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"TGIF: Today God Is First"
from: Prime Time With God Today's Prayer
Dear God, Your Word and acts of the past demonstrate to me Your desires to reflect Your nature and power through every individual--including me! I know that's because those who reflect Your glory affect the world. I pray that in all situations I face, I will be obedient and dependent upon You and give You all the praise and glory, so that You will demonstrate Your power that all people may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your Kingdom. I'd like to be able to say, with the Apostle Paul, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Cor. 2:4-5). Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.
TGIF: Receiving Your Inheritance
Receiving Your Inheritance
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman 06-16-2010
"But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it...." - Joshua 19:47
What is the spiritual inheritance God has reserved for you? When God told the Israelites they were going to receive the Promised Land, it was not given to them on a silver platter. In fact, they would encounter 39 battles in taking the land God promised to them. It took a joint effort between God and the Israelites to engage and battle the enemy that maintained control of the land.
God has given you and me a spiritual inheritance that must be won in the heavenlies. A dear friend and mentor once counseled me after watching my life over a period and said, "The Lord has given you a spiritual inheritance. That inheritance lies in relationships, and because it lies in relationships, that is the place the enemy has attacked you most. The enemy always attacks us in the area where we are to receive our inheritance. You must walk in faithfulness and obedience to His righteousness in how you deal with relationships." These were words of wisdom that have since guided my path. The Lord has proven these words to be true.
What is the spiritual inheritance He has reserved for you? What areas of your inheritance must you take possession of? The enemy of your soul does not want you to take possession. Put on your armor and begin walking in obedience into the areas God has called you to possess.
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Brad Pitt & Hott Wives. « Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff
Every time I go to Wal-mart I feel bad for Brad Pitt. Not horrible, I don’t feel all that bad. Just like when John Mayer sings on his most recent song about his heartache I think about his $20 million watch collection and string of models and I don’t feel all that miserable for his troubles. But Brad Pitt, jeez.
Apparently Angelina Jolie cheated on him. Or not. Tabloid magazines have to get things right like the weather man. There’s no degree of accuracy required to write a headline like “Angelina cheats on Brad with copywriter!” (Chances are it wouldn’t be a copywriter, but I just tried to pick the coolest profession that came to mind, and there it was.) But sometimes when bad things happen to famous people, we get puzzled:
How could someone cheat on Brad Pitt? That’s Brad Pitt!
How could Tiger cheat on his wife? She’s so hott!
How could Tom Brady say the super bowl rings weren’t enough? He was the MVP!
And I get those kind of thoughts. I’ve had them before and I am sure I will have them again at some point, but I think they reveal something interesting about us. I think they uncover something a little devious. I think that if you dig a little, what we are really saying when we say things like that is this:
“I can be content outside of God.”
Maybe those aren’t the exact words you’re using, but they might as well be. Because let’s add the other half of the thought to those three sentences from above:
How could someone cheat on Brad Pitt? That’s Brad Pitt! If I had Brad Pitt as my man I would forever be happy. I’d never leave the house I would be so in love.
How could Tiger cheat on his wife? She’s so hott! I would never cheat. She’s all I would need. She’s way too pretty to cheat on.
How could Tom Brady say the super bowl rings weren’t enough? He was the MVP! If I won a super bowl, life would be complete. I would have everything. And Gisele! I’m not sure there’s any problem in life that can’t be solved by a Brazilian supermodel.
There’s a good chance you didn’t see yourself in those statements. There’s a good chance that your thing isn’t represented in any of those examples. And that’s good, but chances are you’ve got another “thing.” Maybe it’s a promotion or a job you secretly believe would magically make life better. Maybe it’s some bill paid off or some neighborhood you want to move to or a million other things.
We all have things. We all have our Super Bowls or Brad Pitts and when we chase them to the exclusion of everything else, we all end up empty. We end up owning $20 million in watches and still feeling depressed. We end up marrying super models and cheating on them. We end up with shiny toys that lose their shine the second they’ve been “caught.”
And to all of that, God says “I’ve got this.”
Over and over in the Bible he doesn’t hide what’s what when it comes to being satisfied. He doesn’t play around when it comes to contentment. He doesn’t waste his time or your time with things. In Psalm 103, he’s described as the God who:
“satisfies your desires with good things”
I’ve been stuck on that chapter for a while now and the thing I love about this particular verse is the word, “your.” Do you see what that means for you and me?
We serve a personal God.
We serve an individual God.
It doesn’t say, “who satisfies desires with good things.” It doesn’t say he satisfies a bunch of desires from a nameless bag of desires and everyone gets the same and they just have to deal with it.
Not at all. The desires he meets. The things he touches. The places he speaks to. They are yours. Yours as in customized to who you are and who you’ll always be. They are not one size fits all. They are one size fits me.
I think when we forget that, I think when we start serving a faceless, corporate God, we lose touch with the personal, intimate relationship that is available. I think we start feeling that when we give our lives to God he is going to turn us into the opposite of who we currently are. If you’re a writer, he’s going to make you study calculus. If you love people, he’s going to make you become a solitary nun. If you hate missions, he’s going to instantly send you to Africa.
But maybe we’re wrong. Maybe it’s time to forget Brad Pitt. Forget the job or degree you think is going to change your life forever. Maybe it’s time to forget the faraway, impersonal God. Maybe the guy who created your thing, the guy who hid it where not even a super model or an astronaut could find it, maybe he wants to show you want it’s all about. Maybe he is more 1 to 1 than we can possibly imagine.
Long live our personal God.
Every time I go to Wal-mart I feel bad for Brad Pitt. Not horrible, I don’t feel all that bad. Just like when John Mayer sings on his most recent song about his heartache I think about his $20 million watch collection and string of models and I don’t feel all that miserable for his troubles. But Brad Pitt, jeez.
Apparently Angelina Jolie cheated on him. Or not. Tabloid magazines have to get things right like the weather man. There’s no degree of accuracy required to write a headline like “Angelina cheats on Brad with copywriter!” (Chances are it wouldn’t be a copywriter, but I just tried to pick the coolest profession that came to mind, and there it was.) But sometimes when bad things happen to famous people, we get puzzled:
How could someone cheat on Brad Pitt? That’s Brad Pitt!
How could Tiger cheat on his wife? She’s so hott!
How could Tom Brady say the super bowl rings weren’t enough? He was the MVP!
And I get those kind of thoughts. I’ve had them before and I am sure I will have them again at some point, but I think they reveal something interesting about us. I think they uncover something a little devious. I think that if you dig a little, what we are really saying when we say things like that is this:
“I can be content outside of God.”
Maybe those aren’t the exact words you’re using, but they might as well be. Because let’s add the other half of the thought to those three sentences from above:
How could someone cheat on Brad Pitt? That’s Brad Pitt! If I had Brad Pitt as my man I would forever be happy. I’d never leave the house I would be so in love.
How could Tiger cheat on his wife? She’s so hott! I would never cheat. She’s all I would need. She’s way too pretty to cheat on.
How could Tom Brady say the super bowl rings weren’t enough? He was the MVP! If I won a super bowl, life would be complete. I would have everything. And Gisele! I’m not sure there’s any problem in life that can’t be solved by a Brazilian supermodel.
There’s a good chance you didn’t see yourself in those statements. There’s a good chance that your thing isn’t represented in any of those examples. And that’s good, but chances are you’ve got another “thing.” Maybe it’s a promotion or a job you secretly believe would magically make life better. Maybe it’s some bill paid off or some neighborhood you want to move to or a million other things.
We all have things. We all have our Super Bowls or Brad Pitts and when we chase them to the exclusion of everything else, we all end up empty. We end up owning $20 million in watches and still feeling depressed. We end up marrying super models and cheating on them. We end up with shiny toys that lose their shine the second they’ve been “caught.”
And to all of that, God says “I’ve got this.”
Over and over in the Bible he doesn’t hide what’s what when it comes to being satisfied. He doesn’t play around when it comes to contentment. He doesn’t waste his time or your time with things. In Psalm 103, he’s described as the God who:
“satisfies your desires with good things”
I’ve been stuck on that chapter for a while now and the thing I love about this particular verse is the word, “your.” Do you see what that means for you and me?
We serve a personal God.
We serve an individual God.
It doesn’t say, “who satisfies desires with good things.” It doesn’t say he satisfies a bunch of desires from a nameless bag of desires and everyone gets the same and they just have to deal with it.
Not at all. The desires he meets. The things he touches. The places he speaks to. They are yours. Yours as in customized to who you are and who you’ll always be. They are not one size fits all. They are one size fits me.
I think when we forget that, I think when we start serving a faceless, corporate God, we lose touch with the personal, intimate relationship that is available. I think we start feeling that when we give our lives to God he is going to turn us into the opposite of who we currently are. If you’re a writer, he’s going to make you study calculus. If you love people, he’s going to make you become a solitary nun. If you hate missions, he’s going to instantly send you to Africa.
But maybe we’re wrong. Maybe it’s time to forget Brad Pitt. Forget the job or degree you think is going to change your life forever. Maybe it’s time to forget the faraway, impersonal God. Maybe the guy who created your thing, the guy who hid it where not even a super model or an astronaut could find it, maybe he wants to show you want it’s all about. Maybe he is more 1 to 1 than we can possibly imagine.
Long live our personal God.
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Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, How amazing it is to compare our life to the caterpillar that is surrounded by the cocoon and struggles until it emerges a beautiful butterfly. I pray that as I struggle through life's challenges, that I lean on You and allow the cocoon of Your love to surround me and the circumstances and trials to help mold me into the beautiful creature You want me to become. Thank You for all You do. In Jesus' name, amen.
The Goal of the Christian Life
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
05-25-2010
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24
The goal of the Christian life is death, not success. A popular teaching says that if we follow God, we will prosper materially. God may, in fact, bless His people materially, but few can make this claim among third-world countries. Wealth must never be the goal of a person's life, only a by-product.
A missionary to a Middle-Eastern country has shared a motto among their ministry team: "God does not require success, but radical, immediate obedience." Jesus' obedience gained Him the cross. It did not gain Him popularity among the heathen, the religious or financial success, or a life of pleasure. His obedience resulted in His death on the cross. This is the same goal Christ has for each of us--death of our old nature so that He might live through us. That may not sell well among outcome-based Christian workplace believers, but it will result in an eternal reward that far exceeds any earthly reward. "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done" (Rev. 22:12).
The Christian life is a paradox--the first will be last, death in return for life, and we are encouraged to offer praise to God to overcome a spirit of heaviness. It requires faith in a God who operates from a different set of values that are sometimes difficult to measure from human standards. Let death work in you a life that only God can raise up.
Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.
Dear Lord, How amazing it is to compare our life to the caterpillar that is surrounded by the cocoon and struggles until it emerges a beautiful butterfly. I pray that as I struggle through life's challenges, that I lean on You and allow the cocoon of Your love to surround me and the circumstances and trials to help mold me into the beautiful creature You want me to become. Thank You for all You do. In Jesus' name, amen.
The Goal of the Christian Life
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
05-25-2010
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24
The goal of the Christian life is death, not success. A popular teaching says that if we follow God, we will prosper materially. God may, in fact, bless His people materially, but few can make this claim among third-world countries. Wealth must never be the goal of a person's life, only a by-product.
A missionary to a Middle-Eastern country has shared a motto among their ministry team: "God does not require success, but radical, immediate obedience." Jesus' obedience gained Him the cross. It did not gain Him popularity among the heathen, the religious or financial success, or a life of pleasure. His obedience resulted in His death on the cross. This is the same goal Christ has for each of us--death of our old nature so that He might live through us. That may not sell well among outcome-based Christian workplace believers, but it will result in an eternal reward that far exceeds any earthly reward. "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done" (Rev. 22:12).
The Christian life is a paradox--the first will be last, death in return for life, and we are encouraged to offer praise to God to overcome a spirit of heaviness. It requires faith in a God who operates from a different set of values that are sometimes difficult to measure from human standards. Let death work in you a life that only God can raise up.
Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.
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The dinner was delicious (Daphne's with Cheesecake for dessert) and the speaker was good.
Bruce Marciano
He reminded me of Steve Carrell (did anyone else get that?).
A few notes from his talk... just bullet points.
I got this cool sash with everyone's name on it!
and we had our group picture taken...
It was a lovely night!
Thanks so much Mariners for being such a great church!!
Bruce Marciano
He reminded me of Steve Carrell (did anyone else get that?).
A few notes from his talk... just bullet points.
- Learning to pray; turning from prayer being about me, to prayer being about God. About understanding who He is.
- Praying without righteousness, but a desperation that Jesus would reveal Himself to me.
- Jer 29:13: ..."when you seek me with all your heart."
- Very hard to do this in OC, surrounded by so much comfort
- People who visit poor countries as missionaries are often surprised by their happiness when they have so little.
- Something happens in the void of things.
- Ps 139:13 He formed us in our mother's womb.
- How does Jesus feel about us? He formed us! We are all His babies!
- He watches us in the hell of our own decisions. The destructiveness of our lives and says "Come to me!"
- Come to me what Jesus' heart cry, not a calm quiet statement.
- Every page of the Bible message simplified: "Come to me!"
- When we are asked to Describe Jesus we usually come up with big words: omniscient, all powerful, etc.
- When Jesus had opportunity to describe Himself, He said "I am gentle. I am humble of heart." He's not up on a throne waiting to throw lightening bolts at us every time we misstep.
- "Come to me and I will give you rest."
- Lord, Thank You for Your word!!
- A man's heart is reflected in His actions (and his actions). What is Jesus' heart?
- jesus gave Himself away.
- In every story we see Jesus giving Himself away.
- Think of all the people who wanted a piece of Him, His time, to be close to Him, the crowds, pawing at Him and He gave Himself to them.
- Jesus, will all this incredible power & He never used any of it for Himself.
- After feeding the 5000 Jesus had the disciples go and buy food for them to eat. Kind of funny really.
- "It is finished." Like saying "Dad, we did it!"
- Where would I be if Jesus hadn't sacrificed Himself for me? He was EAGER to sacrifice Himself for me! For the Joy set before Him.
- LORD, LET ME EAGERLY SERVE YOU!
I got this cool sash with everyone's name on it!
It was a lovely night!
Thanks so much Mariners for being such a great church!!
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Pray Before you Slip
Christian Soul Care Devotional
“Inviting God’s touch in your soul”
By Bill Gaultiere
Thank you Lord that “By the word of your lips… My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped” (Psalm 17:4-5).
I experienced the truth of David’s words on a rainy morning earlier this week. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining so I got out my bike to do a training ride for the upcoming triathlon race I’m doing with my son. I wanted to see if I could push myself to ride hard and fast for about an hour. The path was still a little slick in some places so I told myself to be careful.
As I rode I got absorbed in the delightful fresh, clear air and the beauty of blue skies, trees, and the back bay of the ocean. And I was enjoying meditating on a line from a prayer I wrote, inspired by Psalm 139:9:
“By the Spirit I rise on the wings of Christ’s dawn – the Father’s right hand holds me fast.”
Riding my bike on a wet path that morning I could relate to those words! I prayed that the Father’s right hand would hold me fast so that I wouldn’t slip and fall off my bike!
I was pedaling hard, probably going about 17 miles an hour as I headed into a turn on the bike path when all of a sudden my tire slipped on the wet asphalt and I started skidding! Oh no! Thank God I held the pavement – just barely! – and I didn’t wipe out. I probably would’ve gotten quite banged up.
Relieved, I continued cycling. Then it dawned on me that I had just prayed for the Father’s right hand to hold me fast! Wow! The Father’s hand had indeed held me fast just like I asked! I experienced what the Psalmist says again and again: when we put our confidence in the Lord as we do what whatever we’re doing then we see that his right hand is reaching down from the heavens to help us.
Watch and Pray with Jesus
Pray before you slip. That’s the lesson I was reminded of. It’s part of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). It’s what Jesus told Peter to do before Peter denied him: “Your spirit is willing to do the right thing, but in your natural abilities you are weak and you’re not ready to do what you want. So watch and pray to become the kind of person who won’t fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41, paraphrase).
As you know, Peter fell asleep on Jesus when he needed to watch and pray so he fell into denying his Lord. He fell into running away to hide. Then he fell into depression. But afterward Peter did learn to watch and pray with Jesus and so in the book of Acts and in Peter’s epistles we see Peter not falling, but standing strong in his faith through many persecutions and trials, even to the point of being crucified for Jesus upside down.
Where Might you Slip?
Where are you vulnerable to slip and fall in the days ahead? Pause to identify your struggle… Hurting someone with a sharp tongue? Worrying? Being judgmental? Complaining? Overworking? Eating too much? Having a couple of drinks? Looking at pornography?
Don’t just resolve to do better next time – that never works! “Trying harder just gets you more of the same” is a wise adage. Peter’s problem in denying Christ wasn’t lack of will power – he was very willful! Peter’s problem was that he directed his will to rely on himself. He hadn’t trained his will to rely on Christ with him.
Take Hold of Christ’s Hand Now
Learn what Peter learned: admit your weakness and watch and pray with Jesus. “Train yourself to be godly” (1 Timothy 4:7). Rely on Christ to help you to become a different kind of person on the inside.
Imagine yourself in the slippery situation of what tempts you… See the hand of the Lord reach down to you from the heavens… Take hold of it… Keep holding Christ’s hand… Pray to become the kind of person who doesn’t find satisfaction in anger or alcohol or _______, but in holding the hand of Christ…
If you pray this way about your specific struggle – and you do this over time with the help of Scripture and a soul friend – then you will not slip!
Soul Shepherding for Ministry Leaders
Where does a pastor go for a safe place? To receive spiritual encouragement? Every month Kristi and I meet with dozens of pastors, pastors’ wives, and other ministry leaders to encourage them in their lives and ministries. We are following our calling from God to devote our careers to offering Soul Shepherding for people who minister to others. We’d like to share our vision with you and how you can be a part!
Come on Retreat with Me
On Saturday June 5th from 9 am to 12:30 I’m leading a free morning retreat, “Breathe with Jesus” at the Crystal Cathedral. I will teach you how using Breath Prayers can free you from worry and distress, ushering in God’s peace. To learn more about this or other upcoming classes and retreats I’m leading go to our Soul Shepherding Calendar.
Let’s Connect Online
Sign up for our new Soul Shepherding Blog which features a prayer exercise in a short e-mail 1-2 times per week.
Let’s be friends online: I post a ministry update and an abiding prayer daily on my Facebook and Twitter.
You can share the Christian Soul Care Devotional with your friends.
Blessings,
Bill & Kristi
William Gaultiere, Ph.D. ~ Psychologist & Spiritual Director
Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ MFT & Spiritual Director
www.ChristianSoulCare.com: “Inviting God's touch in your soul”
www.SoulShepherding.org: “Ministering to pastors & leaders”
949.262.3699
Christian Soul Care Devotional
“Inviting God’s touch in your soul”
By Bill Gaultiere
Thank you Lord that “By the word of your lips… My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped” (Psalm 17:4-5).
I experienced the truth of David’s words on a rainy morning earlier this week. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining so I got out my bike to do a training ride for the upcoming triathlon race I’m doing with my son. I wanted to see if I could push myself to ride hard and fast for about an hour. The path was still a little slick in some places so I told myself to be careful.
As I rode I got absorbed in the delightful fresh, clear air and the beauty of blue skies, trees, and the back bay of the ocean. And I was enjoying meditating on a line from a prayer I wrote, inspired by Psalm 139:9:
“By the Spirit I rise on the wings of Christ’s dawn – the Father’s right hand holds me fast.”
Riding my bike on a wet path that morning I could relate to those words! I prayed that the Father’s right hand would hold me fast so that I wouldn’t slip and fall off my bike!
I was pedaling hard, probably going about 17 miles an hour as I headed into a turn on the bike path when all of a sudden my tire slipped on the wet asphalt and I started skidding! Oh no! Thank God I held the pavement – just barely! – and I didn’t wipe out. I probably would’ve gotten quite banged up.
Relieved, I continued cycling. Then it dawned on me that I had just prayed for the Father’s right hand to hold me fast! Wow! The Father’s hand had indeed held me fast just like I asked! I experienced what the Psalmist says again and again: when we put our confidence in the Lord as we do what whatever we’re doing then we see that his right hand is reaching down from the heavens to help us.
Watch and Pray with Jesus
Pray before you slip. That’s the lesson I was reminded of. It’s part of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). It’s what Jesus told Peter to do before Peter denied him: “Your spirit is willing to do the right thing, but in your natural abilities you are weak and you’re not ready to do what you want. So watch and pray to become the kind of person who won’t fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41, paraphrase).
As you know, Peter fell asleep on Jesus when he needed to watch and pray so he fell into denying his Lord. He fell into running away to hide. Then he fell into depression. But afterward Peter did learn to watch and pray with Jesus and so in the book of Acts and in Peter’s epistles we see Peter not falling, but standing strong in his faith through many persecutions and trials, even to the point of being crucified for Jesus upside down.
Where Might you Slip?
Where are you vulnerable to slip and fall in the days ahead? Pause to identify your struggle… Hurting someone with a sharp tongue? Worrying? Being judgmental? Complaining? Overworking? Eating too much? Having a couple of drinks? Looking at pornography?
Don’t just resolve to do better next time – that never works! “Trying harder just gets you more of the same” is a wise adage. Peter’s problem in denying Christ wasn’t lack of will power – he was very willful! Peter’s problem was that he directed his will to rely on himself. He hadn’t trained his will to rely on Christ with him.
Take Hold of Christ’s Hand Now
Learn what Peter learned: admit your weakness and watch and pray with Jesus. “Train yourself to be godly” (1 Timothy 4:7). Rely on Christ to help you to become a different kind of person on the inside.
Imagine yourself in the slippery situation of what tempts you… See the hand of the Lord reach down to you from the heavens… Take hold of it… Keep holding Christ’s hand… Pray to become the kind of person who doesn’t find satisfaction in anger or alcohol or _______, but in holding the hand of Christ…
If you pray this way about your specific struggle – and you do this over time with the help of Scripture and a soul friend – then you will not slip!
Soul Shepherding for Ministry Leaders
Where does a pastor go for a safe place? To receive spiritual encouragement? Every month Kristi and I meet with dozens of pastors, pastors’ wives, and other ministry leaders to encourage them in their lives and ministries. We are following our calling from God to devote our careers to offering Soul Shepherding for people who minister to others. We’d like to share our vision with you and how you can be a part!
Come on Retreat with Me
On Saturday June 5th from 9 am to 12:30 I’m leading a free morning retreat, “Breathe with Jesus” at the Crystal Cathedral. I will teach you how using Breath Prayers can free you from worry and distress, ushering in God’s peace. To learn more about this or other upcoming classes and retreats I’m leading go to our Soul Shepherding Calendar.
Let’s Connect Online
Sign up for our new Soul Shepherding Blog which features a prayer exercise in a short e-mail 1-2 times per week.
Let’s be friends online: I post a ministry update and an abiding prayer daily on my Facebook and Twitter.
You can share the Christian Soul Care Devotional with your friends.
Blessings,
Bill & Kristi
William Gaultiere, Ph.D. ~ Psychologist & Spiritual Director
Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ MFT & Spiritual Director
www.ChristianSoulCare.com: “Inviting God's touch in your soul”
www.SoulShepherding.org: “Ministering to pastors & leaders”
949.262.3699
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A song today for you...
Lyrics: Complete by Parachute Band
Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice--my open heart.
I offer up my life.
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you, Lord
In Your strength will I break through, Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
And I will be complete in You.
Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice--my open heart.
I offer up my life.
I look to You, Lord.
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you Lord
And by faith, I will walk on, Lord
Then I'll see beyond my calvary one day,
And I will be complete in..
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you Lord
In your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
I know your love dispels all my fears.
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And I pray I will hold on, Lord
Then I'll see beyond my calvary one day
And I will be complete in
I will be complete in
I will be complete in You
Lyrics: Complete by Parachute Band
Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice--my open heart.
I offer up my life.
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you, Lord
In Your strength will I break through, Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
And I will be complete in You.
Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice--my open heart.
I offer up my life.
I look to You, Lord.
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you Lord
And by faith, I will walk on, Lord
Then I'll see beyond my calvary one day,
And I will be complete in..
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again
So I lift my eyes to you Lord
In your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
I know your love dispels all my fears.
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And I pray I will hold on, Lord
Then I'll see beyond my calvary one day
And I will be complete in
I will be complete in
I will be complete in You
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me
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Christian Soul Care Devotional
“Inviting God’s touch in your soul”
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
“Hi. I’m Bill. I’m a workaholic and adrenaline addict in recovery.”
Now you should say, “Hi Bill!”
How did I recover? How did I get free of adrenaline dependence and anxious overworking? By slowing down for a Sabbath rest.
The Peace of Christ
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” Paul says (Colossians 3:15). We all long for the peace of Christ. But we don’t want to be ruled!
Sabbath teaches me let go of all the ways I want to make things happen or control the people and situations in my life. It helps me to be governed by God in what I do and in how I do it.
My guess is that you need Sabbath time too. It’s a powerful treatment not only for overworking or adrenaline dependence, but also for busyness, anxiety, self-importance, trying to control the outcomes of situations, and worrying about pleasing or impressing people.
Little-by-Little I Started Practicing a Sabbath
For many years keeping a Sabbath to me meant going to church, spending some time with my family, and squeezing in as many “projects” as I could. That’s not a bad way to spend a Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to teach me how to live in God’s peace.
The writer to the Hebrews teaches us that New Testament Christians need a Sabbath rest: “Be careful!… Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work… So make every effort to enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:1,8-11).
Seven years ago I started being intentional about setting aside a day of prayer for spiritual rest and renewal. Ray Ortlund was my spiritual mentor at the time and he got me taking a one or two day retreat every three months. Gradually, I built that up to one day every week.
Now, please don’t think I’m holy because I keep a Sabbath! (Or that you’re an inferior Christian if you’re not keeping a Sabbath in the way that I do.) I do this because I need help to be still and know that the Lord is God – he is in charge, not me! (Psalm 46:10).
What I do on My Sabbath
On my Sabbath I do no work – that’s the key. I try not to be productive. I have no agenda except to spend the day with Jesus, doing whatever we want to do together. Usually, the best way for me to connect with Jesus is in quiet solitude. (Sometimes my Sabbath is spent with my family or on a community retreat.)
My Sabbath may include sleeping in or getting up before sunrise. I may stay holed up in my prayer room or go for a hike in the hills or go to a retreat center. Usually I fast from food and media.
I always spend some time in God’s Word on my Sabbath day. I pray a Psalm, do Lectio Divina on a gospel passage, or practice Abiding Prayer. But I save Bible study for another day since being studious is not restful.
I need to engage my heart with God so I focus on being with Christ and conversing with him. In my journal I process my experiences, confess my sins, or write down what I sense God is saying to me.
Many inspiring prayer poems and abiding prayers have come out of my Sabbath days over the years. I have filled My Psalms Prayer Book with these writings and have begun to post them on our new Soul Shepherding website (see also my prayapsalm tweets on my Twitter or Facebook).
“He Restores my Soul”
Setting aside extended time to unhook from normal activity and noise and connect with Christ is such a blessing! Sabbath teaches us to live in the “easy yoke” of Jesus everyday! (Matthew 11:28-30).
When we make the Lord our Shepherd, learn to lie down in his green pastures, and take the time to drink from his still waters then we will say with David in Psalm 23: “He restores my soul!”
Sabbath time is good for the soul! And it’s a time to love on the Lord!
Soul Shepherding Opportunities
“Hurry Up and Be Still: Freedom From Adrenaline Dependence” explains more of the story of how I overcame anxious workaholism, rushing around, and being keyed up with adrenaline.
Sign up for our new Soul Shepherding Blog which features a prayer exercise in a short e-mail 1-2 times per week.
Share the Christian Soul Care Devotional with your friends.
Blessings,
Bill & Kristi
William Gaultiere, Ph.D. ~ Psychologist & Spiritual Director/Mentor
Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ MFT & Spiritual Director/Mentor
www.ChristianSoulCare.com: “Inviting God's touch in psychotherapy”
www.SoulShepherding.org: “Ministering to pastors & leaders”
949.262.3699
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Today's Prayer
God, as I reflect on Proverbs 23:12, "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge," I'm trying to examine myself in light of that Scripture. Do I respond to you and your Word with my heart...or do I do what I do for you out of a sense of duty or obligation? I'm sorry for the times I have done good things only because someone needed to do it. I pray that I will always have the right attitude and the right motives. I pray that whatever service I give to you from this day forward will be out of love and as a result of my relationship with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Confidence in Numbers
TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman
03-09-2010
God, as I reflect on Proverbs 23:12, "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge," I'm trying to examine myself in light of that Scripture. Do I respond to you and your Word with my heart...or do I do what I do for you out of a sense of duty or obligation? I'm sorry for the times I have done good things only because someone needed to do it. I pray that I will always have the right attitude and the right motives. I pray that whatever service I give to you from this day forward will be out of love and as a result of my relationship with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Confidence in Numbers
TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman
03-09-2010
"David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg You, take away the guilt of Your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.'" - 2 Samuel 24:10
It just seems to be human nature. As we grow in wealth and ability, our confidence moves from complete trust in the Lord to trust in our resources. King David decided one day that he needed to know how many fighting men he had in his army. This was a grievous sin in the nation of Israel. God always made it clear to the nation that He, not their army, was their source. It was against the law of God to number the troops. David's general, Joab, knew the serious nature of such an action.
But Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" (2 Samuel 24:3)
Joab knew that David was treading in dangerous waters when he brought up the idea to him. But David had it in his mind that this is what he was going to do. And he did. The result: God judged David for this sin by smiting the nation with a plague that resulted in the loss of 70,000 lives.
Recently, I was having lunch with a former stockbroker who lost everything in the 1987 stock crash in the United States. He made an interesting comment. "You cannot know how to fully trust the Lord in the financial area until you really have to. When I lost everything, I was forced to trust Him when I knew I could not pay my next bill unless God provided. This was the time I learned to trust God. I never had to trust God before I lost my money because I had plenty. We don't willingly enter this level of trust with God."
Ask God today to keep you from trusting in your own resources. Ask Him how to balance trust and blessing from Him this day.
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I think we should set up in a local bookstore with one of these signs and see what happens.
Maybe have someone stand off to the side and video it.
What do you think?
Maybe have someone stand off to the side and video it.
What do you think?
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Does the Bible Really Say That?
5 Passages you may think you understand.
When I was a young Christian, the Holy Spirit put in my heart such a yearning for Scripture that I began reading through the New Testament every week. By the end of my second week, I was astonished at what I was beginning to discover: Most of the verses I had memorized and was quoting meant something different in context!
I saw that I had been treating much of the Bible as a collection of memory verses with irrelevant text in between. Yet God inspired every line of the Bible for a reason—this includes the many verses that we rarely teach from or apply to our lives, perhaps because we don’t understand them. As part of a larger context, they make sense. Even when we get the basic sense of verses right, we would go so much deeper with context.
To illustrate how much more attention to context is needed, let’s examine a few of the passages we often use without thinking of their surrounding text.
The Thief (Jn. 10:10)
When I ask my students who the thief is who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” most instantly reply, “The devil.” That assumption is natural: The devil does, after all, steal, kill, and destroy. But when I ask the same students to read the passage in context, they all independently come to an identical conclusion: The thief represents false teachers.
When I ask my students who the thief is who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” most instantly reply, “The devil.” That assumption is natural: The devil does, after all, steal, kill, and destroy. But when I ask the same students to read the passage in context, they all independently come to an identical conclusion: The thief represents false teachers.
Whoever tries to get to the sheep without coming through Jesus (the gate) is a thief and a robber (Jn. 10:1). Thieves, robbers, and wolves seek the sheep to devour them. By contrast, the Good Shepherd died at the hands of such thieves to protect His sheep (vv. 11–15) and ensure them life.
If we read the context further, we see that Jesus was confronting the Pharisees, who claimed to be Israel’s shepherds. They had expelled from their religious community a man whom Jesus had healed, but Jesus welcomed the man as one of His sheep (see John 9).
The principle remains the same today: Those who seek to lead us away from Jesus are thieves. Is this true of the devil? Certainly. But if we apply the verse only to the devil, we miss how it applies to thousands of the devil’s agents in the world today.
Exalt Him? (Jn. 12:32)
We often sing the song, “Lift Jesus Higher.” Part of the lyrics are taken from Jesus’ words in Jn. 12:32: “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me” (KJV). It is biblical to “lift Jesus up”—Scripture summons us to “exalt” the Lord. But is that what Jn. 12:32 means? The passage itself leaves us no room for doubt as to its meaning.
Verse 33 explains, “This [Jesus] said, signifying by what death He would die” (NKJV). In the ancient world, “lifting” could mean exaltation (Is. 52:13), but it could also mean hanging (Gen. 40:20–22), including by crucifixion. (This is why Jesus earlier told His enemies that they would lift Him up. See Jn. 8:28).
In John 12, Jesus predicts that He will draw the world to Himself through His death on the cross. If we meant the song the way John meant the verse, we would be singing, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Of course, God knows what we mean. But we would do well to look up verses in context before quoting them in a song.
A Special Day (Ps. 118:24)
Many churches quote or sing, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” every Sunday morning, but most members do not catch the full import of this verse. We think it means we should rejoice in every day God has created. While it is true that we should rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4), the psalmist had a specific day in mind.
The psalm refers to a day of God’s triumph, when God made a stone rejected by the builders into the chief cornerstone (Ps. 118:22). This was the day in which we should rejoice (vv. 23–24). The New Testament applies this rejection and triumph to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 4:10–11)—the ultimate cause for celebration. When I sing this verse, I remember the greatest gift God has given us: the death and resurrection of His Son.
Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38)
Context is not just the verses immediately before and after a verse. God gave us the Bible one book at a time, and context invites us to read each passage in light of the entire flow of thought within the book to which it belongs.
One writer attacked the story of Judah and Tamar as “a filthy, dirty story.” This story narrates how Judah went in to a woman he thought was a prostitute, not knowing that she was his daughter-in-law, and got her pregnant. But this passage’s detractor would have done better to read the chapters surrounding this story before complaining.
The account of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38 is sandwiched between two accounts about Joseph. In the first, Joseph’s brothers, led by Judah, sell Joseph into slavery. In chapter 38 then, we see that bad behavior catches up with those who practice it: The same brother who sells Joseph is now exposed in a sin he cannot deny (vv. 23–26).
In the account about Joseph that follows Judah’s sexual sin, Joseph rejects the advances of his master’s wife (39:7–10). Taken together, these chapters offer a deliberate contrast between the sexual behavior of Judah and Joseph and, thus, challenge the double standards of their day.
Most cultures in the ancient world punished women who were immoral but allowed men to “play the field” so long as they did not do it with another man’s wife. Judah behaves like other men, but Joseph, who is righteous, refuses to sin even when threatened with punishment for that refusal.
Nor does the contrast between Joseph and Judah end there. Judah degraded himself by surrendering his marks of personal identity—including a ring and a chain—to a woman he thought was a prostitute (38:18). God’s reward for Joseph’s virtue, however, offers a stark contrast: Pharaoh gave Joseph the same kind of identity markers—a ring, robe, and chain—as symbols of his exaltation (41:42).
Three chapters later, we find that Judah is willing to become a slave himself rather than let his younger brother be enslaved (44:33). Judah is no longer the wicked young man he was when he sold Joseph into slavery. What constituted the turning point in his life? The best clue the narrative offers is that God used Tamar to confront Judah with his sin.
In context, then, the story of Judah and Tamar is not a “filthy, dirty story.” It belongs, instead, to a tale of virtue, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
The Great Commission (Mt. 28:18–20)
I like to teach from passages that pull together many of the themes of the books in which they occur. One such example is the Great Commission in Matthew’s gospel. The rest of Matthew prepares the way for this rousing conclusion.
Even though our classes will probably not let us read the entire Gospel of Matthew to them before we teach its conclusion, we can simulate the effect by summarizing the themes that climax there. To explain this passage fully, I could use each of the themes in this commission (such as Jesus’ authority, making disciples, or Jesus’ teachings) as topics in my presentation. Then I could fill in each of those topics with what Matthew says about the subject earlier. In this way, I invite my listeners to hear afresh the gospel’s message the way God’s Spirit first inspired it.
I will illustrate this approach with one of the themes in this commission: the command to disciple “the nations” (v. 19). Although Matthew wrote this gospel especially for Jewish Christians (in his day the majority of believers), this conclusion would not have taken them by surprise because Matthew prepares them for it through
- Jesus’ heritage in the opening genealogy (two women mentioned had Gentile backgrounds) (1:3–6)
- The wise visitors from the East in Jesus’ infancy (2:1)
- Jesus settling in “Galilee of the Gentiles” (4:12–15)
- Jesus’ praise for the faith of a Roman army officer (8:10–12) and a Canaanite woman (15:28)
- Jesus’ warning that unbelieving Israelites could end up worse than Gentiles (10:15, 11:23–24, 12:41–42)
- Jesus’ declaration that the end will not come until His followers announce the good news of His reign to all peoples (24:14)
Although it can be helpful to illustrate this call to missions from other parts of the Bible, I doubt that we can improve on the way God inspired Matthew to preach it. By tracing the theme through this entire book, we invite others deeper into this passage of Scripture in a way already implied in the text itself. In the process, we model for our hearers an effective way to study the Bible on their own.
Why Context Matters
Many of the verses we quote by reflex mean something more than, and sometimes something different from, the way we use them. Often taking a few minutes to read those verses in context will revolutionize our understanding of them.
At other times, context invites us to press even deeper. When we read a passage in light of the section or the book in which it appears, we grasp more fully the impact God intended it to have. Although reading an entire book of the Bible takes more concerted effort than just reading a paragraph, it offers us more long-range insights into God’s wonderful message to us.
We live in an “instant” culture that delights in shortcuts, but we cannot settle for prepackaged verses we have heard quoted by others—even by “everyone else.” Proverbs exhorts us to be diligent in seeking wisdom and knowledge. We must study the Bible passage by passage and book by book. Only then will God begin to open fully the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He has given us in Scripture.
By Craig Keener
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"But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body." 1 Corinthians 12:18-20 (NIV)
When I was twenty, my boyfriend said to me, "Christa, you're just not feminine enough," and he ended our relationship. I was devastated, not only because I loved him, but because I had been bombarded with the not enough message for the past three years, since I had become a Christian.
Those at the church I attended, while deeply committed to following God, had definite ideas about what a "good Christian woman" looked liked. I wasn't it. So I strove to throw off the "old" me. I read the right books and listened to the right speakers, and followed carefully constructed do and don't lists. And finally I gained acceptance in the church, but had completely lost myself - any shred of individuality.
I was just another eye (1 Corinthians 12:17) in a crowd of eyes.
For all the proper clothes and activities and friends, I found myself heavy with shame because there were still huge pieces inside of me that wouldn't squish into the "good Christian" mold held out for me. I prayed to be more like this woman or that woman, until one day I realized the only person I should be praying to be like was Jesus. Once I turned my sight to Christ, I began to see how my differences could be of value to Him. The more I became like Him, the more I became the person He made me to be.
My husband continually tells me, usually in response to some quirky idea I have, "I always want you to be who you are," and I hear the Lord's voice in those words. God is glorified through His people, and trying to shake off the personality with which He created us is dishonoring to Him. Each of our unique talents, idiosyncrasies, and abilities can and should be used for Him, and I've learned over and over again God will put us in situations that require just the skills and personality traits He has given us.
In my most recent novel, Watch Over Me, the main characters feel as if they are on the "fringe" of the church body, unable to fit in. For Abbi, it's because of her personal convictions; for Benjamin, it's because of the pain he's carrying around inside him; and for Matthew, it's a physical disability. But all three of them come to realize they are all necessary parts of the body of Christ. They – we – are the eyes and ears and feet and noses. Each of us fills a role in Christ's church, and in the lives of those around us, placed there by God to serve and love one another in our differences.
Dear Lord, You have created each of us in Your image, and also uniquely us. Help us to embrace who You made us to be, to see clearly the strengths You've given us, and rejoice in them. Use our individual weaknesses to turn us to You each and every day, giving us reason to cling to Your promises. Allow us opportunities to use our talents for Your glory and the good of the people around us, both those who are part of Your body and those who do not yet know You. Let our uniqueness be a light for You in the darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Reach out to someone in your church who may feel like she's on the "fringe" of things and doesn't fit in with the other women. Take time to encourage her uniqueness in Christ.
Take a few minutes to think about the talents God has given you. If there are some you aren't using now, ask yourself why that is. Go to the Lord in prayer and see if He reveals a way for you to serve Him with these abilities.
Reflections:
Do you suppress certain parts of yourself because you're worried about what other people may think? How can you overcome this "fear of man" that can prevent you from being all God made you to be?
Have you ever wished you could be more like another woman you know, because she seems more Godly? In what ways can you focus more on becoming "Christ-like" rather than "other-like"?
Power Verses:
Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." (NIV)
Jeremiah 1:5a, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." (NIV)
© 2010 by Christa Parrish. All rights reserved.
1 Mar 2010
Christa Parrish, She Reads Featured Author
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LIFE TRANSFORMATION
We discussed what we are hoping to get out of the study and the general feeling is that we are all very excited about doing this book! Life Transformation is definitely the phrase for the book of Romans.
Some things the group is looking at, thinking about:
Blessings on everyone.
I love the idea someone shared of reading Romans weekly. Not sure I can pull that off, but it did really spur me to want my Bible really in my mind and heart. As we so obviously come into end times and become further surrounded by so much evil and false beliefs, we will be required to rely more and more on the knowledge within our own hearts and minds.
GOD IS GOOD!
ALL THE TIME!
We discussed what we are hoping to get out of the study and the general feeling is that we are all very excited about doing this book! Life Transformation is definitely the phrase for the book of Romans.
Some things the group is looking at, thinking about:
- What does it mean to live by faith on a daily basis?
- I know what how to live by acceptance, but then find I am living without expectation or hope.
- 2 comments to that:
- Faith is a relationship with Jesus that helps us become like him.
- When we go through a trial, are you going to be better or bitter?
- Righteous = state of being "in the right" in relation to God.
- Walking in newness of life
- Walking in newness of spirit
- Chapter 8:15: "We did not receive a spirit of bondage again to fear."
- Faith
- Importance of knowing what we (I) believe
- How do I know God is God
- Ultimately comes down to evidence in nature (1:20)
- Lisa is going to come up with a list of questions we should be able to answer at the end of Romans that will help us 'give an answer to the faith that lies within us.' (ability to witness to our faith in many circumstances quickly, easily, without fear)
- Startling to realize how easily I can live my daily life and offend God. I need to be more aware of this and alter my behavior.
Blessings on everyone.
I love the idea someone shared of reading Romans weekly. Not sure I can pull that off, but it did really spur me to want my Bible really in my mind and heart. As we so obviously come into end times and become further surrounded by so much evil and false beliefs, we will be required to rely more and more on the knowledge within our own hearts and minds.
GOD IS GOOD!
ALL THE TIME!
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I've shared songs to use as devotionals. Opportunities to praise and one really hits me. It's Jars of Clay's Two Hands. My son Alex asked me the other day what does it mean. I love that he asked. It would be easy for me to assume that being in a christian home and going to a Christian school he just automatically understands this stuff. How great that he will still admit he doesn't know it all. {grin}
This song has such wonderful imagery. When I explained it to him, I used just the chorus and I stood up and acted it out. You can do this in your own mind. I do this so often in my own life. In my walk with God. I call myself a "2x4" girl because I tell God I want to hear from Him, want to just listen and obey and yet He often has to resort to pulling out the 2x4 with my name on it to get my attention. I believe it is because of the double mindedness of my behavior that the 2x4 is necessary. I become numb to my own worldly behaviors and they cease to have any impact on my conscience. In my quest to be more holy, to live as one deserved of the title righteous or holy or saint -- things Jesus himself calls us -- I need to be focused on God and God alone. I need to have my worldly focus jarred.
Oh no. As I type this and think of Lent and sacrifice; though I am not Catholic I believe the practice of giving something up for Lent is a beautiful and worthy experience. The first time I did it my choice was not thoughtful, but frivolous and my 40 days were difficult without my chocolate. The Oh No is because this morning on my way to work I was thinking I'd just "do chocolate for Lent" again, but now I'm thinking that God wants more from me. I think that God wants me to give him my time for the next 40 days. No tv shows. I love my Netflix queue... I love my Lord more.
Over the next 40 days... how are you pulling God closer?
How are you pushing Him away? --> stop these behaviors, just for the next 40 days and record what happens in your life.
This song has such wonderful imagery. When I explained it to him, I used just the chorus and I stood up and acted it out. You can do this in your own mind. I do this so often in my own life. In my walk with God. I call myself a "2x4" girl because I tell God I want to hear from Him, want to just listen and obey and yet He often has to resort to pulling out the 2x4 with my name on it to get my attention. I believe it is because of the double mindedness of my behavior that the 2x4 is necessary. I become numb to my own worldly behaviors and they cease to have any impact on my conscience. In my quest to be more holy, to live as one deserved of the title righteous or holy or saint -- things Jesus himself calls us -- I need to be focused on God and God alone. I need to have my worldly focus jarred.
Oh no. As I type this and think of Lent and sacrifice; though I am not Catholic I believe the practice of giving something up for Lent is a beautiful and worthy experience. The first time I did it my choice was not thoughtful, but frivolous and my 40 days were difficult without my chocolate. The Oh No is because this morning on my way to work I was thinking I'd just "do chocolate for Lent" again, but now I'm thinking that God wants more from me. I think that God wants me to give him my time for the next 40 days. No tv shows. I love my Netflix queue... I love my Lord more.
Over the next 40 days... how are you pulling God closer?
How are you pushing Him away? --> stop these behaviors, just for the next 40 days and record what happens in your life.
I’ve been living out of sanity
I’ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines
I am a house that is divided
In my heart and in my mind
I use one hand to pull you closer
The other to push you away
If I had two hands doing the same thing
Lifted high, lifted high
I have a broken disposition
I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth
And while I ache for faith to hold me
I need to feel the scars and see the proof
And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation
Of our souls
And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts
We’ll lose control
And it feels like giving in
It feels like starting over
It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming
It feels like a brand new day
Open your eyes
I’ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines
I am a house that is divided
In my heart and in my mind
I use one hand to pull you closer
The other to push you away
If I had two hands doing the same thing
Lifted high, lifted high
I have a broken disposition
I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth
And while I ache for faith to hold me
I need to feel the scars and see the proof
And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation
Of our souls
And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts
We’ll lose control
And it feels like giving in
It feels like starting over
It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming
It feels like a brand new day
Open your eyes
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I quickly learned that a public Q&A can be more than just a chance to have your questions answered. It can be a way to send a subtle message to everyone in the room about just how much YOUR KIDS deserve to go to this school. For example:
When you ask:
Is there going to be some sort of aptitude testing for kids to get in?
What you are really saying is:
How can we make sure to weed out the stupid ones?
When you ask:
In what ways will the school be able to quantify the unique outcomes of this particular learning style in contrast to other schools in the district?
What you are really saying is:
How can I have concrete evidence that my kid's school is better than my friend's kids' school when I am in a group and need to brag?
When you ask:
Will you be offering a state-funded lunch program?
What you are really saying is:
Are you gonna let those kids in?
When you ask:
Will there be a gifted program?
What you are really saying is:
I know they are only five, but my kid is totally smarter than yours.
When you ask:
How will you deal with advanced learners?
What you are really saying is:
No, my kid is smarter than YOURS.
When you ask:
What doors on campus are open to the public? Are the kids allowed to use the bathroom by themselves? Where are the bathrooms? Are there individual stalls? Do adults have to check in before walking on campus? (And then, once answered, you ask the very same questions of another teacher in a different room).
What you are really saying is:
I have watched way too many Lifetime movies.
When you ask:
What happens when the kids graduate to middle school? They don't just go back into a classroom with the "general public", do they?
What you are really saying is:
I am an elitist moron.
When you ask:
Will kids who need an IEP be sent back to their home school?
What you are really saying is:
Seriously, this is just for the insanely bright and gifted children like mine, right?
And finally, when you are afraid to ask:
How are you making sure to live to the original values of a public magnet school, which is to bring a wide variety of kids from various racial and socio-economical backgrounds together? And why are there no Mexican families here when the closest neighborhoods are predominantly Mexican? And why did the parents at the elite preschools get letters about tonight's meeting, but not the parents of kids at the lower SES preschools?
What you are really saying is:
Perhaps this is not the right school for my child.
** Disclosure: Moronic nature of questions may have been exaggerated as a literary device. Just a tad. But for real, these people were taking themselves way too seriously and OMG I cannot send my kid to school with the offspring of these neurotic self-absorbed parents, can I?
***And the paranoid lady asking about the bathrooms and all the ways children will be violated in them? Multiple times? Yes, that really happened.
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The Wonder Bat
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
"An asset to the team." That is how my daughter's coach described her. Madi was great behind the plate. Her arm could get the best of them out at second base. She could move from catcher to first base position with ease, and was flexible in the outfield. Yet her batting was weak and she was last on her team. Her coach's diagnosis: her bat. Madi had grown over the summer and needed a longer, heavier, stronger bat.
My husband began his research. Best bats for girl's softball was his Google criteria. He studied their size. He read recommendations and manufacturer's guarantees. He compared results, tests and costs. After days of investigating, he purchased the "weapon" as he called it.
The instructions said my daughter needed at least fifty good hits with that bat until she would be comfortable with the new feel. They were right; at first she didn't like it. It was uncomfortable and heavy. But she kept on using it. We played in the yard and went to batting cages. We put in the time and effort to be sure she would be well adjusted to her new equipment before she used it in a real game.
My daughter is now batting at the top of the order! Doubles, triples, even home runs are her norm. She wields that bat, smacks the ball and racks up points for her team.
Often, we are getting along pretty good in life, but there is just that one area where we are a bit weak. Maybe life has ramped up; trials have gotten harder and we haven't evaluated the tools we are using. Self-help books, chatting with friends, infomercials, time on the internet can be helpful, but there are other tools we can wield that will help us even more: the Bible and prayer.
As we grow in our faith, we need to look for passages in God's Word that will empower us in this game called life. We should ask Jesus what He sees that needs to change so we can live in His victory. When fear, doubt, anger, lust or pride are thrown our way, we can get equipped to swing back with memorized verses of the Word. Instead of allowing complaining, grumbling and discouragement to slide into home plate, we can strike them out of the game with continuous prayer.
The Word is called a double-edged sword, but unless we practice applying the verses to our lives, it does us no good. Unless we read the reviews, the testimonies of the men and women in the Bible, we may not be convinced that it will really make a difference. Unless we invest time to use the Word and prayer as our "weapons,", we will never know what it is like to bat at the top of the order.
Now, when Madi gets up to bat I feel confident. Her father and I have given her the "weapon" she needs to be successful in softball. Just like Madi, your Father has also given you what you need for life. Just like Madi, you are going to need to grab hold of those weapons and practice many, many times until you are comfortable with them. And, just like Madi, as you step up to the plate, you can hit a home run!
Dear Lord, I need You today. Show me where I need to use the weapons You've given us, Your Word and prayer, in my life in order to be victorious. Give me the strength to learn Your Word, meditating on it over and over and over again until I am comfortable with using it as a weapon against the enemy of my heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Visit Lynn's blog
Application Steps:
Go to BibleGateway and do a word search on your greatest struggle – jealousy, envy, conflict, etc. Write out one of the verses regarding this difficulty that speaks to you and read it several times a day until you know it well.
Visit our Everyday Life section to read how other woman are finding victory in the areas where you need a stronger weapon.
Reflections:
What areas in your life do you currently feel like you are losing a battle?
Do you have a friend that you could ask to pray for you on a regular basis in your battle?
Power Verses:
Ephesians 6:17, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (NIV)
Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV)
Encouragement For Today | Proverbs 31 Ministries
16 Feb 2010
Lynn Cowell
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
"An asset to the team." That is how my daughter's coach described her. Madi was great behind the plate. Her arm could get the best of them out at second base. She could move from catcher to first base position with ease, and was flexible in the outfield. Yet her batting was weak and she was last on her team. Her coach's diagnosis: her bat. Madi had grown over the summer and needed a longer, heavier, stronger bat.
My husband began his research. Best bats for girl's softball was his Google criteria. He studied their size. He read recommendations and manufacturer's guarantees. He compared results, tests and costs. After days of investigating, he purchased the "weapon" as he called it.
The instructions said my daughter needed at least fifty good hits with that bat until she would be comfortable with the new feel. They were right; at first she didn't like it. It was uncomfortable and heavy. But she kept on using it. We played in the yard and went to batting cages. We put in the time and effort to be sure she would be well adjusted to her new equipment before she used it in a real game.
My daughter is now batting at the top of the order! Doubles, triples, even home runs are her norm. She wields that bat, smacks the ball and racks up points for her team.
Often, we are getting along pretty good in life, but there is just that one area where we are a bit weak. Maybe life has ramped up; trials have gotten harder and we haven't evaluated the tools we are using. Self-help books, chatting with friends, infomercials, time on the internet can be helpful, but there are other tools we can wield that will help us even more: the Bible and prayer.
As we grow in our faith, we need to look for passages in God's Word that will empower us in this game called life. We should ask Jesus what He sees that needs to change so we can live in His victory. When fear, doubt, anger, lust or pride are thrown our way, we can get equipped to swing back with memorized verses of the Word. Instead of allowing complaining, grumbling and discouragement to slide into home plate, we can strike them out of the game with continuous prayer.
The Word is called a double-edged sword, but unless we practice applying the verses to our lives, it does us no good. Unless we read the reviews, the testimonies of the men and women in the Bible, we may not be convinced that it will really make a difference. Unless we invest time to use the Word and prayer as our "weapons,", we will never know what it is like to bat at the top of the order.
Now, when Madi gets up to bat I feel confident. Her father and I have given her the "weapon" she needs to be successful in softball. Just like Madi, your Father has also given you what you need for life. Just like Madi, you are going to need to grab hold of those weapons and practice many, many times until you are comfortable with them. And, just like Madi, as you step up to the plate, you can hit a home run!
Dear Lord, I need You today. Show me where I need to use the weapons You've given us, Your Word and prayer, in my life in order to be victorious. Give me the strength to learn Your Word, meditating on it over and over and over again until I am comfortable with using it as a weapon against the enemy of my heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Visit Lynn's blog
Application Steps:
Go to BibleGateway and do a word search on your greatest struggle – jealousy, envy, conflict, etc. Write out one of the verses regarding this difficulty that speaks to you and read it several times a day until you know it well.
Visit our Everyday Life section to read how other woman are finding victory in the areas where you need a stronger weapon.
Reflections:
What areas in your life do you currently feel like you are losing a battle?
Do you have a friend that you could ask to pray for you on a regular basis in your battle?
Power Verses:
Ephesians 6:17, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (NIV)
Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV)
Encouragement For Today | Proverbs 31 Ministries
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“It is the chief part of the New Testament and the perfect gospel . . . the absolute epitome of the gospel.”
Martin Luther praised the Book of Romans
“The compendium of Christian doctrine.”
Philip Melancthon on Romans
“When any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”
John Calvin on Romans
“The most profound work in existence.”
Samuel Coleridge, English poet and literary critic said of Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Frederick Godet, 19th Century Swiss theologian called the Book of Romans...“The cathedral of the Christian faith.”
G. Campbell Morgan said Romans was
“The most pessimistic page of literature upon which your eyes ever rested”
and at the same time,
“the most optimistic poem to which your ears ever listened.”
Richard Lenski wrote Romans is
“Beyond question the most dynamic of all New Testament letters even as it was written at the climax of Paul’s apostolic career.”
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I love this guy... this is a good one. Makes me think about how obedient I am to not just hear God, but listen, obey and ACT on what I hear Him say. I am going to be focusing on this in my immediate future and keeping track of what I see as a result. Will you join me? ~Bridge :)
Today's Prayer
Dear God, I worship you and lift up my praise to you, my Creator and Sustainer. Thank you for showing me the things that bind me on this earth. Open my eyes that I may always be mindful of what may hold me in bondage. Help me to resist the things I should. Help me to steer clear of hazards and to draw strength from your Holy Spirit when temptations are enticing me. Please help me to break free...and to experience total freedom in you. Thank you, my gracious God. In the name of my Savior I pray. Amen.
Strange Instructions
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
02-05-2010
"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands" (2 John 6).
A distinguished Indian evangelist named Sadhu Chellappa was on a mission trip to a village north of Madras, when in the middle of the night he suddenly sensed God speaking to him: "Leave this house quickly and run away!"
Not exactly a convenient thing to do. But Chellappa was accustomed to accepting even strange instructions from the Lord without debate, so he dressed quickly and ran into the darkness.
After a while, he was in open country. As he passed beneath a large tree, he felt God tell him, "Stay here and start to preach!" Now, even for an experienced evangelist, this was puzzling--because there was no one to be seen. Why did God want him to preach to an empty field in the middle of the night? But he stopped under the tree and began to preach the gospel.
Finally, he reached the point at which he called on his unseen listeners to give their lives to Jesus. He was surprised to hear a voice from the top of the tree and see a man climb down, crying. The man tearfully gave his life to Jesus. When Chellappa asked why he was in a tree out in the middle of nowhere, the man admitted, "I came out here to hang myself."
How is your obedience quotient? God calls us to be obedient to that small voice inside that can direct us to sometimes do strange things. Jesus was obedient in ALL things. "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous" (Rom 5:19). God can do exceedingly great things through one man or woman who is willing to be obedient to God's voice. Ask for His grace today to be obedient to His voice.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, I worship you and lift up my praise to you, my Creator and Sustainer. Thank you for showing me the things that bind me on this earth. Open my eyes that I may always be mindful of what may hold me in bondage. Help me to resist the things I should. Help me to steer clear of hazards and to draw strength from your Holy Spirit when temptations are enticing me. Please help me to break free...and to experience total freedom in you. Thank you, my gracious God. In the name of my Savior I pray. Amen.
Strange Instructions
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
02-05-2010
"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands" (2 John 6).
A distinguished Indian evangelist named Sadhu Chellappa was on a mission trip to a village north of Madras, when in the middle of the night he suddenly sensed God speaking to him: "Leave this house quickly and run away!"
Not exactly a convenient thing to do. But Chellappa was accustomed to accepting even strange instructions from the Lord without debate, so he dressed quickly and ran into the darkness.
After a while, he was in open country. As he passed beneath a large tree, he felt God tell him, "Stay here and start to preach!" Now, even for an experienced evangelist, this was puzzling--because there was no one to be seen. Why did God want him to preach to an empty field in the middle of the night? But he stopped under the tree and began to preach the gospel.
Finally, he reached the point at which he called on his unseen listeners to give their lives to Jesus. He was surprised to hear a voice from the top of the tree and see a man climb down, crying. The man tearfully gave his life to Jesus. When Chellappa asked why he was in a tree out in the middle of nowhere, the man admitted, "I came out here to hang myself."
How is your obedience quotient? God calls us to be obedient to that small voice inside that can direct us to sometimes do strange things. Jesus was obedient in ALL things. "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous" (Rom 5:19). God can do exceedingly great things through one man or woman who is willing to be obedient to God's voice. Ask for His grace today to be obedient to His voice.
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me
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In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
so so true
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me
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Thanks Kelley!
Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn't you say?
Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.
Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day.
I just couldn't help but send this along. Too funny.
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No crap, really? Ya think?
------------------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
----------------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
------------------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
------------------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
----------------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
-----------------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
------------------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
-----------------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
------------------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?
----------------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
------------------------------
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
------------------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
---------------- ------------------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
******************************
Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
*****************************
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
*****************************
And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?
**************************
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No crap, really? Ya think?
------------------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
----------------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
------------------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
------------------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
----------------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
-----------------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
------------------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
-----------------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
------------------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?
----------------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
------------------------------
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
------------------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
---------------- ------------------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
******************************
Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
*****************************
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
*****************************
And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?
**************************
