Tag: God

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It’s how you see it

My current job is in insurance.  I take policies and ensure they are completed accurately following the laws and regulations before booking and then in the actual paper policy that is sent to the insured.  Sounds fun, huh?  

It’s not all that bad.  The one part that is the most stressful is a checking system set up to grade our quality.  This process ensures that everything set up either in the pricing or in the paper has no error.  If one is found, then you get a bad score.  You can only get 10% incorrect.  That’s not a lot when some policies are 200+ pages.  We strive for perfection, but even my company knows that humans cannot be perfect – we will fail at some point.

When we fail, there are two choices we make at how we deal with the failure.  We either choose to look at it from a conviction standpoint or a condemnation standpoint.  One is of God and one is of the Devil.  

I just completed reading the book – Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick.  Great book about how our thought patterns can really get messed up and how we can fix that problem.  Pastor Steven spends some time talking about the difference between condemnation versus conviction.  I’d like to share with you what I learned.

 Let’s look at two people who both made the same mistake: Peter and Judas.  Both were Jesus’ disciples and both betrayed Jesus.  One chose to deal with this failure through condemnation and the other through conviction.

Judas betrayed Jesus by working with the Pharisees to get Jesus killed.   (Luke 22:3-6)  For 30 pieces of silver, Christ was betrayed.  After his eyes were opened to the severity of the situation, Judas gave the money back and hung himself. (Matthew 27:5)

Peter’s betrayal did not send Christ to his death, but it was hurtful for another reason.  Peter was essentially Jesus’ best friend, His closest friend among the 12.  When Christ told Peter that he would deny Him, Peter refused to believe it (Mark 14:26-31).  But, in the heat of the moment, Christ’s prediction was fulfilled and Peter denied that he knew Christ three times as Jesus was on trial.  After he realizes what he did, Peter ran off and wept. (Matthew‬ ‭26:69-75‬) After Christ’s resurrection, Peter ended up leading the early Christian church in it’s infancy. 

You see the difference?  Where one desided he no longer was good and ended his life, the other was able to step into his purpose.  Was it because Jesus loved Peter more?  Personally, I don’t think so.  I believe it is because Judas saw his betrayal through condemnation (you are no longer good) and Peter saw his betrayal through conviction (you are better than that).  

God operates in conviction- showing us our mistakes and telling us we are too good to do what we did and should hold ourselves to a higher standard.  The Devil uses condemnation to tell us we are no longer good and therefore no longer worthy, keeping us locked up in personal disdain.  

I encourage you to recognize the difference next time you mess up.  Know that, regardless of the sin, God loves you and still has a plan for you.  Don’t ever give up.  

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be blessed, dear readers!!  Remember whose you are.

  

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Seen vs Unseen

Remember that our lives are eternal and our God has it all worked out.  Never allow your temporary circumstances to cause you to be in despair about your long term future.

  

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Climb that tree

I grew up in Sunday School.  Our church had the children all go to Sunday School in the morning service and then we were in the Sanctuary in the evening service.  One of my favorite time during Sunday School was when we sang: Jesus Loves Me, Let It Shine, Father Abraham, and of course Zacchaeous Was A Wee Man.

I identified with Zacchaeous because I’ve always been short (and I am still short).  I sang that song all the time.  But as a child, I didn’t understand the implication of his story in the Bible.  

Zacchaeous was a sleazy guy – at least that is the implication I get from the word.  Tax collectors often  took more money than required from the citizens and lived off the money they stole from hard working people.  As a whole, they were despised.

The day Christ Jesus came into Jericho, out of curiosity and anticipation, Zacchaeous climbed up in a Sycamore tree to get a better view of Jesus.  This got Christ’s attention and He decided to go to Zacchaeous’ house to eat a meal with his family.  That was a great honor.  An honor bestowed on someone greatly despised by most.  In the end, Zacchaeous’ heart was changed because His encounter with Christ.

This story gives a great picture of how God responds to us.  How we can live terrible lives and then, when He moves our hearts, we respond.  Seeing that we respond moves God.  

Dear reader, you can be someone who has a pedigree of sin, but if an encounter with God moves you to change, God recognizes and respects that.  He seeks the broken and those who are bound in sin.  He loves it when those who were lost are found.

It doesn’t matter what happens, God loves you and waiting until you are 100% His.  You are not too far gone.  You are deeply and dearly loved.

If you find yourself in the same situation that Zacchaeous found himself – not only a sinner, but someone who is despised by those around them because of their sin, do what he did and change your position to see Jesus better.  Reach out to the Christ, the one who bore all sins, including yours. 

Pray this with me: Lord, I am a sinner in need of a savior.  I have sin in my heart and I confess it to you now.  Whether I have known you for a long time or just meeting you, help me know you and understand you more.  I want to walk close with you.  Help me give up my sins in order to live a better life.  I love you, Jesus.  Thank you for all you do.  In you’re name, amen

 “Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:1-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be blessed, dear reader.

  

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Hold on

Have you ever been put in front of a situation that seemed impossible?  You have no idea how it is going to work out for your good?  That failure is the only solution because there is no logical way out?

Yeah, we’ve all felt like that.  We have all been in dark places where we have no clue how to get out.  It feels like you are carrying too great of weight to even take the next step.  If we only rely on our own selves, there is no solution.  We can’t do it on our own.

When Israel was faced with a giant threatening to take down the entire army, they were too scared to do anything, not knowing how it was going to work out.  Then David walked in.  The army only thought of what they could do.  But David knew what God could do.

““Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!””

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:32-37‬ ‭NLT‬

When we face things with God, all things are possible.  We have to trust Him and know that He has it all worked out.  What seems impossible to overcome will be so simple to take care of if we do it God’s way and not our own.

David stepped up and did it God’s way. The giant fell only after a few stones were slung. This was the moment that he took the step in faith that set the promise of God in place so that one day he would be the king God called him to be.  It wasn’t just about the anointing, but David’s belief in His God’s ability.

I encourage you, dear reader, that it isn’t over even if it seems like it is.    No matter the situation, no matter if someone hurt you, if you sinned, if you are isolated, if your entire life has crumbled – trust God.  His Son didn’t die on the Cross for you to waste away in failure.

Trust His way, trust that with Him all things are possible and will work out for your good!  His promises will come to pass.  Hold onto HIM!!!  Don’t let go, no matter what.  Sometimes God wants to see if we will take that step of faith.

Be blessed, dear reader.  It isn’t over until God declares it is.

  

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Strength Training

I must confess something to you, readers: I’m not that physically strong.  My upper body strength is almost non-existent.  Once at the gym, I saw a barbell with no extra weights on it (about 35 pounds by itself) and almost didn’t get it past my chest.  My legs are a little stronger, but not by much.  It’s sad and I am working on correcting it.  Haha!

But in seriousness, strength is a genuine necessity in this life.  Yes, physical strength is important, but so is emotional, mental, and spiritual.  If we lived our lives without strength, then we wouldn’t live very long.

When life gets tough, that strength is what helps us continue on this journey of life.  Whether it is a physical illness, a relationship gone wrong, or financial instability – where and in whom your strength comes from determines how well you will weather the storm.

Proverbs 18:10 says: “The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.”  When we put our trust in the unmovable God who created us, we know that we will make it out okay.

All too often, though, we are like the disciples in Mark 4:38-39. We doubt that God sees our situation or even cares.  So we panic and cry out in despair.  But quickly, as Jesus awoke and calmed the storm, they realized that He knew that they would be okay all along. (Mark 4:40-41)

“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!””

Place your trust in the unmovable, unconditionally loving God who has your best interest at heart.  Remember that God sees the whole picture and not just what you see.  Run to Him in times of trouble and you will be safe.

Blessings to you dear reader.  Remember where your help comes from!

  

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His Love Doesn’t Fail

There is a misconception that Christianity is easy, simple, and those who follow Christ have no problems.  This is so wrong.  Matthew 5:45 says it rains on the just and the unjust.  We all deal with problems.  We all have to deal with this life and all it holds.

I had a chance to participate in a virtual conference the past few weeks and I wanted to share with you some great takeaways from the wisdom provided by some amazing ministers.  Here are the awesome tidbits:

Have you ever found yourself in a place of trouble?  Whether it was at your hand or someone else’s – I’m sure you have.  Many times, these troubles bring hurt.  In this hurt, God has promised to give us a crown of beauty for ashes and joy instead of mourning.

All will be worked out in His time and for His glory. Don’t lose hope or trust in Him.  Understand that you have to go through the ugly in order to get to the great.  

God has not forgotten or forsaken you.  Just hold on.

Take this scripture to heart:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.

You will be called priests of the LORD, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-4, 6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Much love and blessings to you in whatever season you find yourself in.  God’s love never will fail you!

  

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There Are No Small Roles

I don’t live in the country, but the great thing about Texas is the country is always about 20 minutes away.  When I get the chance to go outside the busy city and venture off to a slower part of the State, there are these wide space of just grass and farm.  At night, there are amazing stars shining bright in the sky.  

All of this is so beautiful, but it also reminds me of how truly small I am.  Makes me wonder if, in fact, I can be used by the God of the Universe.  Can I even make a dent in this world?  We may be small, but we serve a big God.

The Bible is filled with individuals who partnered with God to change the world.  Individuals who were just as small as we are.  Moses, Abraham, Job, Peter, and John to name a few.  But their faith in God helped Him guide them to their destiny to greatness.

Let’s look at a young man who was sent on a mission to find his father’s lost donkeys and found Kingship instead:

“Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?””

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭9:18-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ (emphasis added)

Israel had been run by Judges, but the people wanted a King, so God gave them what they wanted.  Israel’s first king was a nobody that became a somebody in a matter of moments.  God can do that.

Do you ever feel small like I do sometimes? Do you ever wonder if you can be used?  Know that God sees you and knows you.  He hasn’t forgotten you.

I encourage you to be faithful in something.  Remember that Saul was found doing a service for his father.  Go out and do something for someone who cannot do for you.  I leave you with this scripture:

“Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be blessed, dear readers.  

  

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It’s never too late

Have you ever messed up?  I mean really did something stupid?  I think we all can say yes to that for at least one moment in our lives.  We all know the feeling of being awakened to the reality of our humanity.

I can remember driving one day and as the light turned green and we all started to move forward -I looked down for a split second and BANG!  I totaled my car because the car in front of me slammed on their brakes & I didn’t see it.  That was such a stupid mistake!  I felt that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that we all get when we do those kinds of irresponsible things.

There is a guy named Samson who I am sure knows what that “pit-in-your-stomach” feeling is all too well.  In chapter 16 of the book of Judges, we see how Samson meets Delilah and falls in love.  After lying to her about what makes him so strong three times, he finally tells her the truth.  This is after her repeated attempt to take away his strength and send him off as the Philistines’ prisoner.

The moment his hair is cut, God leaves him and takes the mighty strength with Him.  How awful is that?  I don’t want to ever know that feeling.  When his strength is gone, the Philistines gorge his eyes out and send him to grind grain in prison.  This was one of those really stupid, irreversabke things, right?  Wrong.

Judges 16:22 says: “But before long his hair began to grow back.” Samson prayed for his strength back and God honored the humility in that prayer and gave Samson back what he had lost.  In that gift of grace, Samson killed more Philistines (Israel’s enemy) than ever before.

When we do something wrong, even when it is really wrong, we cannot say that we can never be as good as we once were.  Yes, we have to deal with the consequences of our actions, but God honors those who humble themselves.  Our God – Jesus Christ – understands what it is like  to overcome adversity.  He overcame the world’s adversity on the cross.

Never disqualify yourself just because you messed up.  Take a note from Samson’s life: even when you mess up majorly, your life can still have meaning.  Just humble yourself and go to God.  Great things happen when we do that.

Be blessed, dear friends.  No one can go too far for the love of our father to reach!

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:7-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace and your unconditional love! Thank you for loving me even when I sin. Help me, Lord, understand and overcome any adversity I’ve allowed in my life. I humbly come before you because I cannot overcome it by myself.  I don’t want the mistakes of my past to define my future.  I thank you for giving your Son as a sacrifice so that I may live in this amazing grace.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

  

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Do It On Purpose

Purpose – the reason something is done or the reason something (or someone) exists.  It is the intention or objective for an action. God had a purpose for bringing us and the rest of creation into existence.  There are reasons why we do things – the things we do are done on purpose to bring about a result.

I can admit to you that I have not always done things for a specific purpose.  I do not watch hours of TV for a specific, thought out purpose.  The ultimate purpose of that action is laziness.  I am breaking that habit along with others that result in less than favorable purposes.

2016 I am declaring my year of purpose for myself.  Not only amI going to see the purpose God put me on Earth walked out (at least the beginning of this walk), but also I am going to ensure at least most of my actions are for a known purpose.  Meaning, I am going to ensure that I am no longer lazy, careless, and thoughtless in my actions toward others, toward my spiritual life, toward myself  or toward my work life.

I am going to start taking action, being real, and being present.  I do not want to live my life in a way that would cause me to lose all that God has for me.  I want to walk in wisdom and walk in a deeper relationship with Him.  Will you join me on this journey?  Will you start to consciously make decisions to achieve a certain purpose?  Will you start walking out who God made you to be?

I am excited and ready to take on this challenge!

Be blessed everyone.  Live & love on purpose.

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  

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Road to you accepting you – Conclusion

After all three steps:

(1) Humble yourself before God

(2) Kill the lies of the past and

(3) See yourself through the Father’s eyes

there is only one thing left to do.  Walk boldly in who God made you to be.  Step into the future with fervor.  Don’t back down.  Don’t look back.  

I’ll leave you with a few scriptures to ponder.  My prayer is that we all, including myself, truly understand why we are here and how much God honestly loves each of us.  Be blessed friends!

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The LORD will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭138:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬