Monday, October 30, 2006
The Truth and Facing Giants
Truth can be like that stone David used to slay Goliath. In the life of a growing Christian there are always giants in the land. Someone or some force is not going to want you to be a growing Christian and those forces can seem like giants . Especially if they seem to be able to mess up the fruitful crop you are trying to grow. The fruits of the spirit (necessary for those who do not want to fake Christianity) have to be tended to just as a garden would. You would not plant a garden right in the middle of a forest filled with rabbits and all kinds of wildlife that would like to eat your plants as they sprout . Neither would you expect to grow the fruits of the spirit in a bar every Saturday night and be to tired to go to church Sunday. Being people with legs of course, we can choose where to put our garden for growing at any given time.
Well, we are talking about giants here. Believe you me giants are not wanting to help your garden. They are out to deceive you into thinking it is okay to leave your garden just where you have been putting it. Especially if the giant has been able to eat your crop up almost daily. There is one thing about mobile gardens, you either got to get some protection or fight the giant.
My idea is that you should ask God what He wants you to do.
There is not a pat answer for every situtation. Not even every situtation that looks like another situtation that He gave you an answer for before.
I think it is good to know confidently that LORD will be on your side as you go into fight the giant. Just how one becomes confident of that fact is , you must realize that you are on His side first. You know , like the choose yea this day, whom you will serve, exhortation. If you know that you have chosen the LORD to be your God, and Him only you will serve, the benefits are tremendous. You now have been picked to be on the winning side.
But still I see so many Christians having their lunch eaten by the giants and I so want to help them get the word of truth in their hand.
It is not for me to say just what that truth is. It is for me to know with them that if God is their God, there is a word of truth for them.
I think it comes in a special way that they won't miss it if they just know to look for the word, that is especially for them.
It is okay to try other peoples words I guess. It might just be the same one for you. ( I am talking about scripture here, the Bible is full of them.) However, when you have that one that the HOLY SPIRIT has drawn out of the pile for you , then you know you have it. Let me at Goliath !
I just had a thought ! Maybe that is why David picked up 5 stones. It wouldn't hurt to have a few scriptures from the LORD in reserve !
It is the word of truth that I have for my paticular giant that is the word of testimony I have today. I may have been having target practice before , but this one is bound to be a hit.
Actually , I have about five ! Maybe I better count before I take off. ( A little humor.)
Truthfully, I am waiting on the LORD ! To many times I have been filled with the word , gone into to take Jericho and found the walls fell down alright, they fell on me.
The LORD draws nigh unto a broken and a contrite heart. I have asked Him to break my heart . I need Him to draw nigh. In His presence is fullness of joy. With a joyful heart and pocket full of stones. Wouldn't this be more like a two-edged sword in my hand? I guess even David realized he needed a sword to finish the job. God bless you all. My prayer is that you find your word of truth this day . Maybe you need to be made aware of just what giant is battling you. Are you deceived into thinking that where you've planted your garden , it is an okay location ?
Cry out to Jesus ! He will hear you when you cry. He will come and help you.
Well, we are talking about giants here. Believe you me giants are not wanting to help your garden. They are out to deceive you into thinking it is okay to leave your garden just where you have been putting it. Especially if the giant has been able to eat your crop up almost daily. There is one thing about mobile gardens, you either got to get some protection or fight the giant.
My idea is that you should ask God what He wants you to do.
There is not a pat answer for every situtation. Not even every situtation that looks like another situtation that He gave you an answer for before.
I think it is good to know confidently that LORD will be on your side as you go into fight the giant. Just how one becomes confident of that fact is , you must realize that you are on His side first. You know , like the choose yea this day, whom you will serve, exhortation. If you know that you have chosen the LORD to be your God, and Him only you will serve, the benefits are tremendous. You now have been picked to be on the winning side.
But still I see so many Christians having their lunch eaten by the giants and I so want to help them get the word of truth in their hand.
It is not for me to say just what that truth is. It is for me to know with them that if God is their God, there is a word of truth for them.
I think it comes in a special way that they won't miss it if they just know to look for the word, that is especially for them.
It is okay to try other peoples words I guess. It might just be the same one for you. ( I am talking about scripture here, the Bible is full of them.) However, when you have that one that the HOLY SPIRIT has drawn out of the pile for you , then you know you have it. Let me at Goliath !
I just had a thought ! Maybe that is why David picked up 5 stones. It wouldn't hurt to have a few scriptures from the LORD in reserve !
It is the word of truth that I have for my paticular giant that is the word of testimony I have today. I may have been having target practice before , but this one is bound to be a hit.
Actually , I have about five ! Maybe I better count before I take off. ( A little humor.)
Truthfully, I am waiting on the LORD ! To many times I have been filled with the word , gone into to take Jericho and found the walls fell down alright, they fell on me.
The LORD draws nigh unto a broken and a contrite heart. I have asked Him to break my heart . I need Him to draw nigh. In His presence is fullness of joy. With a joyful heart and pocket full of stones. Wouldn't this be more like a two-edged sword in my hand? I guess even David realized he needed a sword to finish the job. God bless you all. My prayer is that you find your word of truth this day . Maybe you need to be made aware of just what giant is battling you. Are you deceived into thinking that where you've planted your garden , it is an okay location ?
Cry out to Jesus ! He will hear you when you cry. He will come and help you.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Never the less LORD, I'll do as You say.
How many times have I done something in obedience to Christ and then been disappointed ? The desire to obey came from Him, the willingness to trust came from Him, and I supposed some miracle would occur because after all, I was obeying to Him.
I am thinking fishing this morning and being a worker in the field, so if I get my allegories mixed up just try to stay with me.
The word of testimony I have for today is from the story of the disciples and their efforts to fish after the crucifixion of their LORD.
My testimony sounds like this : I have been occupying LORD , I have been working in the fields, I have been doing all that I can think of to do, until You come, but LORD, I have no fish. Certainly not the fruits of the spirit I would like to see evident in my life. In fact LORD my perverse nature seems to want to carry me off and do it's own thing . The old nature, the one I have been hoping would die, and Your new nature would take over. It does not seem to be wanting to die, and it seems to be attempting to convince me that it will always live. Always rising up and doing some stupid thing at a time most inappropriate.
Never the less LORD , whatever You bid me to do this day, I will do it, because You are my LORD and King.
I am thinking fishing this morning and being a worker in the field, so if I get my allegories mixed up just try to stay with me.
The word of testimony I have for today is from the story of the disciples and their efforts to fish after the crucifixion of their LORD.
My testimony sounds like this : I have been occupying LORD , I have been working in the fields, I have been doing all that I can think of to do, until You come, but LORD, I have no fish. Certainly not the fruits of the spirit I would like to see evident in my life. In fact LORD my perverse nature seems to want to carry me off and do it's own thing . The old nature, the one I have been hoping would die, and Your new nature would take over. It does not seem to be wanting to die, and it seems to be attempting to convince me that it will always live. Always rising up and doing some stupid thing at a time most inappropriate.
Never the less LORD , whatever You bid me to do this day, I will do it, because You are my LORD and King.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
A Way To Escape
Just why temptation comes into our lives is not a real issue when you are being tempted. Why this happened is probably a question the enemy would like you to take the time to resolve, rather than make it through the temptation without giving into his desire.
So when I was tempted last night, I remembered all his old tricks , and tried to stay focused on what I did know. I did know that neither heighth, nor depth, nor principalities or powers could separate me from the love of God. This I repeated over and over many times, just in case he did not hear me the first time. Just because I was being tempted to sin, did not mean that I was unloved by God. God's love never fails.
Secondly I focused on what Jesus had done that proved His love for me. As all who know my saviour , know that His giving of Himself for our sins, says it all.
Then when it was most unbearable , I realized , He had given me a way of escape. The temptation itself did not leave, but as I followed the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT , I realized it would be bearable if I went this way, and so I did.
The idea came to me to blow out , like I was trying to blow out a candle, just gently, not a big puff, just a gentle blow, and I could even imagine a candle burning in front of me , to kind of give me the idea to blow the flame out.
As minutes turned into hours , the temptation came and went like labor pains, and during those unbearable minutes , I used this way of escape. I also played a play station game , just to keep my mind off of it. ( I know, LOL )
Today I am searching God's Word and seeking help from others who have encountered addiction before me.
There is grace for us. Even had I given in. There is grace for those of you who still do give in. And I am only talking about I did not give in to the temptation that was being thrust upon me last night. There are many that I just do not even resist, or only to a point, like my ice cream addiction. I give in to it for a while but then struggle to resist until I get back down to my normal clothes size, then I go again.
Should God give us grace ?
I think if , I think I must agree with God that it is okay for Him to give me grace then I must be missing some valuable truth somewhere a long the line.
What I wish would be in my core being is just a thankfulness .....for His grace.
However, let it be known that the word of my testimony today is : that Jesus does provide a way of escape from every temptation, just like Paul said He would.
I Corth. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
So when I was tempted last night, I remembered all his old tricks , and tried to stay focused on what I did know. I did know that neither heighth, nor depth, nor principalities or powers could separate me from the love of God. This I repeated over and over many times, just in case he did not hear me the first time. Just because I was being tempted to sin, did not mean that I was unloved by God. God's love never fails.
Secondly I focused on what Jesus had done that proved His love for me. As all who know my saviour , know that His giving of Himself for our sins, says it all.
Then when it was most unbearable , I realized , He had given me a way of escape. The temptation itself did not leave, but as I followed the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT , I realized it would be bearable if I went this way, and so I did.
The idea came to me to blow out , like I was trying to blow out a candle, just gently, not a big puff, just a gentle blow, and I could even imagine a candle burning in front of me , to kind of give me the idea to blow the flame out.
As minutes turned into hours , the temptation came and went like labor pains, and during those unbearable minutes , I used this way of escape. I also played a play station game , just to keep my mind off of it. ( I know, LOL )
Today I am searching God's Word and seeking help from others who have encountered addiction before me.
There is grace for us. Even had I given in. There is grace for those of you who still do give in. And I am only talking about I did not give in to the temptation that was being thrust upon me last night. There are many that I just do not even resist, or only to a point, like my ice cream addiction. I give in to it for a while but then struggle to resist until I get back down to my normal clothes size, then I go again.
Should God give us grace ?
I think if , I think I must agree with God that it is okay for Him to give me grace then I must be missing some valuable truth somewhere a long the line.
What I wish would be in my core being is just a thankfulness .....for His grace.
However, let it be known that the word of my testimony today is : that Jesus does provide a way of escape from every temptation, just like Paul said He would.
I Corth. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
Monday, October 09, 2006
Life and Life More Abundantly
Jesus came to give us LIFE ! What an awesome life it is. Never a dull moment ! When you accept all that Jesus has done for you , you become a part of a very large family. Just watching those family members will sure keep you busy. I have to remember to not watch too much. There is a purpose for my being here so I have to be careful that I do not replace watching TV with watching people. There is something better about watching real people though. Their lives do not just go on with no hope . These people have a purpose also and being able to join with them, in the hope they have, can be quite rewarding. Two can do a whole lot more than one. Not just double . I would not know exactly the ratio but I know it is way more than you would expect.
Finding a way to encourage others with hope takes doing just that. Finding The Way, and relying on Him to give you that same hope for the family member. Our hope is in God, the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. My word of testimony : How great is our God!
Finding a way to encourage others with hope takes doing just that. Finding The Way, and relying on Him to give you that same hope for the family member. Our hope is in God, the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. My word of testimony : How great is our God!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Knowing He Loves Me
I knew it would happen. Maybe I wanted it to. That nature that has not yet been perfected in Christ Jesus came out yesterday. I don't know why yet. I only know that I had stopped trying to hide what was not perfected anymore. So it came out, but I was not glad to see that it was still there. A nature that gets frustrated with the handicaps of my flesh. A nature that lashes out and says hurtful words when others do not understand my handicap. A mean way to say, "I can not do that !" So they will stop asking me. Just the old man, still trying to do things the old way.
My word of testimony today is : That I have hope in Christ Jesus to be the person He sees me to be. One who is able to do as Paul exhorts in Philippians 3:20 -21 For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence also we look for the saviour , the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
My word of testimony today is : That I have hope in Christ Jesus to be the person He sees me to be. One who is able to do as Paul exhorts in Philippians 3:20 -21 For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence also we look for the saviour , the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
