Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Freedom
Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day. How thankful we are for those men and women who have served our country so that we may be free. We feel safe because these people have protected our freedom. I think back to September 11 and how unsafe we as Americans felt. Thankfully, these men and women have given their lives so that we may once again, feel free and safe.
I can't help but think of the correlation in our spiritual lives. How are we free in Christ? John 8:32 says, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." The truth that it speaks of is not only referring to the truth of the Bible, but to God Himself. Knowing and believing God, is what sets us free as believers.
I have told you that I am learning about faith. I find another factor in preventing me from having complete faith in God and what He can do in my life is fear. Faith is stepping out of our comfort zone and believing in something bigger. That is not always easy to do and to feel safe while doing it.
Beth Moore says, "If I'm convinced God really loves me and has certain priorities for me that may take precedence at times, then I am 'safe' to walk by faith. I am freed to know that my God is huge, and that my God is able, and that if I don't get what I asked, if I'll cooperate, I'll get something bigger.....Beloved, we are safe with God....We are safe with God because we are His priority."
Just as it is the priority of those men and women to protect our country, to protect our freedom, and to make us feel safe, we are the priority of our Heavenly Father. In knowing that, we can feel safe. We can be free. We are free to know that when we step out in faith and believe for His miracles, that because we are His priority, we will always be safe. He always has our best interest and there will always be a "bigger yes." (Moore)
Let us not allow fear be our excuse to not believe. We are free to feel safe to walk by faith with God.
I can't help but think of the correlation in our spiritual lives. How are we free in Christ? John 8:32 says, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." The truth that it speaks of is not only referring to the truth of the Bible, but to God Himself. Knowing and believing God, is what sets us free as believers.
I have told you that I am learning about faith. I find another factor in preventing me from having complete faith in God and what He can do in my life is fear. Faith is stepping out of our comfort zone and believing in something bigger. That is not always easy to do and to feel safe while doing it.
Beth Moore says, "If I'm convinced God really loves me and has certain priorities for me that may take precedence at times, then I am 'safe' to walk by faith. I am freed to know that my God is huge, and that my God is able, and that if I don't get what I asked, if I'll cooperate, I'll get something bigger.....Beloved, we are safe with God....We are safe with God because we are His priority."
Just as it is the priority of those men and women to protect our country, to protect our freedom, and to make us feel safe, we are the priority of our Heavenly Father. In knowing that, we can feel safe. We can be free. We are free to know that when we step out in faith and believe for His miracles, that because we are His priority, we will always be safe. He always has our best interest and there will always be a "bigger yes." (Moore)
Let us not allow fear be our excuse to not believe. We are free to feel safe to walk by faith with God.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Oh You of Little Faith
I've been learning a lot about faith recently. I am slowly becoming more and more ashamed at my lack of faith. I am finding I believe more only when I see more and not just because "I know and believe God is who He says He is and He can do what He says He can do." (Beth Moore)
I question, is that really a true act of faith? Just believing what I see? How many times has God proven faithful and continued to answer prayers and show Himself in and around me? Why is it that I cannot trust Him to continue to do that before I see it happen? Why must I be a doubting Thomas?
John 20:29: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Friends, let us be known as the centurion for having great faith.
Matthew 8:8, 10 "The centurion answered and said , 'Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed'.... When Jesus heard it He marveled, and said to those who followed, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.'"
Because of his faith, the centurion was able to see a marvelous miracle with his servant being completely healed by Jesus. With faith like the centurion, oh what miracles we could see!
Let us not be afraid to ask and believe for miracles.
Mathew 7:7,8 "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
Do not let the reason we do not see God's miracles and wonders be because we do not ask and have faith that "He can do what He says He can do."
If we do not challenge our faith, how can our lives be changed? (Moore)
Friends, let us pray for stronger faith. Let us pray that we would have faith like the centurion and not be a doubting Thomas. Let us pray that God would stir up a generation of believers in which God is marveled by our great faith.
Let us not forget to ask for miracles. Let us not forget that God is a God who performs miracles. (Psalm 77:14)
"Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known" Habakkuk 3:2. Let that be our prayer; for our faith to be increased and God to continue to make Himself known in our generation.
I question, is that really a true act of faith? Just believing what I see? How many times has God proven faithful and continued to answer prayers and show Himself in and around me? Why is it that I cannot trust Him to continue to do that before I see it happen? Why must I be a doubting Thomas?
John 20:29: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Friends, let us be known as the centurion for having great faith.
Matthew 8:8, 10 "The centurion answered and said , 'Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed'.... When Jesus heard it He marveled, and said to those who followed, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.'"
Because of his faith, the centurion was able to see a marvelous miracle with his servant being completely healed by Jesus. With faith like the centurion, oh what miracles we could see!
Let us not be afraid to ask and believe for miracles.
Mathew 7:7,8 "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
Do not let the reason we do not see God's miracles and wonders be because we do not ask and have faith that "He can do what He says He can do."
If we do not challenge our faith, how can our lives be changed? (Moore)
Friends, let us pray for stronger faith. Let us pray that we would have faith like the centurion and not be a doubting Thomas. Let us pray that God would stir up a generation of believers in which God is marveled by our great faith.
Let us not forget to ask for miracles. Let us not forget that God is a God who performs miracles. (Psalm 77:14)
"Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known" Habakkuk 3:2. Let that be our prayer; for our faith to be increased and God to continue to make Himself known in our generation.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Ever Wonder.....
Do you ever wonder why it is that we become so complacent with our lives? We are human beings that thrive on things that are different and things that are new. Yet, in our spiritual life we settle. We settle for the bare minimum. We settle for doing only what is required and nothing more. We settle for complacency. I'm tired of being complacent. I'm tired of settling. I am ready to start believing and acting out the faith that God intended for us. I am ready to move to my "Personalized Promised Land" that God has for me in this life.
Beth Moore puts it so well in her book "Believing God." "Your Promised Land is the place where God's personalized promises over your life become a living reality rather than a theological theory."
God promises us a place where we can live outside of complacency.
Moore says:
"God didn't promise the children of Israel a place where they could visit. He promised them a place where they could settle and dwell in blessing. ....I grew weary of inconsistency being my only constant. Occasional wisps of authentic spiritual living only multiplied my frustrations. .... My soul needed a place it could live. I longed for my defeats to be infrequent visitations, not my victories....Beloved, our personalized lands of earthly promise are places we're invited to dwell in Christ. It's high-time we stopped dropping in and started taking up residency."
I don't want to settle for complacency. I want to be a resident in His Promised Land. I want to dwell in His blessings.
"Promised Land theology becomes an earthbound reality only to those who cash in their fear and complacency for the one ticket out of their long-inhabited wilderness." My friends, that ticket out is our faith. Let us have the courage to live it.
Beth Moore puts it so well in her book "Believing God." "Your Promised Land is the place where God's personalized promises over your life become a living reality rather than a theological theory."
God promises us a place where we can live outside of complacency.
Moore says:
"God didn't promise the children of Israel a place where they could visit. He promised them a place where they could settle and dwell in blessing. ....I grew weary of inconsistency being my only constant. Occasional wisps of authentic spiritual living only multiplied my frustrations. .... My soul needed a place it could live. I longed for my defeats to be infrequent visitations, not my victories....Beloved, our personalized lands of earthly promise are places we're invited to dwell in Christ. It's high-time we stopped dropping in and started taking up residency."
I don't want to settle for complacency. I want to be a resident in His Promised Land. I want to dwell in His blessings.
"Promised Land theology becomes an earthbound reality only to those who cash in their fear and complacency for the one ticket out of their long-inhabited wilderness." My friends, that ticket out is our faith. Let us have the courage to live it.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Bath Time
I attempted to give Jordan a bath by myself the other day. We are establishing routine in our lives and bath/sponge time is a consistant part of our everyday routine. I got everything out and ready for her bath.
This means:
- her bathtub with water
- two bowls: 1 with water, 1 with soap
- two washcloths
- a cup
- shampoo
- hooded towel
I got her undressd and we headed for our bath. As soon as I put her on my shoulder she began to spit up all over herself and my arm. I cleaned that up and we went for round 2. She then got the hiccups and I didn't want her to spit up again so I wrapped her up in a blanket and we sat and waited for the hiccups to go away.
We decided to try for round 3. Got her up and ready and just as we were heading into the bathroom, Jordan proceeded to pee over everything I had gotten out and ready.
This included peeing in the bowls with water and soap, on the washcloths, on the hooded towel which was on the bathroom floor, and on the bathroom floor itself.
I had to then clean up everything and refill the bowls, get new washcloths and towel, and clean up the bathroom floor. After which we were finally able to get a bath.
I think Jordan secretly thought to herself that she was not going to make this easy for Mommy. We have since had bath time very successfully and I think we have both been able to even enjoy it together. I love being a Mom!
Monday, May 11, 2009
New Hobby
I finally decided to join in the world of blogging since I am not working now and may actually have time during the day a part from raising a one month old!
Life with a one month old is never boring! She definitely keeps me busy! While I am exhausted and majorly sleep deprived, I love every minute of being a mom. I got to enjoy my first mother's day yesterday and now have a new found love and appreciation for my mom. God has definitely given my mom a special gift of patience and love that I pray for everyday.
Thank you God for blessing me with a wonderful mother and allowing me to be a mother of a beautiful baby girl.
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