Month: February 2014

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Do More with Prayer

A few weeks back I mentioned a lesson from Yoda about doing.  The old sage tells young Skywalker that he should not just try, he must prepare his mind and just do.   This bit of wisdom reminded me of that swampy conversation.

To me this is a lesson in preparation and in giving your work over to the Lord.  So many times, we flail around on our own attempting this and that, searching for various ways to address this problem we all deal with called Life.  Instead, maybe we should remind our selves to settle and to pray.  This brings so much peace and so much comfort, and provides a clarity of mind.  So, lets pray about this doing thing, the Lord before us, watch how much more we do.

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7(ESV)

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Daily Post

But as for me

I love North American weather. Last week we had 9 inches of snow on the ground and today we are getting a taste of spring with heavy thunderstorms.

As I was getting ready this morning I received this text from my favorite.

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Her text made me think about the protection we all have in the daily storms of our lives. The Lord says he’s our shelter if we put our trust in him. He’s the great protector. Check out this psalm from David:

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. (Psalm 55:22, 23 NIV)

Where is your trust today?

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Daily Post

Free and Light

Some days I wonder why I still continue to write this blog. It doesn’t have the highest number of readers. And, boy, there are lots of mornings when it’s work to write. However, when I think about you, and when I think about my own personal development, and when I stumble across good news like this- I wonder how can I not write!

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

Seriously, look at that. The son of God is saying watch how I do it, watch the way I use grace, watch the way being a follower of me is supposed to work. And it is awesome!

That is a paraphrase of a verse that you’re probably pretty comfortable with here

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

For me this morning reading it in the message and then returning to these more commonly know words really reemphasized what the Christ saying. He is providing freedom from the old structure of laws, from the man-made expectations of perfection, and from our own idea of what we are supposed to be. Instead, he is giving us a way that is full of grace and forgiveness and becomes easy and light. That, my friends, is good news and should be shouted from the mountains. How could I keep from writing!

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counting marbles Daily Post

One Mind and One Voice

I love this verse in Romans.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5, 6 NIV)

I love it because it describes our vision and goal as follows of Christ and then also provides a strategy of how to do it. Realize that along with endurance and encouragement, the Creator will give you the ability to view other people the same way that the Christ did!  Wow, just imagine how we could impact the world with if we walked around with those eyes?

This prayer from the writer of Romans is a great way to start the weekend.  I hope you find encouragement from it as you get ready to spend that eighth marble. ( 44 weeks left in 2014)

Look out for others, in the same way the Christ Jesus did, and may this weekend bring glory to Him.

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What Other’s Give

As I was in the shower this morning, organizing my week and thinking about how I could be successful. I started to think about how God demands greatness and and how magnificently he does everything. My mind started to judge other things that I have seen towards that standard of greatness. Other people, other people’s decisions and other people’s actions. I was feeling pretty good about myself until a small voice in the back of my head whispered “two mites”.

Oh, the two mites! The symbol of giving everything you have to the Lord, and the symbol of God using people who may not seem to match our standards.

 

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”  Luke 21 (NIV)

But there we see Jesus using a humble widow to teach us a lesson about what God wants and the standards he has. This entirely changes the way we should look at other people. Yes God has high standards but not the same measures that we use. And boy am I glad for that. For I know I could never match the standard I sometimes set for others.
As you, and I, look at others today and “evaluate “them, remember this widow. Remember her humility and remember how God used her gift. And maybe also think a little about what you are giving.