christ followers. Jesus also stated that the church would be the rock upon which His foundation would be laid.
By "church" He meant a body of believers that were in fellowship with one another on a regular and consistent basis. Whether that means going to an organized church every Sunday, or having a bible study in your home regularly, I don't know if it matters. What does matter is that you have fellowship.
In fact, I think it's possible to have virtual fellowships, if they are consistent, and the people in fellowship with one another can truly be in fellowship with one another. I also feel it's necessary that there is some educated knowledge of scripture, with attendees all having various levels of spiritual maturity, but with at least one person that is able to teach the others (because they have studied the word extensively and have tested their interpretations of it.)
Even Jesus went to synagogue regularly. "When Jesus came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. Luke 4:16 (NLT) If Jesus, the Son of God, and Savior of all, went to church regularly, who are we to dissuade anyone??? I for one wouldn't want to take the chance that I might be discouraging someone from seeking the Lord.
If you read 1 Corinthians 12:12-25 You will find that Paul shows us here that we all need one another, because we are each a part of the whole "body of Christ." And goes on to say that "This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it..." 1 Cor 12:25-27 (NLT)
For those that say that the church today is not what Jesus intended, I say this: Many churches and congregations have stumbled in their efforts to spread the Good News, and some have had leaders that stumbled. But who are we to judge? Do we not have logs in our own eye? I do not think that we can lump all churches into this group.
There are churches available that teach the Word of God, as it is written; and that strive to be truly godly in their leadership, and encourage their members to do the same. The only thing that is accomplished by discouraging church attendance, is that unbelievers usually stay unbelievers, and sinners die without ever knowing the saving grace of God.
So again I say: Do I think that church attendance is the only way to be in fellowship with other believers? No, I don't. However, I do think you must be in fellowship, in some manner. Do I think that every believer needs another to help hold them accountable? Most assuredly yes. To believe otherwise, is to listen to the deceiver, just as Eve did in the Garden, when she was told that by eating the fruit of knowledge, she would be as God. You cannot be sinless, it is not possible. You can try, and you can come close, perhaps, but all of us are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. Even after accepting Christ as our savior. Let go of pride in self, and reach out in love to others that may need your "body part."
Love and Blessings in His Holy Name.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Stewards - Not Owners! By Bob Gass
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
John 3:30
When the crowds left John the Baptist to follow Jesus, he said: "This is the assigned moment for Him to move into the centre, while I slip off to the sidelines" (John 3:30 TM). John thought like a steward. A steward simply manages something for the owner until he comes to take it back. John knew that the crowd leaving him for Christ was never his to begin with. God had simply placed them under his care for a period of time to accomplish certain purposes. With John this was apparently just fine.
John's view of stewardship presents us with an important principle. For his crowds may be our careers, our assets, our natural and spiritual gifts, etc. Are these things owned or merely managed in the name of the One Who entrusted them to us? Your answer depends on whether you're called or driven. Driven people consider them owned; called people don't. When driven people lose things it's a major crisis; when called people lose them, nothing's changed. Why? Because their calling is not to a position, it's to a person - the person of Christ. Knowing who he was not was the beginning of John knowing who he was. And who was he? A steward! And he didn't aspire to anything beyond that.
What is success, as God counts success? It's when others hear you, but follow Jesus. It's when others see some quality in you that causes them to fall more in love with Him. Only when that happens, and you feel like you've lost nothing in the process, can you truly say, "Father, I've done what You called me to do."
John 3:30
When the crowds left John the Baptist to follow Jesus, he said: "This is the assigned moment for Him to move into the centre, while I slip off to the sidelines" (John 3:30 TM). John thought like a steward. A steward simply manages something for the owner until he comes to take it back. John knew that the crowd leaving him for Christ was never his to begin with. God had simply placed them under his care for a period of time to accomplish certain purposes. With John this was apparently just fine.
John's view of stewardship presents us with an important principle. For his crowds may be our careers, our assets, our natural and spiritual gifts, etc. Are these things owned or merely managed in the name of the One Who entrusted them to us? Your answer depends on whether you're called or driven. Driven people consider them owned; called people don't. When driven people lose things it's a major crisis; when called people lose them, nothing's changed. Why? Because their calling is not to a position, it's to a person - the person of Christ. Knowing who he was not was the beginning of John knowing who he was. And who was he? A steward! And he didn't aspire to anything beyond that.
What is success, as God counts success? It's when others hear you, but follow Jesus. It's when others see some quality in you that causes them to fall more in love with Him. Only when that happens, and you feel like you've lost nothing in the process, can you truly say, "Father, I've done what You called me to do."
Monday, June 11, 2007
AM I QUIET? By Marilyn Ehle
"I have stilled and quieted my soul..." (Psalm 131:2).
Whether it be the insistent cry of the corporate ladder, the more vocal cry of small children, or the never-ending cry of our loneliness, cacophony surrounds us. However, even the most "type A" personally eventually discovers that the soul, that deep place within, longs - indeed requires - stillness.
I am amazed that the writer of Psalm 131 does not ask for a seminar, retreat or religious "professional" to teach him how to be quiet. He simply says, "I have stilled and quieted my soul..." Did he hide in a cave in the midst of actual battle for moments of spiritual re - arming? Perhaps it was during the daily schedule of unrelenting decision-making as king that he escaped into a quiet side room of the palace?
In our modern world with its press of sound via television, radio, iPods, internet and cell phones, it becomes imperative for the Christian to learn how to "still and quiet" the soul. But this is not a habit that comes naturally; we are attuned to the clock and calendar, somehow wanting instant quietness without effort. Anyone who has suffered through learning to play a musical instrument knows the tendency to skip over those daily and often frustrating practice sessions. In similar fashion, any spiritual practice must also be actually practiced.
The psalmist says that the result of a stilled and quieted soul is the attitude of a small child who leans close to his mother, fully confident in her love, care and protection. There is ultimate and sure blessing ahead for the one who is learning to be still and quieted.
~Lord, I am impatient for so many things. I want results without effort, without practice. Not only does my head know that I need quiet, but the core of my being longs for it. Please help me understand and practice the disciplines that will lead to a stilled soul.
Whether it be the insistent cry of the corporate ladder, the more vocal cry of small children, or the never-ending cry of our loneliness, cacophony surrounds us. However, even the most "type A" personally eventually discovers that the soul, that deep place within, longs - indeed requires - stillness.
I am amazed that the writer of Psalm 131 does not ask for a seminar, retreat or religious "professional" to teach him how to be quiet. He simply says, "I have stilled and quieted my soul..." Did he hide in a cave in the midst of actual battle for moments of spiritual re - arming? Perhaps it was during the daily schedule of unrelenting decision-making as king that he escaped into a quiet side room of the palace?
In our modern world with its press of sound via television, radio, iPods, internet and cell phones, it becomes imperative for the Christian to learn how to "still and quiet" the soul. But this is not a habit that comes naturally; we are attuned to the clock and calendar, somehow wanting instant quietness without effort. Anyone who has suffered through learning to play a musical instrument knows the tendency to skip over those daily and often frustrating practice sessions. In similar fashion, any spiritual practice must also be actually practiced.
The psalmist says that the result of a stilled and quieted soul is the attitude of a small child who leans close to his mother, fully confident in her love, care and protection. There is ultimate and sure blessing ahead for the one who is learning to be still and quieted.
~Lord, I am impatient for so many things. I want results without effort, without practice. Not only does my head know that I need quiet, but the core of my being longs for it. Please help me understand and practice the disciplines that will lead to a stilled soul.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Rivers And Reservoirs (2) by Bob Gass
Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a [memorial offering] before God.
Acts 10:4 NIV
The things you do for others don't go unnoticed. God is keeping track of every single one. He "doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well… the love you've shown Him… by helping" (Hebrews 6:10 TM). God heard the kind words you spoke to that person who was hurting. He saw your sacrificial giving when you could least afford it. By doing what you did you paved the way for God to help you. He's storing it all up so that in your time of need you'll have a rich account to draw on.
The Bible speaks about a Roman soldier named Cornelius, a "good man… always helping people in need" (Acts 10:2 TM). And what happened to Cornelius? His family became the first Gentile household to hear and receive the Gospel. What a payoff! Why did God pick Cornelius? Because of his generous spirit, "An angel… came to him and said… 'Your… gifts… have come up as a [memorial offering] before God'" (Acts 10:4 NAS).
And, a lady was praying about starting a pet grooming business but couldn't afford to advertise. So she went to her local animal shelter and volunteered to groom the pets in order to help increase their chances for adoption. Interestingly, the harder she worked the more her own business grew by word of mouth. Finally she ended up with more clients than she could handle!
Does that mean if you don't help others God won't help you? No, thankfully His love is unconditional. But a missed opportunity to give is a missed opportunity to receive, because when you are generous with others God promises to be generous with you.
Acts 10:4 NIV
The things you do for others don't go unnoticed. God is keeping track of every single one. He "doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well… the love you've shown Him… by helping" (Hebrews 6:10 TM). God heard the kind words you spoke to that person who was hurting. He saw your sacrificial giving when you could least afford it. By doing what you did you paved the way for God to help you. He's storing it all up so that in your time of need you'll have a rich account to draw on.
The Bible speaks about a Roman soldier named Cornelius, a "good man… always helping people in need" (Acts 10:2 TM). And what happened to Cornelius? His family became the first Gentile household to hear and receive the Gospel. What a payoff! Why did God pick Cornelius? Because of his generous spirit, "An angel… came to him and said… 'Your… gifts… have come up as a [memorial offering] before God'" (Acts 10:4 NAS).
And, a lady was praying about starting a pet grooming business but couldn't afford to advertise. So she went to her local animal shelter and volunteered to groom the pets in order to help increase their chances for adoption. Interestingly, the harder she worked the more her own business grew by word of mouth. Finally she ended up with more clients than she could handle!
Does that mean if you don't help others God won't help you? No, thankfully His love is unconditional. But a missed opportunity to give is a missed opportunity to receive, because when you are generous with others God promises to be generous with you.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Rivers And Reservoirs (1) by Bob Gass
Be stingy and lose everything. The generous... prosper.
Proverbs 11:24-25 NLT
One reason the Dead Sea is a big tourist attraction is because it's got such high mineral concentrations that even nonswimmers can stay afloat in its waters. The only problem is that, because it has no outlets, any fresh water that comes in quickly becomes contaminated. Solomon said, "Be stingy and lose everything. The generous… prosper." God never intended us to be reservoirs that just take in; He called us to be rivers that flow out to bless others. Something interesting happens when you stop focusing on yourself and get concerned with other people's needs.
Paul says, "A person who gives cheerfully… will… have… plenty left … to share" (2 Corinthians 9:7-8 NLT). If you want to grow you've got to sow! When the Macedonian church was "tested by great troubles, and… very poor… they gave… much… more than they could afford" (2 Corinthians 8:2-3 NCV). They understood that when you invest in the lives of others, God promises to meet your needs too.
So if you need a job today, volunteer at a soup kitchen while you're looking for work. If you're praying for an increase in your business, pour yourself into somebody else's business and ask God to prosper them. The Bible says when you "Give generously… your gifts will return to you later," plus, "In the days ahead you yourself may need… help" (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 TLB).
Even if you don't have a specific need right now, sow a seed of kindness anyway. Only God knows what the future holds, and one day when you need it the most it'll come back to bless you with a harvest.
Proverbs 11:24-25 NLT
One reason the Dead Sea is a big tourist attraction is because it's got such high mineral concentrations that even nonswimmers can stay afloat in its waters. The only problem is that, because it has no outlets, any fresh water that comes in quickly becomes contaminated. Solomon said, "Be stingy and lose everything. The generous… prosper." God never intended us to be reservoirs that just take in; He called us to be rivers that flow out to bless others. Something interesting happens when you stop focusing on yourself and get concerned with other people's needs.
Paul says, "A person who gives cheerfully… will… have… plenty left … to share" (2 Corinthians 9:7-8 NLT). If you want to grow you've got to sow! When the Macedonian church was "tested by great troubles, and… very poor… they gave… much… more than they could afford" (2 Corinthians 8:2-3 NCV). They understood that when you invest in the lives of others, God promises to meet your needs too.
So if you need a job today, volunteer at a soup kitchen while you're looking for work. If you're praying for an increase in your business, pour yourself into somebody else's business and ask God to prosper them. The Bible says when you "Give generously… your gifts will return to you later," plus, "In the days ahead you yourself may need… help" (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 TLB).
Even if you don't have a specific need right now, sow a seed of kindness anyway. Only God knows what the future holds, and one day when you need it the most it'll come back to bless you with a harvest.
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