Sitting at Jesus' Feet
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
"But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." LUKE 10:40
"Martha loved Jesus dearly and would have done anything for Him. Her struggle came in being still! Martha spent so much time serving Jesus that she had no time to enjoy His company or to get to know Him better. The harder Martha worked, the more frustrated she became with her sister Mary. Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet while Martha scurried around the house to make sure everything was in perfect order for Jesus. Martha's service, though it started out with gladness, deteriorated into resentment and envy.
It is good to want to serve Christ as an expression of love for what He has done for you. Yet when your activity consumes your time and energies so that you have no time for Him, you have become too busy! You may think, as Martha did, that if you don't do the work, it won't get done. That may be true, but Jesus taught that your highest priority must be your relationship with Him. If anything detracts you from that relationship, that activity is not from God. God will not ask you to do something that hinders your relationship with Christ. At times, serving God and carrying out His mission is the best way to know and experience God. At other times, it is more important to sit quietly at His feet and listen to what He is saying.
We are not called to continually sit at the feet of Jesus, otherwise our service for Him would cease. Neither are we called to serve Him incessantly, without taking time to find restoration in His presence. Have you been serving God so diligently that you have not had time to spend with Him?"
By: Henry & Richard Blackaby
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Ron Who?
Ron Who?
When my husband had car trouble, he placed a collect call to my parents because he needed a ride home. The operator asked my mom to accept the phone charges from “Ron.”
“Ron who?” she cried indignantly. (We had been married for eight years!)
Needless to say, Mom never heard the last of that one! It happens to all of us. The face may look familiar but the name just will not come. Thankfully, God doesn’t forget our names. He keeps a book of remembrance called the Book of Life.
Revelation 20:15: if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (NASB)
Want to get into that book? Simple. Confess your sin and ask forgiveness for it. Then ask Jesus, who died to pay the price for your sin, into your life as Lord and Saviour. He remembers names and forgets forgiven sins!
Hebrews 8:12: for I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more! (NASB)
Prayer: Lord, we admit that our memories just are not what they were. Names and faces often escape us. But You, Oh Lord, You never forget a face, especially when it’s turned toward You. Thanks for remembering our names but forgiving and forgetting our sins. Amen.
An Everyday Christian devotional
Posted by: Brenda J. Wood (Heartfelt Devotionals)
Matthew 7:22-23: Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness. (NASB)When my husband had car trouble, he placed a collect call to my parents because he needed a ride home. The operator asked my mom to accept the phone charges from “Ron.”
“Ron who?” she cried indignantly. (We had been married for eight years!)
Needless to say, Mom never heard the last of that one! It happens to all of us. The face may look familiar but the name just will not come. Thankfully, God doesn’t forget our names. He keeps a book of remembrance called the Book of Life.
Revelation 20:15: if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (NASB)
Want to get into that book? Simple. Confess your sin and ask forgiveness for it. Then ask Jesus, who died to pay the price for your sin, into your life as Lord and Saviour. He remembers names and forgets forgiven sins!
Hebrews 8:12: for I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more! (NASB)
Prayer: Lord, we admit that our memories just are not what they were. Names and faces often escape us. But You, Oh Lord, You never forget a face, especially when it’s turned toward You. Thanks for remembering our names but forgiving and forgetting our sins. Amen.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee
Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee. You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil.
In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.
The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting.
However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however.. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you when the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee. You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil.
In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.
The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting.
However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however.. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you when the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!
The Secret to Joy
The Secret to Joy
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Psalms 16:9 KJV
David's heart was glad—he had found the secret to joy. True joy is far deeper than happiness; we can feel joy in spite of our deepest troubles. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances, but joy is lasting because it is based on God's presence within us. As we contemplate his daily presence, we will find contentment. As we understand the future he has for us, we will experience joy. Don't base your life on circumstances, but on God.
With this explanation about what joy is, what is your greatest joy today?
Excerpt from: Life Application Bible
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Psalms 16:9 KJV
David's heart was glad—he had found the secret to joy. True joy is far deeper than happiness; we can feel joy in spite of our deepest troubles. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances, but joy is lasting because it is based on God's presence within us. As we contemplate his daily presence, we will find contentment. As we understand the future he has for us, we will experience joy. Don't base your life on circumstances, but on God.
With this explanation about what joy is, what is your greatest joy today?
Excerpt from: Life Application Bible
The Condition of the Heart
The Condition of the Heart
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15 KJV)
At any time, the receptiveness of your heart will determine your response to God's word (Luke 8:5-18).
If your heart is like the trampled ground, hardened by the sin of bitterness and un-forgiveness, you will be unable to accept a message from God. Though you hear the words of the message, you will remain unchanged.
If your heart is like the shallow soil on top of a rock, you will accept God's word in your mind, but the truth will not penetrate your heart to make a difference in your actions.
A heart like thorny soil is a life that is distracted by the cares of the world; the pursuit of earthly pleasures prevents God's word from taking hold and producing righteousness.
The heart that is like good sod receives a word from God, applies it, and brings forth fruit in due time. This is the heart that Jesus desires in us, for the fruit will be a Christ like life.
Any time you hear a word from God, whether through Bible reading, prayer, or worship, the way you respond will depend on how you have cultivated your heart (Hos. 10:12).
How do you develop a heart that is like good sod? Repent of any bitterness, anger, or un-forgiveness that is hardening your heart.
Meditate on God's word until it enters deep into your heart and not just your mind. When you read or hear a word from God, apply it to your life and let God bring His word into reality in your life (Gal. 6:9).
Protect your lifestyle. See that you don't devote all of your energy to worldly concerns, rather than to pursuing your relationship with God.
The condition of your heart will vary, depending on how you cultivate it. If it was receptive to a word from God yesterday, this does not guarantee it is receptive today. Daily prepare your heart for the word God has for you!"
By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15 KJV)
At any time, the receptiveness of your heart will determine your response to God's word (Luke 8:5-18).
If your heart is like the trampled ground, hardened by the sin of bitterness and un-forgiveness, you will be unable to accept a message from God. Though you hear the words of the message, you will remain unchanged.
If your heart is like the shallow soil on top of a rock, you will accept God's word in your mind, but the truth will not penetrate your heart to make a difference in your actions.
A heart like thorny soil is a life that is distracted by the cares of the world; the pursuit of earthly pleasures prevents God's word from taking hold and producing righteousness.
The heart that is like good sod receives a word from God, applies it, and brings forth fruit in due time. This is the heart that Jesus desires in us, for the fruit will be a Christ like life.
Any time you hear a word from God, whether through Bible reading, prayer, or worship, the way you respond will depend on how you have cultivated your heart (Hos. 10:12).
How do you develop a heart that is like good sod? Repent of any bitterness, anger, or un-forgiveness that is hardening your heart.
Meditate on God's word until it enters deep into your heart and not just your mind. When you read or hear a word from God, apply it to your life and let God bring His word into reality in your life (Gal. 6:9).
Protect your lifestyle. See that you don't devote all of your energy to worldly concerns, rather than to pursuing your relationship with God.
The condition of your heart will vary, depending on how you cultivate it. If it was receptive to a word from God yesterday, this does not guarantee it is receptive today. Daily prepare your heart for the word God has for you!"
Are You Tangled In Sin?
Are You Tangled In Sin?
An Everyday Christian devotional
Posted by: Kelli Zaniel
Has sin tangled with your emotions and left behind a knotted mess in your heart? It’s like trying to straighten a string of lights on an overly dried-out Christmas tree. Why in heaven’s name is taking the lights off a tree so much harder than putting them on?
Two weeks after Christmas, my mother-in-law and I began pulling the lights away from the crispy branches. Razor-sharp pine needles poked through my t-shirt as I reached over the top to grab the lights she was tossing over. In the midst of our light-removing efforts, the strings intertwined and knotted themselves into a post-Yuletide mess. It makes a girl wonder how three strands of 150 twinkling lights can pull such a snag in a perfectly good day.
Trying to untangle strands of lights is discouraging. But even more discouraging is dealing with emotions tangled in sin. Have you ever tried yanking the kinks out of raw emotions only to find a bigger knot than you started with?
Sin is the root of most emotional entanglements.
Sin tangles with our emotions. I believe it’s the catalyst for emotional catastrophe.
Sin is subtle. It twists, bends, and distorts truth. Like a mirage, it looks beautiful from a distance but up close it’s a distorted mess.
Sometimes, we get so tangled in sin that we forget what it’s like to be God’s girl. We get accustom to the presence of sin twisting through our lives that it becomes the new “normal.”
Unleashed emotions roaring out of control lead to sin.
Emotional messes seem to catapult us into the kind of sin we never thought we’d indulge in. Until one day after folding the fourth load of laundry, our well-meaning-selves begin dabbling in things that have real sin potential.
At this moment, we must ask ourselves: Are we choosing sin over spiritual holiness? Are we turning away from the teachings of Jesus? Are we growing numb to sins that seem insignificant?
I like the way the Message paraphrases Deuteronomy 30:16:
"And I command you today: Love GOD, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by GOD, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess.”
After a little pulling, twisting, and unraveling, my husband’s mama and I succeeded in separating the strands of lights. This is what God’s presence in our lives can do. He loosens our kinks, untangles our emotions, and pours divine de-tangler over our knots.
So, how do we invest in a tangle-free plan? Verse 16 tells us:
- Love God,
- Walk in his ways, and
- Keep his commandments.
How Is Your Relationship With God?
How Is Your Relationship With God?
An Everyday Christian devotional
Posted by: By Michael Agostino
In the Experiencing God workbook it talks about the "seven realities of experiencing God":
1. God’s Work
2. Relationship
3. Invitation
4. God Speaks
5. Crisis of Belief
6. Adjust
7. Obey + Experience
In the Bible study I am in with some other friends, this is one of the things we discussed. I shared how hard No. 6 on this list is. Reality No. 6 says we must make major adjustments in our lives to join God in what He is doing. Why is that so hard?
As I started to focus more on the list, I realized that No. 2 was sticking out to me. Relationship: God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
How is my relationship with God? Not where it could be and it’s from the lack of effort on my part. My relationship with my wife is strong because I put time and effort into it. Just because we are married doesn’t mean we stop there, as is just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we stop there. I am reminded of Jeremiah 17:7-8 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." Which gets me to think how deep my roots are and how dependent am I upon the vine, which is Christ?
We must always remember that God is Abba (father). And in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Christ’s blood was shed for me and for you. God created us and pursues a relationship with us. Ever look out at the stars? Gazed across the seas? I mean sometimes I feel so small and sometimes I feel so unworthy (like Moses in Exodus) but still God pursues a relationship with me? Sometimes this freaks me out.
I will end this with a prayer from Matthew 6:5-15: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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