Moses ran into the desert because of fear. It took 40 years for God to get his attention, and used a burning bush. Life was comfortable—wife, children, sheep, and not having to deal with his past. God loves us the way we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way. What Moses may not have known was that God was using those years to prepare him for a great work ahead.
When God appeared in the bush, He called Moses, and gave him the orders of his mission. The first thing that Moses said to God, "What if?" Does that sound familiar? After a little more conversation, God told Moses he would go before Pharaoh. Then Moses' response was, "Oh I'm not a public speaker. I wouldn't know what words to use. I'm not educated." Do these excuses ring a bell?
God wants us to share the Gospel. "Oh God, I could never. What if....they won't listen to me? What if...I don't know what to say? What if...they turn their back on me and walk away?" We have so many excuses for sharing the Gospel, it's embarrassing. But don't we have a joke on the tip of our tongue at all moments, so that we can make people laugh? We can tell of our experiences, but not share the Gospel.
Excuses for not eating healthy is my #1....even when I do get hungry, a slice of bread will do, or a bowl of cereal, ice cream. Coffee, oh yes, that would fit the bill just right. I know what I need to do, but what if....those what if excuses are not good. They will not make me healthy and neither give me energy.
Some people are called to ministry in the church. They have their "what if" excuses, too.
The truth is, when we give excuses for what we know we should do, we will lose the blessing God has for us. God wants our heart, mind, and soul. Excuses are not a part of that. Excuses to love, forgive, to bless others, to visit the sick, go on a mission trip, and last but definitely not least, to Read your Bible every day.
The enemy will keep us from God's Word...I'll do it later, my kids keep me busy, I'm already late for work, the laundry needs doing, ball game...the excuses are endless.
What's your excuse for not doing what you know God wants you to do?
His Abundant Grace
barb
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Praise, Pray, Rejoice
Last week while visiting with my mom, my brother and I had many conversations. He was telling me about reading the book "Power of Praise." From that conversation, I realized it was a good Lesson for Life.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God."
I need to be thankful for all things, and pray without ceasing, then rejoicing will come. How can we be thankful when bad things happen? That just doesn't seem possible. God doesn't ask us to do the impossible. Our view of life may not be what God see. For example, we see suffering (sickness, death, disaster) as bad. According to scripture, suffering is what God uses to bring us closer to Him. It is what molds our character to be more like Him.
An example prayer: "God, I don't understand what I am experiencing. But I know nothing happens to me that hasn't been approved by You. You know what is best for me, to make me more like a child of Yours. Help me, Lord, to accept this suffering at Your hand, just as Job did. He praised You in the midst of it all. So for all this, I say thank you. Amen."
That will take us to the next step, praying without ceasing. We continue to pray. Don't give up. Ask, seek, and knock. Listen to God. Seek His voice in scripture. He does not turn away from our cries, just as a mother does not turn her ear away from her crying child.
I know that if we do this seriously, with a committed heart, then rejoicing will come.
Psalm 30:5 "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
Why would this work? Our thoughts are turned heavenward, toward God. We now have our eyes on the Lord, and not on the things that are happening to us.
If you aren't sure this will work, try it. You may be surprised what God does when we look to Him and expect the goodness of God.
I Peter 4:12-13 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation."
His Grace Abounds
barb
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God."
I need to be thankful for all things, and pray without ceasing, then rejoicing will come. How can we be thankful when bad things happen? That just doesn't seem possible. God doesn't ask us to do the impossible. Our view of life may not be what God see. For example, we see suffering (sickness, death, disaster) as bad. According to scripture, suffering is what God uses to bring us closer to Him. It is what molds our character to be more like Him.
An example prayer: "God, I don't understand what I am experiencing. But I know nothing happens to me that hasn't been approved by You. You know what is best for me, to make me more like a child of Yours. Help me, Lord, to accept this suffering at Your hand, just as Job did. He praised You in the midst of it all. So for all this, I say thank you. Amen."
That will take us to the next step, praying without ceasing. We continue to pray. Don't give up. Ask, seek, and knock. Listen to God. Seek His voice in scripture. He does not turn away from our cries, just as a mother does not turn her ear away from her crying child.
I know that if we do this seriously, with a committed heart, then rejoicing will come.
Psalm 30:5 "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
Why would this work? Our thoughts are turned heavenward, toward God. We now have our eyes on the Lord, and not on the things that are happening to us.
If you aren't sure this will work, try it. You may be surprised what God does when we look to Him and expect the goodness of God.
I Peter 4:12-13 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation."
His Grace Abounds
barb
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
A Rough Diamond
The "diamond" I will speak of today is still a diamond in the "rough." There is so much more work to do on this one, it is painful when I think of it...the mind.
Luke 10:27 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, ...soul, ...strength, and mind..." The question is, "Does He have my whole heart, soul, strength, and mind?"
I feel like Zophar in Job 20:2 "Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, even because of my inward agitation." Now this is me!! Ouch! I respond because of my agitation. So sad that I even respond to imaginations that have not been built on truth. False imaginations are a trap of the enemy. This is especially true if we get involved in gossip, which in of itself is sin.
Do you see the downward spiral? First, God doesn't have my mind, then my soul is agitated, next vain imaginations (more commonly known as lies) creep in, then comes gossip. Oh it doesn't stop there, then there is judging another and of course, last but not least Pride. This is one of the favorite tools of satan.
We need not stay in that thought pattern. There is hope. There is deliverance. "For you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32. I have been listening to worship music since this morning. What freedom this is to fill my thoughts with the things of God. Remembering His greatness, His Holiness, and Love are better than vain imaginations. Finding truth instead of vain thoughts.
Lest we feel this is not such a beautiful diamond, and it truly is not, but God can change this. God gave us a perfect pattern for our mind. I do believe if I follow that command, He will have my mind.
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
If we fill our minds with these things, we will have little space for the negative, ugly thoughts.
Lord, Forgive us, then give us VICTORY!
His Abounding Grace
barb
Luke 10:27 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, ...soul, ...strength, and mind..." The question is, "Does He have my whole heart, soul, strength, and mind?"
I feel like Zophar in Job 20:2 "Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, even because of my inward agitation." Now this is me!! Ouch! I respond because of my agitation. So sad that I even respond to imaginations that have not been built on truth. False imaginations are a trap of the enemy. This is especially true if we get involved in gossip, which in of itself is sin.
Do you see the downward spiral? First, God doesn't have my mind, then my soul is agitated, next vain imaginations (more commonly known as lies) creep in, then comes gossip. Oh it doesn't stop there, then there is judging another and of course, last but not least Pride. This is one of the favorite tools of satan.
We need not stay in that thought pattern. There is hope. There is deliverance. "For you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32. I have been listening to worship music since this morning. What freedom this is to fill my thoughts with the things of God. Remembering His greatness, His Holiness, and Love are better than vain imaginations. Finding truth instead of vain thoughts.
Lest we feel this is not such a beautiful diamond, and it truly is not, but God can change this. God gave us a perfect pattern for our mind. I do believe if I follow that command, He will have my mind.
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
If we fill our minds with these things, we will have little space for the negative, ugly thoughts.
Lord, Forgive us, then give us VICTORY!
His Abounding Grace
barb
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)