This week's blog is short but packed with reflection. I've been studying "The Message of the Living God" and am in Exodus 33. We can learn so much about God by how he treated and responded to his children, the Israelites. One (of many) verse worth reflecting on is, "The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Ex. 33:14) Another word for "rest" is peace. He is saying, "I will quiet you...dispel your anxiety." Do we give him a chance to do that, or are you like me where you run ahead of yourself stressing about this or that?
The next amazing passage is the one when Moses asks God to show himself--"show me your glory," Moses says (Ex 33:18). When God passes in front of Moses what he reveals is his personal character. Scripture says, “And the Lord said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." (Ex 33:19-20)
What God gives his people is a description of himself--not a description of how he looks but how he is. That is counter-cultural, isn’t it? God told Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7)
Take some time to really reflect on these verses, asking God to show you how they apply to your relationship with him.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I am Made in the Image of God!
John Newton wrote, “I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, "By the grace of God I am what I am.”
The cartoon character, Popeye the sailor man, was famous for always settling and moaning, “I yam what I yam.” We too often grumble, “That’s just the way I am and I will never change.” Throw out the complacent thought if that is in your vocabulary. One of the greatest obstacles to living life as a Christian woman is looking for what’s wrong with us-- our body, our clothes, our relationships, our children, even our friends, and then dwelling on it. “I yam what I yam!”
Grab a hold of this fact: “God made you in his image.” (Genesis 1:27)
That is profound! It means that God used a template of himself to make you like him in many ways. Romans 8:29 also tells us: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” That’s not the message our culture promotes, is it?
Growing up, most of society’s messages told us that our physical appearance was most important because the body is a measure of female attractiveness and social success. Women are also expected today to attain the superwoman persona. Add to that any family variables such as high achievement and perfectionism and you can see why we don’t see ourselves as God sees us.
Describe yourself-- first your physical appearance, and then how other people see you. Do you think this description lines up with God’s image of you?
The cartoon character, Popeye the sailor man, was famous for always settling and moaning, “I yam what I yam.” We too often grumble, “That’s just the way I am and I will never change.” Throw out the complacent thought if that is in your vocabulary. One of the greatest obstacles to living life as a Christian woman is looking for what’s wrong with us-- our body, our clothes, our relationships, our children, even our friends, and then dwelling on it. “I yam what I yam!”
Grab a hold of this fact: “God made you in his image.” (Genesis 1:27)
That is profound! It means that God used a template of himself to make you like him in many ways. Romans 8:29 also tells us: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” That’s not the message our culture promotes, is it?
Growing up, most of society’s messages told us that our physical appearance was most important because the body is a measure of female attractiveness and social success. Women are also expected today to attain the superwoman persona. Add to that any family variables such as high achievement and perfectionism and you can see why we don’t see ourselves as God sees us.
Describe yourself-- first your physical appearance, and then how other people see you. Do you think this description lines up with God’s image of you?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Breaking Free from the Tombs
One of the greatest stories in the Bible is about the man who lived in the tombs—a man possessed with a multitude of demons. Scripture says, “When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.” [Luke 8:34-38] Mary Magdalene is another person delivered from demons—seven of them (Mark 16:9).
Most likely you’d say you’re not demon possessed so these stories do not mean much to you. However, demons represent darkness in our life. Sometimes they come in a package called stress, anxiety, depression, jealousy, pride, and mere pressures of daily life.
When Jesus found the man in the tombs, he saw a loved one in trouble, in bondage, and in need of a savior. We don’t know exactly what happened in his life to bring on such despair, but he was in agony. No one could help … until Jesus. He brought the source of light and broke the chains of bondage. And he will do the same for us if we would only draw close to him and ask him.
Most likely you’d say you’re not demon possessed so these stories do not mean much to you. However, demons represent darkness in our life. Sometimes they come in a package called stress, anxiety, depression, jealousy, pride, and mere pressures of daily life.
When Jesus found the man in the tombs, he saw a loved one in trouble, in bondage, and in need of a savior. We don’t know exactly what happened in his life to bring on such despair, but he was in agony. No one could help … until Jesus. He brought the source of light and broke the chains of bondage. And he will do the same for us if we would only draw close to him and ask him.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Completely Restored
After the fourth flush I picked up the near empty bottle of Windex and then ripped off three squares from the paper towel roll and proceeded to clean up around the toilette boil. After tossing the residue of a gapping emotional wound into the garbage I went back into the living room and sat, numb and oblivious to what television program was playing. Tomorrow will be different, I promised myself. Today is the last day. Despondent, that is what I said every day for the previous fourteen years. It never was the last day…that’s what bulimia does.
“[Jesus] He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.” (Luke 6:10, NIV)
Most often when this passage is read (Luke 6:1-11) the focus is on Jesus’s act of healing on the Sabbath and the Pharisee’s reaction. There is one verse—verse 10 which is a story unto itself. It is about a man in the crowd, a man with a shriveled or withered hand. What is interesting about this man is unlike other accounts this man did not run up to Jesus and ask to be healed. Jesus picks him out of the crowd. His motive is to show the Pharisee’s his divine power. He wants to create a stage for himself in front of these unbelieving and conniving Pharisees. Jesus singles out this one man—a recipient of his love, grace and mercy and says, "Stretch out your hand."
Maybe we don’t have a shriveled hand or an eating disorder that needs repair, but we all have our fallen nature—our pride and selfishness that we need to give him. Falleness is all we have. In his mercy Jesus he asks us to give it all to him. Scripture then says this man’s hand was completely restored. God did completely restore me from a deadly eating disorder and from binge drinking—yes completely. Although we’ll never be entirely rid of our sin nature here on earth if we give it to Jesus everyday he can shrink it considerably. We will be completely restored from sin when we get to heaven!
Give him your withered hand and let his strength be demonstrated in your weakness. It’s the only way he can show an unbelieving world his power. “We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect” (Saint Augustine).
“[Jesus] He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.” (Luke 6:10, NIV)
Most often when this passage is read (Luke 6:1-11) the focus is on Jesus’s act of healing on the Sabbath and the Pharisee’s reaction. There is one verse—verse 10 which is a story unto itself. It is about a man in the crowd, a man with a shriveled or withered hand. What is interesting about this man is unlike other accounts this man did not run up to Jesus and ask to be healed. Jesus picks him out of the crowd. His motive is to show the Pharisee’s his divine power. He wants to create a stage for himself in front of these unbelieving and conniving Pharisees. Jesus singles out this one man—a recipient of his love, grace and mercy and says, "Stretch out your hand."
Maybe we don’t have a shriveled hand or an eating disorder that needs repair, but we all have our fallen nature—our pride and selfishness that we need to give him. Falleness is all we have. In his mercy Jesus he asks us to give it all to him. Scripture then says this man’s hand was completely restored. God did completely restore me from a deadly eating disorder and from binge drinking—yes completely. Although we’ll never be entirely rid of our sin nature here on earth if we give it to Jesus everyday he can shrink it considerably. We will be completely restored from sin when we get to heaven!
Give him your withered hand and let his strength be demonstrated in your weakness. It’s the only way he can show an unbelieving world his power. “We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect” (Saint Augustine).
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Your Creative Purpose
One of my favorite programs is the Science Channel’s “How the Universe Works.” When the entire universe is mapped out in front of you [in this case on the TV screen], you realize we are insignificant creatures on a minor planet of a very average star in the outer suburbs of one of a 100,000-million galaxies. That explains why it is so hard for some people to believe that God Almighty, creator of the universe would care about us or even notice that we exist.
It is interesting that the psalmist who wrote Psalm 8, knew far less about creation than modern scientists do today, but he knew far more about God than we seem too. He wrote,
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! [Psalms 8:1; 3-9]”
The psalmist knew creation was big even if he didn’t know how really big. He asked,
“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” He got it—that we were created for a unique, personal and eternal relationship with God. It is this purpose and destiny that sets us apart from the rest of creation. Human beings alone are stamped in the image of God (Genesis 1:26).
Because man is made in God’s image, we are the only creatures on earth that can choose how to use our gifts and creative power—not only to create new life, but also to shape the world according to God’s purpose. God calls us to use this gift to build and not destroy. Are you aware of God’s gift to you and the responsibility to use it wisely?
Human beings are uniquely addressed by God (Genesis 1:28) and called into a personal relationship with him. We were made to know God (Genesis 2). Human beings alone are addressed by God through special revelation which is a fancy theological term for “the message of Scripture.” God is speaking to us through the Holy Bible. The message of the gospel is that God has made himself known—not vaguely—but specifically in words of his choice to his chosen people. As we study the Scriptures we encounter the God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, who reveals himself using human terms.
The Scriptures teach us God is a personal being who is speaking to us. But do we choose to listen—to respond? Do we choose to open the Scriptures daily to hear from God? In our prayer time do we listen and ponder, or do we tell God what to do? Or do we let the busyness of our hectic lives take priority? BTW, “BUSY” stands for “Being Under Satan’s Yolk.”
It can be a challenge to find daily quality time to be alone with God, but it can be done! It’s our pride--with a little help from the devil that says we can come to know God without opening up his word. You say, “that’s not me.” Do you realize we could spend our entire lives reading, studying and even memorizing Scripture, but if the words and truths do not penetrate our hearts and convict us to change the way we think, act and live, it is of no real benefit to us? God asks us examine, comprehend and apply! In that process we will get to know our Creator on a more personal level and see the innate value we, and other human beings, truly have.
It is interesting that the psalmist who wrote Psalm 8, knew far less about creation than modern scientists do today, but he knew far more about God than we seem too. He wrote,
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! [Psalms 8:1; 3-9]”
The psalmist knew creation was big even if he didn’t know how really big. He asked,
“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” He got it—that we were created for a unique, personal and eternal relationship with God. It is this purpose and destiny that sets us apart from the rest of creation. Human beings alone are stamped in the image of God (Genesis 1:26).
Because man is made in God’s image, we are the only creatures on earth that can choose how to use our gifts and creative power—not only to create new life, but also to shape the world according to God’s purpose. God calls us to use this gift to build and not destroy. Are you aware of God’s gift to you and the responsibility to use it wisely?
Human beings are uniquely addressed by God (Genesis 1:28) and called into a personal relationship with him. We were made to know God (Genesis 2). Human beings alone are addressed by God through special revelation which is a fancy theological term for “the message of Scripture.” God is speaking to us through the Holy Bible. The message of the gospel is that God has made himself known—not vaguely—but specifically in words of his choice to his chosen people. As we study the Scriptures we encounter the God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, who reveals himself using human terms.
The Scriptures teach us God is a personal being who is speaking to us. But do we choose to listen—to respond? Do we choose to open the Scriptures daily to hear from God? In our prayer time do we listen and ponder, or do we tell God what to do? Or do we let the busyness of our hectic lives take priority? BTW, “BUSY” stands for “Being Under Satan’s Yolk.”
It can be a challenge to find daily quality time to be alone with God, but it can be done! It’s our pride--with a little help from the devil that says we can come to know God without opening up his word. You say, “that’s not me.” Do you realize we could spend our entire lives reading, studying and even memorizing Scripture, but if the words and truths do not penetrate our hearts and convict us to change the way we think, act and live, it is of no real benefit to us? God asks us examine, comprehend and apply! In that process we will get to know our Creator on a more personal level and see the innate value we, and other human beings, truly have.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Forgiven and Set Free!
God allows me the privilege of coming alongside some pretty incredible women as they venture on some very difficult but rewarding healing journeys. One such woman is Jen who has struggled with an eating disorder for many years. She has had many breakthroughs but we want to share this one with you—it is a testimony to our healing God. Jen said:
I have been forgiven, cleansed and freed from the eating disorder life that I lived for many years!! What a concept, what a freer feeling...what a GIFT from the Heavens above! When Jesus died on the Cross, He died for all my past sins, current sins and the sins He knows I will commit. He takes my sinful ways and washes my soul clean from all the "earthly/eating disorder" behaviors that I have fallen into. He has granted me the gift of living free from obsessions, compulsions and negative thinking!
Yesterday, God was speaking to me about "no eating disorder" and that was really sitting in my head. And in my heart, I do think that He used Mary [her therapist] to "speak" to me and tell me that I AM free from the eating disorder, that He has forgiven me for all the years I spent in that hellish life. He is giving me a new life and I am becoming a new woman!
I do believe that Jesus knows how hard it is to change behaviors and old, ingrained beliefs. He provides me strength and courage to step out and away from the old "ways" and to face the fears and move into my new life!
My biggest realization is that I AM free from the disorder and I am free becuz Jesus already paid for those sins! I can rest in the truth of that and live my life as a free woman in Christ!
~~~
I rejoice with Jen and the millions of others, including myself, who have been set free from their own personal hell. Praise God!
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).
I have been forgiven, cleansed and freed from the eating disorder life that I lived for many years!! What a concept, what a freer feeling...what a GIFT from the Heavens above! When Jesus died on the Cross, He died for all my past sins, current sins and the sins He knows I will commit. He takes my sinful ways and washes my soul clean from all the "earthly/eating disorder" behaviors that I have fallen into. He has granted me the gift of living free from obsessions, compulsions and negative thinking!
Yesterday, God was speaking to me about "no eating disorder" and that was really sitting in my head. And in my heart, I do think that He used Mary [her therapist] to "speak" to me and tell me that I AM free from the eating disorder, that He has forgiven me for all the years I spent in that hellish life. He is giving me a new life and I am becoming a new woman!
I do believe that Jesus knows how hard it is to change behaviors and old, ingrained beliefs. He provides me strength and courage to step out and away from the old "ways" and to face the fears and move into my new life!
My biggest realization is that I AM free from the disorder and I am free becuz Jesus already paid for those sins! I can rest in the truth of that and live my life as a free woman in Christ!
~~~
I rejoice with Jen and the millions of others, including myself, who have been set free from their own personal hell. Praise God!
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Penny
The Penny
I came across a story about a man that reached down & picked up a penny off the ground. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. A penny?? When asked why he picked it up:
I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him. Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"
David wrote in Psalms 20:7-8: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
The next time you pick up a penny--read the words, "In God We Trust," and say, Yes, God, I get the message.
I came across a story about a man that reached down & picked up a penny off the ground. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. A penny?? When asked why he picked it up:
I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him. Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"
David wrote in Psalms 20:7-8: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
The next time you pick up a penny--read the words, "In God We Trust," and say, Yes, God, I get the message.
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