Remember Where You Came From!

While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.

Luke 2:6-7 

 

There's an old adage which goes something like this: "Every expert began as a novice."  We tend to forget that as we go through life.  We tend to forget that we, too, began life as a novice in diapers and everything we have learned too time and mistakes.  Many of us focus on the mistakes and failures in our lives, when the greatest encouragement of all is found in the humble beginnings of Christ.

 

Christ was not born with the ability to speak, walk, or even feed Himself.  He was not born in some magnificent palace the likes of which would boggle the mind.  Instead, He was born in a barn and His crib was a feeding trough.  That was His beginning, from there He had to learn just as we did (and still do).  And in God's perfect time, His ministry began.

Jesus Understands

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Matthew 27:46 

 

Has there ever been a time when you felt unloved? Maybe you felt depressed and just wanted to sleep forever.  Maybe you, like me, truly believed that NO ONE could understand how you feel.  Well, as Christmas approaches remember that Jesus was born just like we all were; He grew up, just like we all do, and He died, just like we all will.  What good is a Savior who cannot even begin to have a clue how we feel?  Jesus understands.

 

Jesus understands what it is to laugh, to cry, to feel irritated, to feel abandoned (as He did on the cross).  Jesus gets it!  He's felt the same ways we feel.  So when our hearts and minds cry out wondering if anyone understands...Jesus does! 

Community

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8

Jesus teaches us to love.  God told the Israelites (Leviticus 19:18) to "love your neighbor as yourself."  The question then becomes "how much do you love yourself?" For some, loving and accepting themselves as valuable is difficult.  However, when we look at ourselves as God sees us, we can learn to love ourselves AND love others.

"But who is my neighbor?"  Good question.  The Hebrew word translated as "neighbor" quite literally means "friend, companion, other people."  Therefore, we are to love everyone as we love ourselves.  While that sounds easy, remember this also includes those who may not like you; it includes those who may wish you harm; it includes those who think differently, smell differently, dress differently, act differently.  It literally means EVERYONE! 

If each of us were to treat everyone the same way we want to be treated, imagine how much better life would be for all of us.

When God Says "Go"

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

1 Samuel 16:1

 

When God tells us to "Go" what is our first reaction?  "Go where?" "But that's not where I want to go."  "What am I to do when I get there?"   You see, when God tells us to "Go" we tend to complicate the matter with lots of questions, excuses why we can't go, arguments about why someone else can't go in our place.  And do you know what all our arguments are called?  Faithless!

 

Let me be blunt...When God tells us to "Go" then we can be certain that He already has everything all worked out for us.  We can rest in the knowledge that God has had this plan in place since before time, and He has been preparing us for just this moment.  

 

When I was younger, I was so afraid that God was going to call me to go to some jungle village in the middle of who knows where to try to tell them about God's love.  But what God actually called me to do was even more challenging.  God called me to love.  That's right!  While that sounds simple, have you seen some of the people out there?  The first thing God had to get through my thick skull is this: "You can only love to the degree we have been loved.  And love begins by allowing yourself to BE loved."  God has taught me to love because HE loves me completely, warts and all!  Because of God's love for me, I have been able to love others.

 

When God says "Go" then don't hesitate..."Here I am. Send me" (Isaiah 6:8)

Mercy

Have you ever noticed how the teachings of Jesus tend to center around, "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets"?  This is the honest truth, we truly should treat others as we want to be treated.  

"But what if they don't treat me the way I treated them?" Good question!  You can only control how YOU treat others, you can't control anyone else's response.  Besides, Jesus didn't say, "If they treat you in a good way, THEN you treat them in a good way" now did He?  Nope.  Jesus makes it very clear, regardless how we are treated by others, we must treat others the same way we WANT to be treated by them.

Take a look at today's verse: "Want someone to show you mercy? Then SHOW mercy to others."  It sounds simple, but we are the ones who complicate it when we follow our feelings instead of doing what we KNOW is right.  Here's a challenge I put to both of us (you and me): Let's treat each other the way we want to be treated REGARDLESS of how they treat us.  We do our part and let God handle the rest.

It's All In The Timing!

Have you ever noticed that we are incredibly impatient?  We want everything to work on OUR timetable and when it doesn't...   One of the biggest causes of our stress and anxiety (and all the health conditions related to them) is the fact we do not seem to know how to be patient!

My Grandmother used to call me "Worrier" because I would worry about everything.  My mindset was "I only have a brief time on Earth and what if I can't get everything done that I want to do?"  It wasn't until I had heart surgery that I began to realize that God is the one with the timetable.  Therefore, I have exactly the right amount of life for Him to accomplish His plans for me.

What an incredible relief that has been!  Now, I still struggle with worry, but when I realize that I am stressing about it, that is the time I need to stop, drop, and pray!

Before

Believe it or not, we have a problem.  "Just one?" you ask....well, no.  This problem seems to have resulted in developing many more.  This problem is called "DOUBT."  You see, we seem to doubt whether God will actually BE God when we need Him.  Yes, I am talking directly to the face in the mirror.

We pray stressed out because we don't know whether or not God will actually help us.  Perhaps He wasn't prepared for this situation in my life.  Maybe He wasn't counting on my child getting sick.  Could it be that God's plan has holes in it?

Look at today's verse!  BEFORE we even ask, God has already answered!  Which means, before God spoke the first word of creation, He already had a plan for each of us.  He already knew YOUR NAME!  He already had plans for you and knew how He was going to complete those plans in you.  

There are times when God allows us to be put in situations where we have no choice but to trust Him.  "But I can't see how it's possible to make it!"  Guess what God's response is?  "I love you so much that I have the solution already in place.  I have never let you down, and I never will."  When we doubt, we assume that God can't actually BE God.  Truth is, God IS God, because before anything ever happened, He already had the answers!

Are You Ready?

"The trials you are enduring now cannot compare to the joy that is coming."

Romans 8:18

 

The word "trials" is synonymous with "pain" which is not something we like.  We don't like pain!  Why?  Because pain hurts!  When we are enduring trials and struggles and pain, we have the tendency to lash out at God demanding to know "Why are You doing this to me?".  

 

Think about this: If you want to improve your health, you should make some changes.  One of those lifestyle changes is exercise. When we begin an exercise regimen we will be in pain and a great deal of discomfort at first, and our mind will scream at us to "Stop this nonsense!"  And we will be tempted to give up.  However, when we endure and keep working we will eventually see the results.  

 

You see, God isn't allowing pain and trials and struggles into our lives as some sort of punishment or demented joke.  God is working in our lives THROUGH the struggles, trials and pain so we will become ready for His indescribable gift of joy!  And remember, there is nowhere we can go that God is not with us, loving us, caring for us, protecting us, strengthening us, calming us, and preparing us. 

Lions!!

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 

 

Every day for a week the villagers came to the Chief complaining about their missing goats.  The Chief was perplexed so he decided to go talk with the Wise Woman.  The Wise Woman listened, thought for a moment, and said, "The Lion knows where your goats are tied."  

 

Guess what?  Our enemy knows where every single one of our weaknesses (call them goats) and will use them to try to devour us when we give in to them.  Are you tempted toward anger? Our enemy will put you in situations where you will get angry.  Are you tempted toward bitterness?  Our enemy will gear situations where you will feel bitter toward others.  Like the lion, our enemy knows where our "goats" are tied.  He's been a lion a long, LONG time and is extremely good at his lioning.

 

Jesus said, "Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!" (Matthew 26:41).  When we pray, we ask God to protect us from our enemy. We can not focus on our conversation with God if our minds are elsewhere tip toeing into temptation.  Peter is correct, when you sense a temptation....GET AWAY FROM IT!!!  Whether we are willing to admit it or not, we know where we are weak and easily tempted, and the best course of action is to run fast and hard to God! 

Rock On!

[Jesus said] I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

Matthew 16:18 

 

 Peter denied Christ and felt so incredibly horrible that he wept bitterly.  He would have done pretty much anything for a do-over. How easy would it have been for Jesus to tell Peter, "You messed up this time! You have no place in My mission! YOU are DONE!"

 

I've seen an adage which goes something like this: "Do everything right, no one notices.  People only focus on the mistakes."  We're good about forgetting the good people do.  We're also good and zeroing in on the mistakes others do, without ever looking at the mistakes we do.  Then we have the audacity of wondering why morale drops, depression sets in, and people become jaded. Why do we do that?  

 

 How many times have you wanted another chance?  The cold, hard fact of the matter is that what's done is done, what's said is said, nothing can be undone, unsaid, or unseen.  Our time on this marble only moves forward.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that God is the God of second chances.  Jesus not only forgave Peter for denying Him, He went a step further and gave Peter another chance.  Not just any chance, but the chance beyond Peter's wildest dreams!  God knows ALL of our mistakes, but chooses to focus on our potential.

John the Introvert

So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!” He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:26-27 

 

I don't know what your view is of Jesus, whether He was approachable or more of an authority figure.  For the longest time I viewed Jesus as one of those people who easily made friends but was unapproachable for someone like me, because I never felt worthy of His friendship.  Here, so many years later, I have a different view.  You see, Jesus loves us.  Jesus wants us to accept His love for us.

 

The example I identify with most is the Apostle John.  John refers to himself as "the disciple Jesus loved" because Jesus did love him.  We hear a LOT about Peter because Peter was boisterous and hard to miss. Peter was stubborn, hard-headed, brash, impulsive, and Jesus built His church on Peter!  

 

John was more of an introvert (which I identify with).  John was a thinker, a person who learned by listening and observing.  John was sensitive and caring.  John is the ONLY one who dared to let us see the sensitive side of Jesus (John 11:35 - "Jesus wept"). In fact, John was also the ONLY Disciple who was present at Jesus' crucifixion, and he stood with Mary the Mother of Jesus.  And guess what Jesus did?  He trusted Peter with the church, but Jesus trusted JOHN with the care of His mother, Mary!  Let that sink in!

Peace

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 

 

Nothing really needs to be said, so I'll leave this right here for you to contemplate.

Do What?

This will be brief (I heard you whisper "Thank You").  This verse is direct, succinct, and not an option.  We are to do EVERYTHING in love!

Think about this:
Disagree with someone? Do it in love.
Need to correct someone? Do it in love.
Have a job to do? Do it in love.
Want to make a point? Do it in love.

Paul is crystal clear about this...Do EVERYTHING in love!

Miracles

The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.”

Luke 1:19-20 

Before Gabriel popped in to tell Mary that she was going to be the earthly mother to God's Son, he came to tell Zechariah that, even though he and his wife were rather advanced in years and she could not conceive, they were going to have a son.  Now, keeping that in mind, remember what happened when God's messengers told Abraham that he and Sarah were going to have a son?  Sarah laughed.  This time, Zechariah didn't laugh, but he had questions: How is this going to happen when we're so old? Elizabeth has never been able to get pregnant, so how is this going to happen?  Instead of trusting and believing that God would do what He was telling them He would do, Zechariah chose to doubt!

How many times do we choose to doubt?  God promised to always love us, yet when something bad happens we choose to doubt whether God loves us....(I've heard this MANY times).  God promised to always provide what we need, yet we choose to doubt and worry how we're going to make it.  

Zechariah doubted. Gabriel reminded him that he is the one who stands in the very presence of God, who told him to deliver this message.  Gabriel told Zechariah that he would not be able to speak until such time as this promised son was born.  Imagine if God made us unable to speak when we choose to doubt, and we couldn't speak again until God's promise was fulfilled.  God promises and has NEVER broken a single one yet!  Trust in His promises!

The Power of a Moment

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!”

Luke 1:26-28 

 

As you know, one of the things I like to do is invite you to think.  Today is no exception.  Have you ever considered the power of a moment?  Consider: the moment when your child drew their first breath....the moment you knew realized you were in love....the moment heard the words "Congratulations, the job is yours".....the moment you God called you....moments change our lives forever.  

 

In a single moment, Mary went from being a bride-to-be to being the mother of the Savior.  In that moment, her entire world changed!  As we focus on the Birth of Christ, let's focus on the power of a moment! Make your moments count by sharing yourself.  Make your moments count by doing for others.  Make your moments count because they will quickly turn into a memory, make sure the memories are worth remembering.

Journey

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you."

Genesis 12:1 

 

Following God's direction can give us cause to wonder if He has lost His senses.  I wonder if Abram followed God's instructions without question.  Think about it, God told Abram to pack everything up and move.  And in God's words..."to the land I will show you."  Remember Jeremiah 29:11 where God tells us "'For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'"  God has the plans, knows the plans, and will fulfill those plans.  We don't.  So when God says, "I have plans for you and it's part of your journey on this Earth" we can fully trust Him.

 

But how many times have we questioned God?  How many times have we doubted God's choices?  How many times have we been too scared to have faith in God's plan?  Quite a lot, in my own life.  Yet if God had told me all about my journey through life, I, most likely, would have become far too overwhelmed.  But God tends to reveal His journey for us one step at a time.  Remember, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  God shows us that one step at a time...we can trust Him, we have faith in His love for us, we have faith in His plan for us, we believe that He will get us to the next step.

 

Trust....Faith....Love! 

Grateful and Thankful

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1 

Have you ever had someone tell you "Thank You!  I really appreciate You"?  How did you feel?  Let me ask you this, have you ever told someone how much you appreciate them?

It's simple to say "Thank You".  After all, it's only two words, but when expressed genuinely and sincerely have a HUGE impact!  Let's practice gratitude every single day.  And start with God, who has given to you everything!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Abba, 

Remind us of all You have done for us, that we will be grateful.

Remind us of all You will do for us, that we can be grateful.

Remind us of all the people You have brought into our lives, that we may be grateful.

Remind us that even the people You allow into our lives who challenge us, we are to be grateful because they help us remember that You are our protector.

Remind us to be thankful and grateful every day You give us life.

 

Choose

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
    Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before Him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
    He made us, and we are His.
    We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving;
    go into His courts with praise.
    Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and His faithfulness continues to each generation.

Psalm 100

As a youngster, I had to memorize Psalm 100 for Sunday School.  I learned to recite it back in a robotic way merely parroting the words I had learned and, in so doing, this passage meant nothing to me except I was rewarded for memorizing it.  Years later, I re-read this passage and saw it with new, hopefully more learned, eyes and I realized that this is meant to inspire us!  It is meant to draw us closer to God with our thanksgiving and praise!  When we truly begin to acknowledge and are thankful to Him for who He is, our spirits will soar!  We don't praise and thank God for His benefit....we do it for our benefit.  

Abba,

Thank you for reminding us to be grateful and thankful for who You are, all You do, and for loving us.  Forgive us when we forget to acknowledge You.  Teach us how to be truly Thankful.  Teach us how we can show gratitude to others.  Teach us, Abba, so we will learn.

"Oh Peter..."

Finally, all of you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble.

1 Peter 3:8 

 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Peter.  Somehow, I can see Jesus rolling His eyes and probably having more than a chuckle or two because of Peter.  Peter was that guy who tried, I mean he REALLY tried, and yet he wasn't perfect.  He always seemed to have the best of intentions, but his execution was always just not there.

 

And here is Peter telling us that we should be in agreement.  REALLY?  Agreement? 

"Have you met the people with whom I am to be in 'agreement'?"

"Have you heard the way they talk about everyone"

"Have you seen the things they do?"

 

Think about this, what was the core message of Jesus' teaching?  To love each other!  Sometimes that will mean admitting when we're wrong.  Sometimes that will mean agreeing to disagree.  Sometimes that will mean we may need to change our perspective.

 

Then Peter tells us that we are to be understanding of each other.  WHAT?  I need to actually understand other people?  Yes!  When we understand what's going on in the lives of others, we will be better able to love them and help them.  Think about your own life, how does it feel when someone actually understands what you are having to endure?

 

Peter also tells us that we are to treat each other like family.  Consider this, when we get to Heaven, we are going to be spending the rest of eternity together, so we might as well start getting used to each other now.

 

Finally, Peter tells us that we are to be kind and humble.  This from the man who told Jesus that He couldn't wash his feet.  This from the man who stepped out of the boat to walk on water and then sank because of his lack of belief.  This from the man who cut off the ear of the servant of Malchus.  Kind?  Humble?  How do YOU want to be treated?  With kindness and humbleness.

 

Think about that.  

 

Abba,

 

Help us to become humble. Take away our pride, and remind us that we are not here just for our on glorification, but You have put us here in order to reach out to others.  Help us to love others, not just in words but in our actions and our attitudes.  Help us care about and for each other.  Remind us that we are family....we are YOUR children.  Teach us to be thankful and grateful for every moment of every day.

 

In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

Childlike or Childish?

Jesus called a little child to him and stood the child before his followers. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you must become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." 

Matthew 18:2-3

Jesus tells us that we must become like little children.  Have you ever seen little children interact with each other?  Guess what?  Little children will play together because they are with other children.  No prejudice. No anger. No hate. No drama. Just playing together.  Children are also so curious about almost everything!  They are hungry to learn and know.

Have you ever heard a child talk to their Parent?  They talk about everything and hold nothing back.   

When do we decide that we need to be childish?  We are prejudiced.  We are angry. We decide to hate. And SO much drama!  And we stop learning, stop being curious simply for the sake of learning.  Jesus reminds us that we need to stop being childish and become like a child.  A child is carefree, full of joy, playful, trusting, curious.  A child trusts more. A child talks with their parents freely.

When we pray, we should be trusting and open as a child.  You see, the REAL power of prayer depends on the One who hears our open and honest prayer!  No formulas, no repetition, just open and honest talking with your Father. 

"Got a Minute?"

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 

 

Thanksgiving Day is just next week...Let me ask you, What are YOU truly thankful for?  Honestly, I am thankful for everything!  I have a place to sleep. I have clothes to wear. I am breathing. I can think. I can speak. I can laugh. I have stretchy pants for Thanksgiving Dinner.  Then there are the friends and family and Woody Bear who teaches me how to love unconditionally.  My Dear LONGSUFFERING Bride who laughs at my bad jokes and puns, who loves me in spite of myself, who encourages me when I feel unworthy, who shows me just how awesome God is because He brought us together.

 

With all that we have to be thankful for, I am issuing a challenge: Every single day from today until the Day after Thanksgiving, I challenge you to talk with God.  Have a conversation with Him (which includes listening as well as talking).

 

Abba, do You have a minute?

Help me see You as the true father who is close to His child. Help me realize that You really do understand my struggles, challenges, and temptations.  Whisper to my spirit the love You have for me and remind me of your Presence.

 

There are so many friends who need Your love, strength, healing, and guidance as they face the struggles that life on this Earth brings us.  Show each of them You are right there with them, loving them, protecting them, helping them, guiding them.

 

Thank You for hearing my prayers and listening to me even when I complain and whine.  Thank You for Your gift of love and mercy and grace.  In Jesus' Name, Abba, Amen. 

What Are YOU Looking For?

If your goals are good, you will be respected, 

but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get.

Proverbs 11:27 

 

I honestly cannot remember who said it, but I was told "Make sure your goals are worth pursuing."  Let's face it, we all have goals and we strive to achieve them.  

 

In John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy."  That is his goal to steal, to kill, and to destroy.  He will pursue that goal with all that is within him, because that is the goal he has chosen.

 

You see, our goals are something we seriously CHOOSE.  They don't just happen...we choose them.  John 10:10b gives us the true goal we should pursue: "I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly."  Jesus' goal is to give us abundant life!  Our goal should be to pursue Jesus with all that is within us! 

 

Are You A Bee Or A Bear?

What is it about encouraging words that lifts our spirits and brings us a sense of happiness?  What is it about someone appreciating you that makes you blush and stammer because you feel so good?  

Let me ask you something...are you a bee or a bear?  You see, bees make the honey.  They create this wonderful elixir which is to tasty and so good for you.  The bear only takes the honey, no asking, not waiting until it is offered.  In fact the bear will, quite literally, destroy the bees' hive just so he can devour the honey.  So let me ask you again, are you the bee (who creates goodness) or the Bear (who destroys and steals)?

When we encourage others and are appreciative of them, that gift is like honey.  People will respond positively.  When we refuse to be appreciative and encouraging, we are, quite literally, destroying the spirit of the others.

Be a BEE!

Are You Willing?

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go?”And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:8 

I discovered, VERY early in Basic Training, when you Drill Sergeant asks for a volunteer it's best to volunteer or else you will be dropped for push-ups and THEN you will be voluntold.  I was reminiscing with a friend about those days, all we learned, all we endured, all the pranks, all the punishments, and then Joe asked me, "Why did you volunteer? Is sure wasn't for the money or the glamor, and there was no fame, so why did you volunteer?'  I thought about it because it had been a few years (ahem, ahem), and I said, "Because I wanted to become a better person."  Joe looked a bit stunned and said, "No, you bonehead, why did you volunteer for ministry?"

My first thought was, "You think I volunteered for ministry?" But I figured that would be the wrong approach.  I explained that ministry is something I knew, deep within me, that God has been preparing me for.  I told him that I was terrified and felt (still feel) terribly under qualified, but I trust and am still learning to trust God.

There is an adage which says, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called."  And it is true.  When God called Saul to ministry, Saul was not even remotely qualified.  He spent 3 years in the wilderness learning from God.  You see, God doesn't expect us to be perfect.  He knows quite well that we don't have all the answers or the ability or the courage or even a detailed diagram of His plan for us.  All God wants is for us to step up and say, "Here I am, I'll go."  Then God will take care of the rest.  We all have a mission.  We all have a ministry.  God has that planned for each of us, we need to be available.   

Incredible Joy

Have you ever wondered if God knows what He's doing?  The situation is so painful that you wonder if God even knows how you feel? Let me reassure you that no matter what you are enduring, God knows how you feel and He's going to get you through it!  

My first week of Basic Training made me wonder why I ever thought enlisting was a good idea.  However, when our Chaplain came around to talk with us (which he did weekly) he reminded us of one thing: You can endure pretty much anything when you keep in mind that "this, too, shall pass."  Let me tell you something, each morning I woke up was time I thanked God for another day.  Every morning when we were sweating as we endured physical training (rain or shine), I thanked God for the inspiration to have that time to think while I ached in ways I never imagined.  Celebrating each achievement brought joy. 

When the day came to graduate from Basic Training, the joy was incredible!  

Whatever you are going through, don't give up! The joy that God gives us is SO awesome!  And I guarantee, the pain now may be deep and seem to never end, but turn it over to Him every single time you feel it, as long as you feel it, and there WILL come a day when you will feel joy again.

What Instrument Are You?

Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.

Exodus 3:10 

 

Moses....WOW....started out with so much in his corner and yet he ended up running away to the desert for 40 years believing his worth and usefulness to God had vanished faster than water hitting the desert sand.  He had tried to do what he believed God had planned for him.  He was, after all, a Prince of Egypt with power and influence.  Yet that was all gone now. He had nothing left to offer...or so he thought.

 

I'm going to be honest, I've thought like Moses too.  I believed that I had so mucked up my life that I had nothing left to offer God.  I believed my usefulness to God had dried up.  And I felt angry, depressed, and frustrated for it.  And, like Moses, I felt I had nothing left to offer.

 

When God came to talk with Moses through the burning bush, He spoke to Moses in a way he could understand.  He told Moses that He had a mission for him and it would the plan was easy to grasp: First, God told Moses, "I am sending you to Pharaoh."  Second, God told Moses, "You must lead My people Israel out of Egypt."  Notice God didn't say, "Moses, if you have some available time and would like to do Me a favor, would you mind terribly going to Egypt and talk with Pharaoh and bring My people out?"  

 

When I was growing up, when my Mom would tell me to do something and I told her I didn't want to (especially when it was along the lines of "Clean up this room"), her response was almost always, "I'm sorry, did I ASK if you would?"  She had a point.  God didn't ask Moses either.  You see, when God gives us His plan, we are to become His willing instrument, while God performs this task through us.  Most of the time, God has to get us to the point where we have nothing left to offer Him because it is then that we are more willing to let Him work through us.  After all, it's God's plan and His responsibility to see it completed, and it is our place to be available for Him to use.

That Thing You Do

Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:16

 

What stops us from doing good deeds?  Is it a lack of recognition?  Is it because we're too busy?  Is it because we just don't care? Whatever our excuse (and excuse is the right word), Jesus instructs us to not only DO good deeds, we are to let our good deeds be an example for others.

 

Imagine the changes that can begin with just a good deed!  And here's the best part, we may THINK no one pays attention or even cares, but God does and will use every good deed to inspire someone else!