Saying Grace

Not too long ago, I was thinking about why we pray before a meal. Is it just a tradition? I'm very thankful for the food I get to eat, but I'm also very thankful for everything else God daily provides for me. So why give thanks before we eat? What is it really about?

Reading and thinking on 1 Timothy 4:3-5 gave new meaning and great joy to me in praying before a meal.

Let's back up a bit and get a context for why Paul is writing these verses in the first place.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods...
1 Timothy 4:1-3a

Ok, that's interesting. It's obviously serious, too. And?

...and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. vs. 3-5

The first mention of food in the Bible is way back in the beginning, when God created the world and everything in it. Then God said (to Adam),"I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29

Later God told Moses, "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. Genesis 9:3

These verses show that food is a gift from God. He gave it to us... way back then... and always now. And it's a good gift! Mmmmm... I like this gift.

God created food to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Sometimes I'm so hungry and excited to eat. This was the case last Saturday night. When dinner was served, I certainly ate that delicious meal with joy and thanksgiving!

"Thank You for this food," we say as we pray. That's a good thing to do. We read that Jesus also gave thanks for food.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Luke 24:30

In Timothy 4:5 Paul writes that food is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. God has declared food as good and even "sacred." Further, it's consecrated by prayer - by the words we say.

God gives us the good gift of food. We get to receive it with thanksgiving. We also have the amazing privilege to consecrate - bless - our food; to agree with God in what he says about food. It's not a trite exercise or meaningless tradition to say grace. We are participating in God's gift and plan for us.

The Land of the Living

Broken and crushed..

Darkness...

Sadness...

Hopelessness...

Hunger...

Thirst...

Pain...

Sorrow...

Unbearable grief...

Loss...

Orphaned...

Survival...

These are things that the people of Haiti are dealing with as they struggle to survive. As I continue to hear stories of how people are being pulled from the rubble after 15 days of darkness and little hope of being rescued... I get excited when I hear of someone beating the odds of not making it.

What would be going through our minds if we were trapped 15 days. Do you think by the 15th day, we would hope to have our affairs settled with God. What if you didn't know God? These people who survived were given one more chance to know Him if they didn't already.

As I looked over the list above, we have all experienced or felt some of the calamities life has handed down to us. We might not have been trapped under the rubble of cement and stone, but we have been trapped by the lies of Satan. The people of Haiti will have to fight hard against the lies of Satan, just as we do. He tries to convince us that we are not worthy of God's love, or that God doesn't really care about us. But God has given us a foundation of truth to stand on. He is Truth. He is Pure, and He is Holy. It is the foundation we live by. Without it, there is chaos, evil and no hope. Living without Truth sets us up for destruction.

We have to act on that truth... we have to believe. God has so many promises in His Word that assures us of who He is and His love for us. Along with believing Him, we have to trust Him. Often when things do not go as we had planned or hoped for, we have to trust that He knows what is best for us. There will always be suffering and all types of calamity in this world... but those of us who remain must keep looking to God. He is our refuge... He is our strength.

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Psalm 91:2

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62: 5-8

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Psalm 57: 1

I cry to You, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Psalm 142:5

Know Who You Are

My husband has told me more than once that he is most captivated by me when I know who I am.

As romantic as it sounds...the first time he voiced those words to me...they were not spoken in a moment of passion or sweet nothings. They were spoken in truth...when I had forgotten, who I was.

The Lord has been reminding me day in and day out that He is my Father, and I am His daughter. Who He is and all that He is, by His Spirit lives and breathes inside of me.

My entire identity rests in that fact.

Sister....I am convinced that if we lived everyday according to who we are in Christ, not only would our own lives be transformed but the world itself would be turned upside down.

Do not listen to the lies of the evil one and forget who you are.

A slave to sin, waiting hopelessly for death...you were bought at the highest price Love could pay. Freedom, Peace and Joy were set before you. You are now a child of the King. All that He is and all that He has He offers to you freely. He denies you nothing of Himself including His own Spirit. Created by Him, He knows everything about you and loves you like no other. His Word is testimony to you of who He is and He invites you to know Him through His truth and by His Spirit. He is your light in the darkness. He is your Power, your Strength, your Might. He is the provision of your needs. He listens when you need to be heard. He holds your heart when no one else understands. He is your loving Father. He is your King. I could write for days and never encompass all that He is.

1 John 3:1

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

Isaiah 43:1-2

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you....he who formed you...."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour."

2 Peter 1:3-4

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

1 John 4:13-15

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

You are beautiful and you are precious. Dress yourself everyday in the truths of who you are in Christ. You are His daughter. Don't you forget it.

A Little Help, Please.

Not sure how to pray? Need a little help? Doesn't matter what the circumstances may be that cause you to pour out your heart to God. Could be something heavy and out of your control or could be love and gratitude that your words are insufficient to express. Listen to this:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:26-29

Oh, how I rely on this truth!

Holy Spirit, pray according to the will of God for us and the things concerning us today. Thank you, first of all for calling us to be conformed to the image of your Son. Thank that your working in our lives accomplishes this purpose.

Do your work in these circumstances. Do your work in me. Do what only you can do in these people. I want what you want, because I know you are good and your will is pleasing.

Holy Spirit, search my heart, your dwelling place, and express what my words cannot.

Express joy and gladness to God for his amazing love and goodness to me.

Express longing for deliverance from the flesh.

Express the desires of my heart for my family, my friends, my church.

Express the passion that I tend to conceal.

Express in your words to God my utmost need and desire for him to do his good work.


How good of God to give us the help he knew we would need! He is worthy of all our praise.

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13: 1-8, 18-23)

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Which seed do you relate to?

Rich in Good Deeds

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24

Have you been inspired lately by people doing good deeds? We hear a lot of stories right now of people responding to the tragic plight of people suffering the results of the earthquake in Haiti. We ask ourselves, "What can I do? What should I do... to live beyond myself... for the good of others?"

I've also been inspired by a young mom who's expecting her third and yet finds the time and energy to bring meals and baking to others. I'm inspired by older women who regularly go to visit the elderly in care facilities. I'm inspired by people who see beyond the task of what they are engaged in at home or work, and notice and respond to someone needing help, a loving touch, or a friendly smile. Life in the ordinary is full of opportunities to do good.

Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Deuteronomy 6:18

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Psalm 37:3

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. Ecclesiastes 3:12

I found all these verses (and more) when I typed in the words "do good" and then "good deeds" in the word search at http://www.blueletterbible.org
Ask the Holy Spirit - through God's Word - to inspire you to do good as you read these verses.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Tim 2:21

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good. Titus 3:1

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 2 Peter 4:19

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 2 Peter 2:12

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13

Father, show me what you have for me to do...for Your glory and the benefit of those around me. You, our Gracious God, work on our behalf. We thank you for life - and fullness of life - because of the good You have worked for our benefit. May we join you in doing good each day of our lives. May we not ignore the small and ordinary good deeds in vain hopes of doing something "big" for You. Inspire us to enter into the joy of serving others in love.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

(When I look at the picture above of the young girl with the "older girl", I'm not just seeing the "young" looking after the "old". I'm also seeing the "old" taking opportunities to bless the "young" with their presence... entering into a young person's world, and sharing life and love together. How we need each other!)

Our desperate need..

Usually, in January, I tend to reflect on the year before and the challenges, goals, and unexpected surprises that came my way. I cannot do that without looking back at what God used in my life to draw me closer to Him. Several events occurred over the year that caused me to totally rely and focus on the Lord. When I think back, I am amazed at the intensity in my relationship with Him during those times. What happened during the in-between times when I wasn't begging or pleading for a life to be spared, or a life to be born, or another crisis of some sort?

We all face those times of desperate need in our relationship with the Lord and yet, the normal everyday experience with God is a nurturing process. We sit at His Feet and He prepares us for the days ahead. He knows when we are going to need Him during those hours of intensity just as He knows how much we need to grow in our relationship with Him to face those days. We are often shocked when we hear of the perils of our time; the earthquakes, the tsunamis, and the devastating storms that bring homelessness and wreckage. We can google that down to each individual living on this earth. We are all in desperate need. We need a Savior to heal our broken relationships, the pain we carry, our saddened hearts, discouragement, lost jobs, financial difficulties, depression and some times the will to go on. Some of us need a new beginning.

As we sit at the feet of Jesus, may we trust everything that is weighing heavily on our hearts to Him.

"This is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything." 1 John 3:19-20

"This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

A dose of Love and Joy

I've been studying the book of John.

If you haven't read your Bible in a while and don't know where to start back...I suggest you start back here. It's elemental. It's foundational. You may have heard these verses your whole life since sunday school and find that you're breezing over them like a book you already know the ending to....Don't.

Stop. Slow down. Soak it in. Read the same verse over a few times. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach you... to open God's word up to you in a new and fresh light. Ask Him to open your heart and mind to His truth and to reveal Himself to you through his words.

John 14:26

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to you remembrance all that I have said to you."

Here's something to meditate on today....

From the very precious mouth of Jesus:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

Abide in my love.

If you keep my commandments,

you will abide in my love,

just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love."

(Want Joy?.....then keep reading and think about this....)

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be full."

John 15:9-11

Dearest Jesus....Thank you for your love. Thank you for loving me in the same way that the Heavenly Father loves you. I want to rest and live every moment in the center of your love. Help me to keep your commandments...your words of truth...not out of some sense of christian duty, but out of love. Help me to keep them close to my heart and mind, as I live out each day and do my best to follow your example. I want your joy in me Jesus. I want it full and overflowing and complete. Thank you, thank you, thank you, so much for loving me.

Blessed be your Holy Name. Amen.

Today in church we heard a testimony of a husband sharing his journey of his wife's battle with cancer that was lost at Christmas. To hear a man share how there are days he curls under the blanket and struggles to face the world and continue on. To hear how God carried him and her through these struggles and now he's alone with Jesus. No wife to go home to every night. No wife to laugh with, share his heart, just rest quietly with. She's resting with Jesus.

Watching the news and seeing the calamity in Haiti. My heart is torn and I have shed so many tears for this country. It's easy to keep myself in a bubble because I attach myself emotionally to situations like this. I have a hard time watching images of the destruction and deaths on TV yet it's important to know what's going on in the world so we can pray and know how to pray.

Hearing about this wife who died of cancer and all the destruction in Haiti, life really doesn't seem fair somehow. I sat there in church thinking of my own life and what if God called me home today.... would I be ready? In a moment I know I'd be ready but what pains me most is that all the letters I think of writing to each family member telling them how much I love them and all the memories I treasure most are not written down yet. I have so much dear to my heart that I want to share with everyone before I am called home yet I know that God will take care of that too if I were to die tonight. The letters would mean so much to them but the time I have with them now is the most important. That's what they are going to remember. That leads me to this thought? How am I living and walking each day? Do my faith and works walk together?

There seems to be so much suffering in this world. My family has read a series of devotions on the book of Job and how God allowed Satan to bring suffering to Job. I hear of all the devastation in Haiti and then this husband who's wife has died. I wondered who brings destruction and allows these calamaties. Did Satan once again receive permission from God like he did in the book of Job?

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." ~John 16:33 (NIV)

Jesus tells us that we will experience trouble. There will be earth quakes, death, tsunamis, destruction. Through all this though is how we grow and our strength in Jesus is deepened. God is a God of love and will never do anything to hurt us.... only to help us.

Keep praying for the country of Haiti and for those in the world that are suffering.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." ~ I Tim 2:1-4

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." ~Col 4:2

On another note: I found a link a good link with some answers in regards to if God sends disasters. I do not know the author but I found it very good. You can read it and ask God to lead you to some answers.

http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/content/does-god-send-killer-hurricanes

He is Worthy!

This morning I went to Revelations 4. In this chapter the apostle John is "in the Spirit"(vs.1) facing the throne in heaven and the One seated on the throne. What amazing, amazing sights and happenings he experiences!

This is by no means a quiet, tranquil experience. What catches my attention today is all the movement before the Glorious One.
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing.(vs.5)

All around the throne are the twenty-four elders, dressed in white and sitting on thrones, wearing crowns of gold on their heads.

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Big Breath. Wow, that chapter takes my breath away.

They fall down before Him.
They were sitting on their thrones; now they are down on their faces.
They cast their crowns before the throne.
Those golden crowns that were upon their heads are now scattered all over that crystal-like, sea of glass. Cast- "to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls" according to Strong's.
Not a thought for themselves.

I'm struck with the beauty of what's going on here.
God, The Centre of the whole scene - and I mean the whole scene there and here, now and always - seated on the flashing, thundering, glorious throne is the One. He is the One worthy to receive all glory and honor and power. FOR...why?...because He created all things. They exist and were created by His will - also translated for His pleasure. You and I were created and exist by His purpose and for His pleasure.

I think that's amazing. We worship the Glorious One who is worthy! And that Glorious One also clothes us in white(purity), crowns us, and seats us with Christ in the heavenlies. It's almost too much to take in..this glory that He also gives to us.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7.

I just had to spend some time face down, flat on the floor this morning in worship of our incredible God. I carefully got down though - certainly didn't fall down - but I'm sure I'll willingly fall before God in heaven when knees and bruising won't be an issue!

Pray for Haiti

For the past couple of days, I have been consumed in my thoughts with the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti. We are able to see first hand what is going on through television and Internet, yet it is also easy for us to be removed emotionally if we do not know anyone personally who lives there. Even so, if we have the compassion that God has given us for those He loves, we can't help but be saddened and feel the hurt and loss for those who are homeless, hurting, wounded, and for those who have lost family, friends and loved ones. The loss is devastating.

Haiti has been recognized as one of the poorest countries in the world. It will take a lot of prayer and financial aid for it to recover. Even the presidential palace in Port-Au-Prince has collapsed.. Most people are afraid to go into their homes even if they are still standing because they are afraid of the aftershocks that could still bring the buildings down. People are lying dead on streets and in buildings. A lot of people are still buried under collapsed buildings. I was reminded of the Tsunami that struck Thailand in December of 2004 and the devastation. It is times like this when we see the compassion of countries coming together and helping those who are in need. Every time I see a major disaster, whether it be a hurricane, earthquake, tornado or tsunami, I am grateful for the Christian relief agencies that also immediately respond with food, water, financial help and shelter.

Let us pray for the people of Haiti, for those going to help. Pray for safety and discernment for those who will be setting up homes and shelters for the homeless and bringing food, water and medical services. God always works in the hearts of people during a crisis such as this. One of the kindnesses that I remember most in my life was when a family took us in during a flood.

A friend who was a missionary in Haiti for many years, said this in his email to me, "We wept when we heard that Haitian Christians had gathered by the thousands in public places last night in the dark to sing hymns. Your brothers and sisters in Haiti, fortified by prayer, are in the streets today, lifting heavy rocks, praying, binding up wounds as best they can, and still praying."

As we go about our day today, let us be reminded to pray for Haiti and the people who are suffering so much loss and pain.

Goodmorning Sisters....

I continue to thank God for you. Your faithfulness, love and encouragement bless me. I am inspired to press on, dig deeper, fight harder, and love stronger because of your testimonies of His light and life in you.

I continue to meditate and pray through Colossians 1:9-14

and in my own words....keep asking our precious Father that you and I both would be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we would be able to live every moment, by word and by action, in a manner worthy of our Lord, bringing pleasure to Him, glory and honour, and bearing fruit in every good work, increasing always in the knowledge of our God. May we be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. And with thankful hearts as we know that through the precious blood of Jesus we share his same inheritance. Praise His Holy Name! He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to his kingdom of light!

So let us keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Whatever circumstances surround you today...remember that He knows. He wants to walk with you through it, or maybe carry you through it. He loves you.

The Light in the Apple

As I was reading my Bible the other day, I read a passage in Luke that talked about the eye being the lamp of the body. If the eye is healthy, the whole body is full of light and will give light. As I was looking at other similar passages to gain better understanding, I read Matthew 5:14,

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

First of all, I love the picture of a city on a hill as opposed to a city in a valley. A city lit up on a hill is seen from all around and is not hidden by anything. "A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." The light of Jesus in me cannot go unnoticed. It will be seen. How very cool to remember when I want people to see me and give glory to my Father in heaven.

As I was studying, I wondered what the eye had to do with all of this. If my eye is the lamp of my body, designed to give light, and if my eye is healthy, my whole body will be full of light and will give light, which, putting this together with the Matthew verses, is how my light shines so others can see the works my body does and will glorify God, then what does it mean to have a healthy eye?

The answer to this is way more extensive than what we can go into here, but as I did a little word study, this is where I landed today.

Of course it all starts with God and his amazing love for us. I looked up where the word "eye" is found in the Old Testament, primarily because Jesus was speaking to Jews as he said the above words, and because the Jews were familiar with the scriptures, they would probably have an understanding of what he was talking about when he used these kinds of illustrations in his teaching. I came across Deuteronomy 32:10

"He found him (Jacob, ie. the Hebrews) in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye."

The apple of his eye. This phrase was repeated several times in various places. Although I had heard this idiom said, and most of us have, I had never known why we say it - mostly as a term of endearment. "He's the apple of my eye." If you think about it, it doesn't make literal sense. So I looked up the Hebrew meaning to get a better understanding. Maybe some of you have heard this before, but it sure was fun for me to discover it! The word used for apple in this passage literally means, "little man of the eye", referring to the reflection of the man in the eye of the person looking at him.

Israel (referred to as one man, Jacob) was the little man of God's eye. And by virtue of Jesus Christ and our adoption into his family, his people, we, you and I, are the little girls in God's eye. In order for that to happen, he has to be looking right at us. For your reflection to be seen in his eye, it has to be focused right on you. You have his full attention. You are not unnoticed by him. And sweet women, he likes what he sees. You are his delight. You belong to him. You are his treasure. I pray that you will look into his eyes and see your reflection there.

So what happens when we fix our eyes on Jesus, as we are encouraged to do in Hebrews 12, and not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, in 2 Corinthians 4? The exact same thing! Jesus becomes the little man of our eye - the one in the reflection!

That is how my eyes remain healthy and therefore give light. My eyes are looking at him, his goodness, kindness and compassion. He has my full attention. (It's kind of like the staring game we used to play as kids, only no one loses when they laugh!) Jesus is my focus, and I like what I see. He is my delight. He belongs to me. He is my treasure. The more I look, the more I love him.

These are the things that cannot be hidden. These are the things that will be seen and cause others to give glory to our Father in heaven.

You are the light of the world.

Refiner's Fire

"Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time."

~ Daniel 11: 35 (NIV)

I learned alot about the refining of gold and silver this weekend while we did our family devotion. One of the first worship songs I first learned is "Refiner's Fire." While studying the refining of gold this brought new meaning to the song I first learned and is one of my favourites as I always remember the time in my life when I first heard it.

Gold and silver are heated so hot that the impurities go to the surface and are taken out. The purer the gold or silver, the clearer the reflection of the worker's face in the liquid.

God does that in our lives where he wants us to be as pure as we can be in our walk with him. He refines us by bringing the sins in our lives to the surface and taking them away. When we're heated or put through trials, how we respond is what others see and the more refined we get the more we reflect Christ's image.

It's not easy going through the fire and being refined. I can attest to that first hand. I'm not always thankful for the trials I need to go through. One lady in and old Bible study of mine was a great example to me when she went through a really tough time in her life she talked about going on her knees before God and praising him for this suffering. If I had been in her shoes I don't know if I could have praised God for taking my husband away. Sure she hurt and cried herself to sleep at night and had lonely moments. She knew that God would change her through this and she'd be closer to him in the end. What a testimony!

How is God refining you?

What impurities do you have in your life that need to surface and be dealt with?

When you're put through the fire, how do you respond?

Can you praise God while you are being refined?

Not of the World

Jesus prayed in John 17:15-18, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

I'm thinking about the world and our culture, and its influence on us as God's people. We are influenced by our culture - big time. The evil one uses the values and pressures of our society against us. He uses these against our faith and against our calling. Jesus prayed that as we are in the world, the Father would protect us from the evil one. We need God's protection from the evil one. We also need to be aware that the enemy uses the world against us as we live in it.

We are not of this world. Not any more! Thank you, Father!
For "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" Colossians 1:13

So here we are "not of this world" - yet in it. Our goal in this world is not to fit in, assimilate, and be like the average person. If we're honest here, could you admit,"Oh right, I forgot about that...I was actually really trying hard to fit in!"? That's the scheme of the enemy and that's exactly where we find ourselves a lot of times. We get conned into living...um...diminished lives. We get caught up in the small and petty; forgetting that we are sent.

We are sent...as Jesus was sent. Sent on a mission, sisters! Sent to reconcile man to God. To be salt, to be light, to love, and to testify to the Truth by how we live...here in the world.

It's not about me getting out of the world,
but getting the world out of me.

How do I live "not of this world?" By applying - living - this verse that we've quoted soooo many times here on Soul Kitchen.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Do not let the world form your value system. Let God - your Maker - shape your values through the truth of His Word. Read the word. Know it. Ask God to renew your mind according to the truth. And let's continue to encourage each other to walk worthy of our calling.

You are precious! Let your light shine for the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Can I Help You?

"May your hand be ready to help me,

For I have chosen your precepts."

Psalm 119:173

One morning I was resting in my bed, reading, writing, and having my devotions. My beautiful little two-year old granddaughter came in and tried to climb up on the bed with me. As she tried to climb up, my down comforter kept sliding down. Wanting to help, I reached over and gently lifted her up onto the bed with me.

"No," Grammy, "no", she said and slid herself back down. She tried again to climb up but she still slid downward. After several tries, she still could not get up. I saw the effort she was making; she was trying really hard but to no avail.

So...unnoticed by her, I reached forward and held the covers tightly in my hand. With the comforter firm, she was able to grab little handfuls of material and climb up to me. She was so proud of herself and had no idea that I had helped.

I thought about God and my relationship with Him and how many times I had said, "no, thank you", yet, He "gently held the covers for me."

What an awesome God we have!!!

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

He who watches over you will not slumber."

"The Lord will watch over your coming and going

Both now and forevermore."

Psalm 121:1-3;8

A recycled post from Pilgrim's Heart

Walk in the Light

My mind has been thinking lately of all the people that I know and love that have had a personal relationship with Jesus but have seemingly lost their way and left Him behind in search of something or someone else to try and fulfill the desires of self.

My thoughts and prayers for them are not in judgement. I know from personal experience how easy it is to think you have it all together and then realize one day that you have totally lost it.

In fact...I don't think any of us that love Jesus and have a relationship with him can even imagine waking up one day and not wanting to share every moment with him. But it doesn't start like that.

The truth of the matter is that it just doesn't take that long to lose your way in the dark...and after that...it's just one step at a time in the wrong direction before you feel lost. It's just so hard to focus when your eyes are straining in the shadows....

Thank you Jesus...that You are the Light of the world! Thank you Jesus that you gave your life to be our Light.

I have fumbled around in the darkness of my own mind more times than I can keep count of. I've allowed my worries, fears, anxieties, negative thoughts, anger, resentment, pride...you name it...to shadow over me and distract me from the truth....and the Light.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

My prayer for all of us today....Is that we would walk in the light.

...asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-14

Amen.

This week, I have been thinking about Joseph. The one whose brothers tossed him in an empty cistern, was sold into slavery and ended up saving a couple of nations.

He came to mind as I was anticipating training for a supervisory position in my new job. As I may have already mentioned in a previous post, my job is in a whole new arena for me, a whole new industry which requires for me a new way of thinking, at least as it pertains to the requirements of my position. I have to think of things I never had to think of before, look at things from an unfamiliar perspective, do things according to another list of priorities. I can't rely on past experience in this field to help me.

That's where Joseph comes in. When he was purchased by Potiphar as a slave, what experience did he have running the affairs of the household of an Egyptian officer of the government? He was in a whole new country, a whole new culture, a whole new way of life. He went from being a spoiled shepherd boy to an overseer in charge of all that his master had, in house and field, so that all Potiphar had to concern himself with was the food he ate. (Wouldn't we all like to have a Joseph?)

Talk about a new way of thinking! Joseph had to concern himself with things he never knew anything about before. If you stop to think about it, it would have been ridiculous for anyone to think that a Hebrew slave would be anything but someone to order around, much less the guy who did all the ordering. But,

The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. Genesis 39:2-3

God had a plan from the beginning. The Lord was with Joseph all along. It was not a mistake or an unfortunate turn of events that put him in Egypt. He was there for a purpose.

It is no different for me. It is no different for you. God has had a plan for us from the beginning. It is not a mistake or an unfortunate turn of events that have put us where we are (Or on the flip side - it's not our own great choices and talents that have landed us in an agreeable or prominent position in life.)

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for wholeness, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16

When God led Joseph into a whole new way of doing life, he taught him a whole new way of thinking in order to be successful in it so that his purpose would be accomplished. If he did it for Joseph, he will do it for me. It doesn't make sense that he wouldn't, because he has said,

For (I am) we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that (I) we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

I flipped my daily inspiration calendar....

"Loving God - I pray for the understanding to forgive those who have hurt me. Open my heart to forgive as You have forgiven me. Amen."

Not words I wanted to start my day off... my heart is heavy. These words hit me hard and have been mulling in my head all day now.

How does the dictionary define "forgive?" Stop blaming or grant forgiveness. Absolve from payment (I forgive you your debt).

That's pretty powerful stuff. I honestly need time to work through everything that has happened and take a step at a time. I honestly don't know if I am at the point if I can honestly say that "I stop blaming" or that "I absolve him/her."

What does Jesus ask of me?

Colossians 3:13

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (NIV)

Forgiveness happens when we are obedient to God.... through faith. It's not easy to do but it's something that God has told us to do so we can be forgiven. It doesn't mean that a hurtful situation doesn't exist and it isn't denying the fact that your feelings are hurt. Forgiveness is freedom from bitterness.

That's alot to process. I need to make the choice to forgive and trust God to do the rest. It's my prayer that I can do that and be free from the bitterness that is hurting me. Only through faith and by God's grace can I do this.

"Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Wow! Jesus forgives me when I come to him. My slate is erased clean the second I come to him. Isn't that how it should be in our walk with God? Should we not be willing to do the same for others? What example am I to my children if I cannot forgive the one who hurt me? I can forgive my children so easily yet selfishly am hanging onto things that were said in anger to me by someone else.

I reread the daily inspiration and pray these words for myself...

"Loving God - I pray for the understanding to forgive those who have hurt me. Open my heart to forgive as You have forgiven me." Amen."

Thank you Jesus that you are my strength to take this step to forgive. These words now are my words and not words on my calendar.... they're my heart.

I pray they can be yours too.

2010

A new decade. A new year. A new day.

As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more. Psalm 103: 15-16

Man is like a breath; 


his days are like a fleeting shadow. Psalm 144:4

“Time flies.” How many times have you heard this said? Or…“There aren’t enough hours in a day.” Our days are like a fleeting shadow. We flip the page of the calendar and wonder where the month has gone.

So what do we do about that? About time passing by so quickly?

Follow the Father… today. Listen to His voice and walk with Him… today. Discover the joy of being in that kind of relationship with the One who knows all things and is the giver of Life. Discover the joy of daily walking with the One who loves you completely. And when you look back over your days and don’t know where time went or remember what you did, it won’t really matter because you’ll know that you followed the Father – your Father – one day at a time.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

(A recycled post)

May God's blessing be on you this new year. May you walk in His peace because you know He cares for you.