More encouragement.
I was feeling a bit discouraged the other night, leave it to God to put something in my quiet time to give me some perspective.
Geez, it's like He watches out for me or something!
1Peter 1:10-2:12
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.
1 Peter 2
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
Ever have a lightbulb moment?
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.""
In other words, don't be discouraged, focus on Jesus and the grace that is yours! "Be Holy, because I am holy"
It is so easy to be dsitracted and discouraged, but remember:
,"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
When circumstances or people around you are negative it can cause you to loose perspective, "Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God." Not in the things of this world.
And lastly, be careful that you are not the one causing the problem"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."
Do you let the things that annoy you, deter you from following the Lord's instructions? Do you sit back and critique the efforts of others? Do you wonder why things never seem to go "your way"? If so, WAKE UP! Crave what is good! Love the Lord, love each other! Love as Christ loved you. Be merciful, as Christ is merciful to you. Forgive as Christ forgives you. Be patient as Christ is patient with you. Give as Christ gave for you.
The rest will take care of itself.
"the truth in love"
peace out
Amanda
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Y-M-C-A
Yes that's right
I am an official member of the YMCA
I actually have been for about a year and a half, but I never manage to have the time to go. Well, I went yesterday and today- two days in a row, and I am VERY proud of myself.
You may be wondering why I am sharing this on my blog, the short story is I am a friend/support person. I do things better when I have a friend or some type of support to do them with me.
The fact is we all do things better when we have some support.
Some encouragement, today I was reading in Philippians 1:3-11 which says:
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
Paul is in prison with Timothy and they are writing letters to the church. His encouragement to them is simple, I pray for you knowing God will care for you, bless you and keep you. I wish I could be there, but I know you'll do great because God's grace is with you.
Paul himself is encouraged by encouraging them saying he"pray(s) with joy" He states that God's grace is with him, even though he is in jail.
I'm not sure that I could write such a letter if I was wrongly imprisoned, but I hope that I can encourage others, just as many others have encouraged me.
Goodnight
Amanda
I am an official member of the YMCA
I actually have been for about a year and a half, but I never manage to have the time to go. Well, I went yesterday and today- two days in a row, and I am VERY proud of myself.
You may be wondering why I am sharing this on my blog, the short story is I am a friend/support person. I do things better when I have a friend or some type of support to do them with me.
The fact is we all do things better when we have some support.
Some encouragement, today I was reading in Philippians 1:3-11 which says:
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
Paul is in prison with Timothy and they are writing letters to the church. His encouragement to them is simple, I pray for you knowing God will care for you, bless you and keep you. I wish I could be there, but I know you'll do great because God's grace is with you.
Paul himself is encouraged by encouraging them saying he"pray(s) with joy" He states that God's grace is with him, even though he is in jail.
I'm not sure that I could write such a letter if I was wrongly imprisoned, but I hope that I can encourage others, just as many others have encouraged me.
Goodnight
Amanda
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ok, Ok keep your shirt on!
SO I was going to blog Saturday, oops, and then I got very very busy, but....
Here goes,
Jesus sometimes repeated himself. As the ultimate counselor He probably invented this counselor trick.
If you try to tell someone something one way and they don't get it, try to phrase it differently and tell them again so that they do.
When ever we see this in the Bible Jesus is trying to explain something that is pretty important.
Matthew Chapter 25 is a great example of this. Jesus tells 3 parables that are very similar in meaning - Why?
Because he really, really, really wants us to get it!
The first is the parable of the 10 virgins
Matthew 25: 1-13
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. "
This can be confusing
The Bridegroom is Christ
The oil is the Holy Spirit
The 10 virgins are people
So 10 people were members of the local church, all of them had lamps- what would appear to be the light - they looked like Christians professed to be Christians
The wait between Jesus' Ascension(33ad) and his return(sometime in the future) is a long one - so they fall asleep (bad)
Then Jesus comes back - 5 are taken with him - because they have the holy spirit
five are left behind and while they know the truth, and wish they could enter heaven, they can not because they are not really Christians - they never accepted Christ
The next is the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30
""Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
What does this mean???
This one is harder
The servants are people who know the master
The first two servants truly know the master and follow his will
The last servant knows about the master, but follows his own will and is lost
Again you have people who all appear to be Christians - though their salvation is NOT based on works, They did not earn the talents, they were a gift, the true Christians followed their masters wishes, the other makes excuses for his actions, and why he was disobedient.
The greatest commandment we are given is Luke 10:25-28 "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[Duet.6:5]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[Lev.19:18]" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
How do we accomplish this?
By being obedient, surrendering to Christ's will -John 14:23-24
"Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."
OK, the last parable is: Matthew 25:31-46
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.""
This is the third time he is explaining the same concept, and this one seems the clearest to me.
For those of you who don't know, sheep and goats look almost identical, and for the common person to know the difference would be rare. But, the Shepard always knows!
So, the lesson here - be a sheep
not a cat :-)
Amanda
Here goes,
Jesus sometimes repeated himself. As the ultimate counselor He probably invented this counselor trick.
If you try to tell someone something one way and they don't get it, try to phrase it differently and tell them again so that they do.
When ever we see this in the Bible Jesus is trying to explain something that is pretty important.
Matthew Chapter 25 is a great example of this. Jesus tells 3 parables that are very similar in meaning - Why?
Because he really, really, really wants us to get it!
The first is the parable of the 10 virgins
Matthew 25: 1-13
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. "
This can be confusing
The Bridegroom is Christ
The oil is the Holy Spirit
The 10 virgins are people
So 10 people were members of the local church, all of them had lamps- what would appear to be the light - they looked like Christians professed to be Christians
The wait between Jesus' Ascension(33ad) and his return(sometime in the future) is a long one - so they fall asleep (bad)
Then Jesus comes back - 5 are taken with him - because they have the holy spirit
five are left behind and while they know the truth, and wish they could enter heaven, they can not because they are not really Christians - they never accepted Christ
The next is the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30
""Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
What does this mean???
This one is harder
The servants are people who know the master
The first two servants truly know the master and follow his will
The last servant knows about the master, but follows his own will and is lost
Again you have people who all appear to be Christians - though their salvation is NOT based on works, They did not earn the talents, they were a gift, the true Christians followed their masters wishes, the other makes excuses for his actions, and why he was disobedient.
The greatest commandment we are given is Luke 10:25-28 "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[Duet.6:5]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[Lev.19:18]" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
How do we accomplish this?
By being obedient, surrendering to Christ's will -John 14:23-24
"Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."
OK, the last parable is: Matthew 25:31-46
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.""
This is the third time he is explaining the same concept, and this one seems the clearest to me.
For those of you who don't know, sheep and goats look almost identical, and for the common person to know the difference would be rare. But, the Shepard always knows!
So, the lesson here - be a sheep
not a cat :-)
Amanda
Friday, January 18, 2008
I couldn't help it....
If you know Drason....
What Drason Means |
 You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. |
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What is in a name...
| What Amanda Means |
You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. |
Some of this is right and some of this would make a great joke!
Watoto Kids are here so I will blog something more on Saturday
Until then
Amanda
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Leave it to your kids to rat you out
We love Macguines, but some times he is too perceptive for his own good!
After Church Sunday we get in the car, and Drason asks what took me so long to get over to Children's Church.
I tell him I had run into someone who looked like they might need to talk. He replies "Maybe they had the same problem we did this morning."
Later that evening Macguines says to this person's family "Sorry to hear you all were fighting."
OUCH!
Guess what problem we had?
The good news is we were both under conviction and apologized to each other earlier that day in the Church parking lot.
The moral of this story? be careful what you say, and how you act, because your children see and hear every bit of it.
And then - they will repeat it.
1Timothy 4:16 NIV
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
We had a talk with the little "hearers" and explained what was polite in conversation and what might be best if said privatly. Then apologies had to made to them, because they should not have had to deal with that before church either.
I am reminded of a post Pastor Dear had made earlier this year. To read it click here.
I am trying to post more often and stuff with more substance than "I went to the grocery store today and....."
Too long winded? Too much info? You Like? you don't like?
Let me know
Enough for today,
Amanda
After Church Sunday we get in the car, and Drason asks what took me so long to get over to Children's Church.
I tell him I had run into someone who looked like they might need to talk. He replies "Maybe they had the same problem we did this morning."
Later that evening Macguines says to this person's family "Sorry to hear you all were fighting."
OUCH!
Guess what problem we had?
The good news is we were both under conviction and apologized to each other earlier that day in the Church parking lot.
The moral of this story? be careful what you say, and how you act, because your children see and hear every bit of it.
And then - they will repeat it.
1Timothy 4:16 NIV
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
We had a talk with the little "hearers" and explained what was polite in conversation and what might be best if said privatly. Then apologies had to made to them, because they should not have had to deal with that before church either.
I am reminded of a post Pastor Dear had made earlier this year. To read it click here.
I am trying to post more often and stuff with more substance than "I went to the grocery store today and....."
Too long winded? Too much info? You Like? you don't like?
Let me know
Enough for today,
Amanda
Saturday, January 12, 2008
What is a "shame bucket"?
This is actually a highly technical counselor term.
Yeah, right!
While the concept is not an original one, it is something that I used for years to explain to people why they still "feel bad"
Titus 3:3 says "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."
At one time we were all slaves to sin - I'm going to call this a sin addiction.
People who live in addiction have a "shame bucket" (or a shame 50 gallon drum)
A shame bucket is full of the most disgusting yucky stuff on the planet. Have you ever been to New York City and seen the gray slime that is all over everything? I picture a bucket full of that.
As people go through life they act shamefully and shamelessly. These are both bad.
When you act shame full - or shame filled - you do hurtful things because you feel that you are unworthy, too bad to fix, undeserving of love.
When you act shamelessly - you act with out shame- you do hurtful things because you feel entitled to do them, better than others, or like you should be able to do whatever you want.
Every time someone acts this way they add a little something to their bucket. Every time someone acts this way toward us, they add to our bucket. When you carry around a bucket like this, you wind up spiritually dead.
Ephesians 2:1-3 says
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else."
So why is it as Christians that we sometimes "feel bad" because of past things in our lives?
Sometimes it is because we need to focus on the promises God has made:
Titus 3:4-8
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."
and
Ephesians 2:4-10
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
And sometimes Christians feel bad because they have started filling up the bucket again.
Just like any other addict, it is hard to put down the old and live in the new. It is easy to find yourself back in old habits, or even making new ones, that are not God honoring, but show us to be addicted to sin.
When a person has a few days "clean time" meaning they have not fallen back into addiction, I instruct them on how to keep out of trouble. I can tell them to find new friends, change their phone number, go to meetings( church), PRAY! But when someone has several years free from addiction, how do I advise them? The same way!
Go to meetings (Church), fellowship with like minded people, avoid people,places and things that will tempt you to fall again.
Even Paul struggled with a "sin addiction"
Romans 7:14-25
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
In the very next chapter of Romans Paul says:
Romans 8:1-4
" Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."
and later...
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."
So what is the point?
As a Christian there is no need to carry around that bucket of shame. We choose to pick it up and lug it along with us, and that decision leads to depression, anxiety and more shame.
Because we have been forgiven, we either need to stop focusing on the mistakes of the past and claim the blessing of forgiveness that has been given to us, - OR - we need to confess sin, put down the bucket, and then claim the blessing of forgiveness.
Either way as Christians :
"...we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10
AND finally, do the work! GO to Church, find Christian friends, focus on the positive, study your Bible, stop trying to find something wrong with everyone and everything (stinking thinking), Avoid people places and things that might cause you to sin, give up trying to control life.
If you were a counselor, would you let a dope addict control their own recovery program??? Not a chance!
If you were a recovering alcoholic you wouldn't hang out at a bar either, so stop hanging out by the water cooler to get the latest gossip, stop going places where you KNOW there is temptation waiting.
And do you know where all lapses begin? With turning off that little voice in you head(the holy spirit) that says "you know this really isn't a good idea"
Tune in and listen up,
Amanda
Yeah, right!
While the concept is not an original one, it is something that I used for years to explain to people why they still "feel bad"
Titus 3:3 says "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."
At one time we were all slaves to sin - I'm going to call this a sin addiction.
People who live in addiction have a "shame bucket" (or a shame 50 gallon drum)
A shame bucket is full of the most disgusting yucky stuff on the planet. Have you ever been to New York City and seen the gray slime that is all over everything? I picture a bucket full of that.
As people go through life they act shamefully and shamelessly. These are both bad.
When you act shame full - or shame filled - you do hurtful things because you feel that you are unworthy, too bad to fix, undeserving of love.
When you act shamelessly - you act with out shame- you do hurtful things because you feel entitled to do them, better than others, or like you should be able to do whatever you want.
Every time someone acts this way they add a little something to their bucket. Every time someone acts this way toward us, they add to our bucket. When you carry around a bucket like this, you wind up spiritually dead.
Ephesians 2:1-3 says
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else."
So why is it as Christians that we sometimes "feel bad" because of past things in our lives?
Sometimes it is because we need to focus on the promises God has made:
Titus 3:4-8
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."
and
Ephesians 2:4-10
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
And sometimes Christians feel bad because they have started filling up the bucket again.
Just like any other addict, it is hard to put down the old and live in the new. It is easy to find yourself back in old habits, or even making new ones, that are not God honoring, but show us to be addicted to sin.
When a person has a few days "clean time" meaning they have not fallen back into addiction, I instruct them on how to keep out of trouble. I can tell them to find new friends, change their phone number, go to meetings( church), PRAY! But when someone has several years free from addiction, how do I advise them? The same way!
Go to meetings (Church), fellowship with like minded people, avoid people,places and things that will tempt you to fall again.
Even Paul struggled with a "sin addiction"
Romans 7:14-25
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
In the very next chapter of Romans Paul says:
Romans 8:1-4
" Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."
and later...
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."
So what is the point?
As a Christian there is no need to carry around that bucket of shame. We choose to pick it up and lug it along with us, and that decision leads to depression, anxiety and more shame.
Because we have been forgiven, we either need to stop focusing on the mistakes of the past and claim the blessing of forgiveness that has been given to us, - OR - we need to confess sin, put down the bucket, and then claim the blessing of forgiveness.
Either way as Christians :
"...we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10
AND finally, do the work! GO to Church, find Christian friends, focus on the positive, study your Bible, stop trying to find something wrong with everyone and everything (stinking thinking), Avoid people places and things that might cause you to sin, give up trying to control life.
If you were a counselor, would you let a dope addict control their own recovery program??? Not a chance!
If you were a recovering alcoholic you wouldn't hang out at a bar either, so stop hanging out by the water cooler to get the latest gossip, stop going places where you KNOW there is temptation waiting.
And do you know where all lapses begin? With turning off that little voice in you head(the holy spirit) that says "you know this really isn't a good idea"
Tune in and listen up,
Amanda
Thursday, January 10, 2008
"Can I be a cat?"
A few nights ago Drason was dropping me off in front of South gate, it was really windy, so he dropped me at the door. Another driver proceeded to screech around him, honk and make a certain gesture. Macguines' asks his dad why he didn't respond. Drason tells Macguines "Be at peace." Everyone is quite for a few seconds while thinking this over, then Mason asks:
"Can I be a cat?"
Almost as funny as a reptile story I heard once :-)
But it got me to thinking....
How does one manage to be at peace?
Well, I guess there are three ways.
One is to be at peace with the lost.
Luke 6 :27-36 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "
I know there are times I fail at this. Have you ever tried to return something to the store after Christmas, and wanted to chew out a sales clerk for not refunding the money? Ever gestured back at someone?
The second way is to be at peace with other Christians:
1 Thessalonians 5: 4-15
"But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Have you ever heard the saying "If you want peace, prepare for war" It sounds like Paul had. First he says, you belong to the light, Jesus, so act like it. And then, put on the armor of God and live in peace, encouraging one another. Another verse that comes to mind. "1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Be careful that you aren't the one everyone else is struggling to live in peace with.
The third is to be at peace with God:
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
I don't know about you, but being at peace seems like a lot of work. How on earth does one accomplish this? Well maybe these are in the wrong order, how about:
1. Peace with God = peace with believers + peace with the world.
For the Christian, peace starts with a tight relationship with God.
So "Be at peace" starts with me.
Now, how does one be a cat?
Enough for now,
Amanda
"Can I be a cat?"
Almost as funny as a reptile story I heard once :-)
But it got me to thinking....
How does one manage to be at peace?
Well, I guess there are three ways.
One is to be at peace with the lost.
Luke 6 :27-36 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "
I know there are times I fail at this. Have you ever tried to return something to the store after Christmas, and wanted to chew out a sales clerk for not refunding the money? Ever gestured back at someone?
The second way is to be at peace with other Christians:
1 Thessalonians 5: 4-15
"But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Have you ever heard the saying "If you want peace, prepare for war" It sounds like Paul had. First he says, you belong to the light, Jesus, so act like it. And then, put on the armor of God and live in peace, encouraging one another. Another verse that comes to mind. "1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Be careful that you aren't the one everyone else is struggling to live in peace with.
The third is to be at peace with God:
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
I don't know about you, but being at peace seems like a lot of work. How on earth does one accomplish this? Well maybe these are in the wrong order, how about:
1. Peace with God = peace with believers + peace with the world.
For the Christian, peace starts with a tight relationship with God.
So "Be at peace" starts with me.
Now, how does one be a cat?
Enough for now,
Amanda
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Who matters more to Jesus?
I was reading in Luke and two stories stood out to me, they are very diffrent, but right next to each other in chapter 7. Which begs the question, why?
The first story is about the centurian. He was a wealthy man, revered by the elders of the Jews, so much so, that they went to Jesus and pleaded with him that he should heal this man's servant. Jesus starts on the way to the man's house when the man's friends came out and delivered a message from the man.
"Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Jesus says to the Jews "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."
The servant is healed
So the next story starts with Jesus is walking into a town and as the approaches he sees a dead person being carried out. This is the only son of a widow, and he is "moved with compassion" for this woman "14Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"
The man gets up and starts talking.
A widow with no sons would be reduced to nothing in society, yet Jesus stops her and heals her son. A centurian without a servant would just find another servant.
The amazing thing here is really quite simple.
The Jews cared about the centurian, they wanted to make sure he was happy, heck, he helped to build the synagog. But no one pleads on behalf of the widow, she is helped becasue Jesus is filled with compassion for her.
Nothing against the centurian, he was filled with great faith, and he did help to build the synagog, but I think there is a lesson here for all of us. How often do we seek to please those who we see as in power, those who we see as a great asset to ourselves?
But this is selfish, who wouldn't help someone like that, even the world does that. The "I scratch your back..." philosophy is not Jesus' way.
Look at the widow, she doesn't even ask Jesus for help, he sees her trouble and is moved by it to the point of doing everything he can to restore her. How often do we see those around us who are in need, and we look for ways, excuses, to justify not doing anything to help them. I pray that we will be burdened to the point of exaustion for people, and not only the ones who can help us in return, but the ones who have nothing as well.
Who matters more to Jesus?
They both matter, equally.
Keep on swimming
Amanda
The first story is about the centurian. He was a wealthy man, revered by the elders of the Jews, so much so, that they went to Jesus and pleaded with him that he should heal this man's servant. Jesus starts on the way to the man's house when the man's friends came out and delivered a message from the man.
"Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Jesus says to the Jews "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."
The servant is healed
So the next story starts with Jesus is walking into a town and as the approaches he sees a dead person being carried out. This is the only son of a widow, and he is "moved with compassion" for this woman "14Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"
The man gets up and starts talking.
A widow with no sons would be reduced to nothing in society, yet Jesus stops her and heals her son. A centurian without a servant would just find another servant.
The amazing thing here is really quite simple.
The Jews cared about the centurian, they wanted to make sure he was happy, heck, he helped to build the synagog. But no one pleads on behalf of the widow, she is helped becasue Jesus is filled with compassion for her.
Nothing against the centurian, he was filled with great faith, and he did help to build the synagog, but I think there is a lesson here for all of us. How often do we seek to please those who we see as in power, those who we see as a great asset to ourselves?
But this is selfish, who wouldn't help someone like that, even the world does that. The "I scratch your back..." philosophy is not Jesus' way.
Look at the widow, she doesn't even ask Jesus for help, he sees her trouble and is moved by it to the point of doing everything he can to restore her. How often do we see those around us who are in need, and we look for ways, excuses, to justify not doing anything to help them. I pray that we will be burdened to the point of exaustion for people, and not only the ones who can help us in return, but the ones who have nothing as well.
Who matters more to Jesus?
They both matter, equally.
Keep on swimming
Amanda
Saturday, January 5, 2008
If something needs fixing should I fix it today?
or should I wait until 2009 and make it a resolution. Hmmmmmm.
Now that's a thinker.
I was reading in Hebrews this week and a passage really stood out to me.
Hebrews Chapter 11.
It starts out by talking all about the faith that everyone had, all the followers of God, and how they longed and hoped for the promises of a savior, but that most of them did not live to see that promise fulfilled. It really ends up in Chapter 12 with this:
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1, 2)NIV
Hebrews 11:1 "1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see"
For me, I had to put myself in Jesus' shoes to understand this.
Imagine you have the power to do anything - you want to walk on water? go for it. Command the universe - sure thing.
Now imagine putting all of that aside.
Imagine coming to earth, living a normal life. Having a mom and dad, brothers and sisters, friends.... all the time Jesus still knew he was God's Son. He knew what was coming,in the garden he sought God's will, and not his own, sweating drops of blood, but still praying, in Faith.
Then Jesus allowed people to beat him, torment him, and allowed himself to die.
Imagine even having control over death and the spirit. Jesus did, - saying "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)
He had the ability to get down off the cross and take vengeance on everyone there.
But he didn't.
By Faith, he allowed himself to die.
By Faith, he believed that he would rise again.
By Faith, he believed that he would sit at the right hand of the Father
By Faith that God's plan for salvation would work out.
This is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Jesus is in that "cloud of witnesses"
Because of Him the promise was finally realized.
Can you imagine Faith like that?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Now that's a New Years resolution!
Goodnight
Amanda
Now that's a thinker.
I was reading in Hebrews this week and a passage really stood out to me.
Hebrews Chapter 11.
It starts out by talking all about the faith that everyone had, all the followers of God, and how they longed and hoped for the promises of a savior, but that most of them did not live to see that promise fulfilled. It really ends up in Chapter 12 with this:
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1, 2)NIV
Hebrews 11:1 "1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see"
For me, I had to put myself in Jesus' shoes to understand this.
Imagine you have the power to do anything - you want to walk on water? go for it. Command the universe - sure thing.
Now imagine putting all of that aside.
Imagine coming to earth, living a normal life. Having a mom and dad, brothers and sisters, friends.... all the time Jesus still knew he was God's Son. He knew what was coming,in the garden he sought God's will, and not his own, sweating drops of blood, but still praying, in Faith.
Then Jesus allowed people to beat him, torment him, and allowed himself to die.
Imagine even having control over death and the spirit. Jesus did, - saying "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)
He had the ability to get down off the cross and take vengeance on everyone there.
But he didn't.
By Faith, he allowed himself to die.
By Faith, he believed that he would rise again.
By Faith, he believed that he would sit at the right hand of the Father
By Faith that God's plan for salvation would work out.
This is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Jesus is in that "cloud of witnesses"
Because of Him the promise was finally realized.
Can you imagine Faith like that?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Now that's a New Years resolution!
Goodnight
Amanda
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