Lately my heart is heavy. It is hard to stay positive when you hear about the hurt and see all the sin in the world. Logging on to Facebook has become a drag when constantly bombarded with the opinions of the world, especially concerning the current events. After much praying, thinking and a conversation with my grandfather this afternoon these are my current thoughts:
Christians seem to fall into 2 categories: the first is "close-minded" to the rest of the world and looked down upon as people who hate those that do not share their beliefs.
The second has resorted to what I consider "relative" Christianity, those that change their beliefs based on the constantly changing beliefs of society.
I am far from perfect but I strive to be more like Jesus. He is the example God gave us: JESUS. He hates the sin (un-Godly lifestyle) but loves the sinner. That's right . . . it is possible to do both at the same time . . . after all HE IS GOD. That means He loves me and He loves you. Because of Jesus, He doesn't condemn those who are living against the Word but He wants us to live the life that was designed for us BY GOD. While I may be looked at and called close-minded and intolerant, this is the sacrifice I made when I told Jesus I'd follow Him. God never said it would be easy to follow Him. Being a Christian and truly following in God's way often means going against the grain, treading upstream, and even upsetting society with my opinions BUT Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 7 starting in verse thirteen:
13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is
wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who
enter through it.14 For the gate is
small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find
it."
I want to be of the few that keeps on the narrow way and finds the gate that leads to an eternal life with God. No, I'm not saying I need to do things to please God, but one that loves God in his or her heart will do things that please God because it GLORIFIES Him. At the end of my journey on this Earth I want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23
With Easter approaching it leads me to reflect on what Jesus did for us on the cross 2000 years ago. Thank you Jesus that when I make mistakes I can repent (turn from what I have done) and dance, knowing that Your death on the cross took care of my sins.
So who are you? Are you a sinner that has accepted the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life? or Are you someone who knows and believes in God but has never taken action to accept Him and ask Him to be a part of your life? Believing is not enough, it takes action from us!
HE IS RISEN! HALLELUJAH!
Happy Easter!
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Monday, February 20, 2012
Don't just ask . . . Declare!
Matthew had a 4-H shooting sports meeting on Valentine's Day but he told me he had a surprise planned for this past Saturday. Unfortunately, I left work half way through Friday with a horrible stomach ache, fever, and aching body. I slept all afternoon until Matthew came home from work. He was going skiing with his parent's and their FCA group so I had the house to myself for the evening. I spent the entire night watching Netflix, drinking tea and asking God to allow me to feel better for my surprise the next day. My fever broke sometime during the night on Friday so I thought that was pretty good news! The next day I felt well enough to do some cleaning and cooking; then, I got ready for my surprise. Matthew took me to a local dinner theatre. It was wonderful except my stomach ached terribly after we ate dinner. It made for a very long show even though it was hilarious. Again, I prayed God would help me to feel better and He did . . . but I still didn't feel the best. Sunday I woke up and ate breakfast. When we got to church I felt horrible again. I was catching on to the fact that each time I ate anything I was bound to feel terrible. By the time we had bible study on Sunday night I was thinking to myself . . . well, I feel a lot better than Friday but I'm not so sure I want to teach students feeling this way. Then, it occured to me: Not once this weekend did I take my power and authority God has given me through His son Jesus
to declare healing. I was whinning from the couch that I could not be sick for school the next day then I stopped. I asked Matthew to come and pray with me for healing. We prayed together, not that I would feel better, but that God would heal my stomach and allow me to function the way he intended me to. . . . by his stripes we ARE healed . . . not will be healed, not if God chooses to he can heal me, the bible says, "we are healed". The instant Matthew said, "We declare in Jesus' name that this sickness would leave." I felt my stomach twitch. We finished our prayer, he looked at me and said, "When you feel well, get up and help me make the popcorn." This may sound harsh, but it was a reminder to me that if I'm going to declare healing, I need to believe that I am healed. I can't continue lying on the couch acting like a sick person when I know I can be healed by God. I got up from the couch and have not had a pain in my stomach in over 24 hours. Now, I understand this may sound odd to many people and until a year ago I would have thought I was crazy. Ever since we were part of a bible study last spring and summer we have been learning a lot about declaring our authority in Christ, healing, God's character and many other topics. By allowing God's WORD to renew and transform our minds we have gained many understandings I know other Christians do now know or trust in today. We have learned SO many "outside the box" ideas. But . . . what did the disciples do during and after the days of Jesus? They were filled with the Holy Spirit, declared their authority and healed many. Maybe we don't see healing because we don't believe it, we just ask for what we want, we don't declare it with the POWER we have inside us from the SPIRIT of GOD.
 |
| The beautiful belt my talented husband tooled using his amazing leather crafting skills :0)  |
 |
| My Valentine's Rose |
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What's your ultimate value?
Wow . . . it's been a month! My last month of school has consisted of . . . End of Quarter testing, grading tests, SAGE Testing, more grading tests, Report Cards, Conferences and don't forget the regular day-to-day activities. I spent one too many Saturdays in January at school. And just when you're excited for a week without extra work . . . Valentine's Day Party and School Forest field trip all in one day! Today was a blast with my students though. It is great to see the joy on their faces as they walk around the room saying thank you to their classmates as they open their sticker sealed Valentine's cards. I've never seen children get so excited about Tootsie Rolls either.
On top of life at school my husband and I have been busy too. We helped lead FCA at his alma mater for a couple weeks and we started a Young Adults bible study at our church.
We have been going through the study Act Normal by Scott Wilson. The study is based on Acts and what the church looked like during life just after Jesus' resurrection. Why doesn't church look the same now as it did then? Should it look the same now as it did then? There are so many things I could say about this study but one hit me the hardest. I am extremely goal oriented. I like to make plans, execute plans and then rejoice in the completion of the plans. Unfortunately, I sometimes forget to let God tell me the plan . . . can you relate to that?
For example, I'll bring you back to the time when I was planning for college. I found one school I wanted to go to, applied, got accepted, and I was going to that school. After a few things changed I discovered in May that I would no longer be able to attend the only school I had looked at. Hmm . . . problem? So . . . I reluctantly found a new school, dragging my feet along the way. It didn't take long to figure out God clearly wanted me at his choice instead of my choice. I was just about to finish school, student teach, live with my dad, find a job and save up for my first house or townhome. Then I met my husband; more plans I had made and God quickly changed.
Well . . . then I got married and created new goals in life. Get a job, pay off school, save money, replace our "college/highschool cars," save more money, buy a house and have children somewhere in there. So, I was thinking - we're doing pretty well! I had some long term subbing positions (almost a "real" job), paid off my school, replaced Matt's car, Matt graduated and got a job, paid off Matt's school, I finally got a job, now we're saving for the house . . .
That brings us to Sunday morning. Our Pastor said, "Let's figure out the real difference between the people in Acts and us." He had a timeline of a person's life: birth all the way to retirement and of course a grave at the end. He went over events that come up in our lives and put up pictures to represent each one: school, high school youth group, graduation, first car, college/first job, marriage, new car, first house, kids, bigger house, another kid, bigger car . . . And we're all just trying to make enough money so we can retire and enjoy life. We want our lives to be comfortable. God is supposed to bless his people . . . so bless me God . . . make my life wonderful because I deserve it and I try really hard. WHOA!
Then Pastor took a spool of string. He put a small dot on the end and gave it to the Youth Pastor to hold. The dot represents our lives on earth and the string represents eternity. He then walked around the entire church body unraveling the string. "The difference between us and Paul is . . . Paul was living for eternity and we're living for the dot. Paul knew that his dot affected eternity." He knew he ONLY had that dot TO affect eternity. While it is fine to have value for things on this earth we can not let value become ultimate value. As Scott Wilson wrote, "God is the only ultimate value in life."
Lord . . . challenge me and inspire me to love you with all my heart . . . and to sacrifice anything and everything in joyful service to You the One who has proven love for me!
On top of life at school my husband and I have been busy too. We helped lead FCA at his alma mater for a couple weeks and we started a Young Adults bible study at our church.
We have been going through the study Act Normal by Scott Wilson. The study is based on Acts and what the church looked like during life just after Jesus' resurrection. Why doesn't church look the same now as it did then? Should it look the same now as it did then? There are so many things I could say about this study but one hit me the hardest. I am extremely goal oriented. I like to make plans, execute plans and then rejoice in the completion of the plans. Unfortunately, I sometimes forget to let God tell me the plan . . . can you relate to that?
For example, I'll bring you back to the time when I was planning for college. I found one school I wanted to go to, applied, got accepted, and I was going to that school. After a few things changed I discovered in May that I would no longer be able to attend the only school I had looked at. Hmm . . . problem? So . . . I reluctantly found a new school, dragging my feet along the way. It didn't take long to figure out God clearly wanted me at his choice instead of my choice. I was just about to finish school, student teach, live with my dad, find a job and save up for my first house or townhome. Then I met my husband; more plans I had made and God quickly changed.
Well . . . then I got married and created new goals in life. Get a job, pay off school, save money, replace our "college/highschool cars," save more money, buy a house and have children somewhere in there. So, I was thinking - we're doing pretty well! I had some long term subbing positions (almost a "real" job), paid off my school, replaced Matt's car, Matt graduated and got a job, paid off Matt's school, I finally got a job, now we're saving for the house . . .
That brings us to Sunday morning. Our Pastor said, "Let's figure out the real difference between the people in Acts and us." He had a timeline of a person's life: birth all the way to retirement and of course a grave at the end. He went over events that come up in our lives and put up pictures to represent each one: school, high school youth group, graduation, first car, college/first job, marriage, new car, first house, kids, bigger house, another kid, bigger car . . . And we're all just trying to make enough money so we can retire and enjoy life. We want our lives to be comfortable. God is supposed to bless his people . . . so bless me God . . . make my life wonderful because I deserve it and I try really hard. WHOA!
Then Pastor took a spool of string. He put a small dot on the end and gave it to the Youth Pastor to hold. The dot represents our lives on earth and the string represents eternity. He then walked around the entire church body unraveling the string. "The difference between us and Paul is . . . Paul was living for eternity and we're living for the dot. Paul knew that his dot affected eternity." He knew he ONLY had that dot TO affect eternity. While it is fine to have value for things on this earth we can not let value become ultimate value. As Scott Wilson wrote, "God is the only ultimate value in life."
Lord . . . challenge me and inspire me to love you with all my heart . . . and to sacrifice anything and everything in joyful service to You the One who has proven love for me!
Monday, January 16, 2012
the day after . . .
As I am sitting with my small group of 1st grade students during our “intervention time,” of course the subject of the Packers comes up. “It’s so sad the Packers lost.” “I wish the Packers did not lose.” “Yeah, I don’t like those monsters” Wait . . . what?! “The monsters?” I asked. “Yeah!” responds the young girl. “I don’t like those monsters because they beat the Packers last night!!” Another student chimes in, “No, the Giants beat the Packers last night.” “Oh yes, that’s right, I don’t like the giants!” Well . . . monsters . . . Giants . . . I guess they are both big and usually scary creatures. We are making connections in first grade!
Last night the Packers were defeated and tragedy has fallen over the cheeseheads. Lucky for Matt and me, our lives do not revolve around football, although Matthew does love watching his Packers. Thank you God that we have a great HOPE and JOY in Jesus that can pull us away from our lives ‘coming to an end’ after a bad game.
I read Acts 5 today as our church and small group continues our study through Acts along with the book Act Normal by Scott Wilson. The Sanhedrin was upset with the apostles for preaching of Jesus in the temple courts after they had ordered them to stop. Again, the Sanhedrin ordered them to stop. In 5:29 “Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” A wise man name Gamaliel addressed the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:34 saying that many people have claimed to be somebody but all had failed to spread their ideas and eventually were killed. His advice is this in 5:38 “Therefore, in the present case I advice you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” The apostles obviously did not know what Gamaliel had said, since they had been taken from the room, but suddenly things take a turn. 5:40 “They [the Sanhedrin] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” Well . . . if that wouldn’t cause someone to feel defeated I’m not sure what would. But did the apostles leave with their tail between their legs and say, “Yes, of course. We would never disobey you?” Of course not! As Peter had told the leaders in Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than men!” They were going to go on preaching this message in light of persecution or even death. 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Jesus Christ]. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” So, what then is stopping us from sharing the Gospel as Jesus’s early followers?
Last night the Packers were defeated and tragedy has fallen over the cheeseheads. Lucky for Matt and me, our lives do not revolve around football, although Matthew does love watching his Packers. Thank you God that we have a great HOPE and JOY in Jesus that can pull us away from our lives ‘coming to an end’ after a bad game.
I read Acts 5 today as our church and small group continues our study through Acts along with the book Act Normal by Scott Wilson. The Sanhedrin was upset with the apostles for preaching of Jesus in the temple courts after they had ordered them to stop. Again, the Sanhedrin ordered them to stop. In 5:29 “Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” A wise man name Gamaliel addressed the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:34 saying that many people have claimed to be somebody but all had failed to spread their ideas and eventually were killed. His advice is this in 5:38 “Therefore, in the present case I advice you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” The apostles obviously did not know what Gamaliel had said, since they had been taken from the room, but suddenly things take a turn. 5:40 “They [the Sanhedrin] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” Well . . . if that wouldn’t cause someone to feel defeated I’m not sure what would. But did the apostles leave with their tail between their legs and say, “Yes, of course. We would never disobey you?” Of course not! As Peter had told the leaders in Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than men!” They were going to go on preaching this message in light of persecution or even death. 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Jesus Christ]. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” So, what then is stopping us from sharing the Gospel as Jesus’s early followers?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Beautiful Snow...A Wonderful Savior
 |
| The view of the river on the way to our apartment. |
 |
| Cutting down the Christmas tree |
Last week we enjoyed a little snowfall up here in Wisconsin. Well...maybe not everyone...but I always love that first real snow that sticks. I especially love the snow when it hangs to the branches of the trees and turns the world from dead and dark brown to dazzling white. Lucky for me the weather soon turned very cold which gave us those snow covered trees for nearly the entire week. My drive home on the highway was suddenly a beautiful gift from God, like when you see rays of sun slipping through clouds or bright fall color leaves. God's creation amazes me when I take the time to think about it and enjoy.
Don't you just love Christmas time? I feel for those who find this time of year as nothing but stressful. My prayer is to always enjoy the charm and spirit of Christmas for what it really means. A savior came into this world; how can we not be excited about that?! However, as I was listening to the radio with my husband yesterday, we heard a man speaking about Christmas. He said we have made Christmas such a big deal because it's fun. Long ago Christmas was important, but the church focused most on Easter. Everything revolved around Easter. It made me think...what would Christmas be if there was no Easter. As a teacher in the public schools it is difficult at times. I read a story today called Magical Christmas. It was about a mouse asking his mother what is it that is the Magic of Christmas? All the mice have different responses: it's sledding quickly down the hill on a sled, the glow of a Christmas tree, hiding behind trees during a snowball fight, spending time with family and friends, etc. In the end the mouse and his mother decide Christmas is about all the special things you do to make it magical. After the story I asked the students to name the things that made Christmas magical for the mice. One student raised her hand and said, "We have Christmas because it's when God had a Son and it's his birthday." YES...I thought to myself longing to elaborate on the topic. But we quickly move onto the other answers as not to upset the apple cart. So after all these thoughts I was on my way home from school and a Go Fish song came on the radio. It brought back my thoughts from what I heard yesterday. Christmas isn't just about Jesus's birthday, it's about a Savior- coming into this world to die for me and raise himself from the grave so I can live...eternally.
 |
**Type "It's About the Cross" in google or YouTube to enjoy the beautiful harmonies!**
It's About the Cross
By: Go Fish
It's not just about the manger
Where the baby lay
It's not all about the angels
Who sang for him that day
It's not just about the shepherds
Or the bright and shining star
It's not all about the wisemen
Who travelled from afar
It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
It's about the cross
It's about the cross
It's not just about the presents
Underneath the tree
It's not all about the feeling
Where the baby lay
It's not all about the angels
Who sang for him that day
It's not just about the shepherds
Or the bright and shining star
It's not all about the wisemen
Who travelled from afar
It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
It's about the cross
It's about the cross
It's not just about the presents
Underneath the tree
It's not all about the feeling
That the season brings to me
It's not just about coming home
To be with those you love
It's not all about the beauty
In the snow I'm dreaming of
Repeat Chorus
The beginning of the story is wonderful and great
But it's the ending that can save you and that's why we celebrate
It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It's about God's love
Nailed to a tree
It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me
It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
So that you and I could have real life someday
It's about the cross
It's about the cross
To be with those you love
It's not all about the beauty
In the snow I'm dreaming of
Repeat Chorus
The beginning of the story is wonderful and great
But it's the ending that can save you and that's why we celebrate
It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It's about God's love
Nailed to a tree
It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me
It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
So that you and I could have real life someday
It's about the cross
It's about the cross
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)