Psalm 119:33-40 – Word of God Wednesday

 

DSC02382It’s a beautiful Wednesday morning! And since it is Word of God Wednesday, I can’t think of a better reminder for us than to be teachable. God’s Word continuously reminds us that we cannot be stagnant, but that we must be growing and maturing spiritually.

 

Psalm 119:33-40 reminds us that we must know and understand God’s precepts and decrees. I pray that today you will be drawn to and long for God’s Word and all that is offered within its pages.

 

“Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Fulfill your promise to your servant so that you may be feared.

Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.

How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.”

Psalm 119:33-40 – NIV

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Cow Appreciation Day

 

Today is Cow Appreciation Day. Did you know there was such a thing? Chic-fil-A has been able to tap into this day and if you dress up partially as a cow (I don’t even know how to do that) you get a free entrée! I would think Chic-fil-A will not be the place to go for lunch today.

 

Balloon Parade 2014 (11)This day kind of saddens me for a few reasons. Several years ago, I had to give up beef. I have such an adverse physical reaction when I eat beef that it isn’t worth even trying any more. I also have given up most dairy. Oh on occasion I’ll have some cheese or sour cream, but I don’t know when I had a glass of milk last. So you see, perhaps the cows are appreciating me today.

 

So here’s another reason that I am saddened by this day. We sure can find unusual things to celebrate and lift up. Everything from cows to gumdrops, we can find something to elevate above its normal status. And what happens when we allow some of these things to move ahead of our relationship with God? Well, God’s word for this is idol.

 

It’s so amazing to me when God continues to point out a specific word over and over to me. This word “idol” is one that He’s been placing before me a lot over the past week. Let me tell you about it.

 

I’m leading a summer study on Rahab. Now here are a group of Israelites who have been wandering around the desert for 40 years. This group had seen or heard of the golden calf incident in the wilderness. This group had seen or heard of the gods of Egypt and surrounding countries. This group had heard God’s commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. This group of Israelites had this first commandment memorized.

 

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations, of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:2-6 – NIV)

 

God is pretty clear. No idol worship. Nothing is to be before Him.

 

So I’ve been reading about idols in my summer study, but that certainly wasn’t enough. Our pastor on Sunday morning talked about idols as well. If you are interested in hearing what Shan Moyers has to say about this topic, click here.

 

Now my question must be, “what am I placing ahead of God?” Family? Friends? Church work? Television? Pinterest? Food? Yes, there are plenty of idols out there for us to move to a more prominent position in our lives, so we must continually be asking this question. And once we recognize the idol for what it is, what do we need to do to move it out of that place of prominence? Does it need to be completely eliminated from our lives? Is it possible to allow this idol to remain? What will I fill this “idol” void with?

 

I would caution about allowing an idol to remain in your life. God’s plan was that all idols would be destroyed or eliminated. Even people who worshiped the idols were to be driven out or killed. Why? Because of the influence an idol can have over people.

 

I would also encourage filling these empty spaces of our lives with something God-approved. If we aren’t careful, that void (time, space, or people) will be filled with yet another idol. Instead, fill the void with prayer, Bible study or quiet time with God. Or maybe find a service project to direct your thoughts toward God.

 

I’m sure God isn’t finished talking to me about idols. It’s a constant struggle, but one that is worth battling. Today you may be struggling with an issue of idol worship. If so, I pray that you will ask God to lead you in the direction you need to go in order to place God back on top. In the end, you will find great joy in finding the balance in your spiritual life.

 

And don’t forget to stop by your local Chic-fil-A in your cow costume today!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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“Give Me Jesus” – Monday Musical Musings

 

This morning, I know of far too many people who are hurting. Friends and family are experiencing heartache and grief beyond words. My heart aches right alongside these precious folks in my life.

 

???????????????????????????????I also know of some beauty that has entered this world in recent days. Oh the joys of bringing new life into this world! How blessed some of my family and friends are feeling this morning as they wake.

 

Maybe you and I can’t relate to these heartaches or joys, but I know Someone who does and can. His Name is Jesus! And to be honest, when everything else in my life seems to be falling apart or when I am experiencing a mountaintop high, the only One I want to know and love and be covered by is Jesus.

 

This morning, I pray that regardless of where you fall in the spectrum of life that you too will desire to be in Jesus’ presence above all.

 

A beautiful verse in Colossians helps us to understand this idea a little better. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17 – NIV) Jesus holds all things together! Of course He does! Why wouldn’t we put all of our trust and faith in Him?

 

This morning I want to share this tune that has been around for a long time. I’m sure many people have held onto the words of this song during the ups and downs of life. What about you? Can you join them (and me) in saying, “you can have all this world, but give me Jesus”? I pray that you will.

 

“Give Me Jesus”

 

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

 

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

 

And when I am alone
Oh and when I am alone
And when I am alone
Give me Jesus

 

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus

 

And when I come to die
Oh and when I come to die
And when I come to die
Give me Jesus

 

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus[i]

 

Click here to hear Jeremy Camp’s version of this beautiful song.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] “Give Me Jesus,” Words and Music are a traditional African-American song, Arrangement by Fernando Ortego, Dejame Solo Music, Word Music, 2000.

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A Few Changes

 

Our typical weekend includes a visit from the grandkids. After they are gone, I enjoy finding little evidences that they’ve been in our home. This morning as I walked into my office, I began noticing little things that were out of place.

 

partyMy door stop (a rock) was in the recliner. The little Christmas tree on my desk was moved to a new, prominent location on my desk. And Nigel, well apparently he joined a party in the closet! What fun!

 

I pray that today you will be heading off to spend time with friends and family and that one of activities you’ll do together is worship God. I can’t wait to join my church family in worship and special activities after. There’s no better place to be!

 

Today’s repeat blog post is one of my favorites. Have a great day and enjoy your time with God!

 

99 Seconds with Michael

 

As a NASCAR fan, it was thrilling to find out that one lucky fan was going to be chosen to have a 99 second conversation with my favorite NASCAR driver, Michael Waltrip. My mind began to wonder about what I might talk to Michael about. 99 seconds isn’t a long time and if I were to win, I was worried that I’d ramble and miss the opportunity to have a real conversation with him. My decision was that I’d introduce myself and tell him why I was his fan and let him know what a privilege it was to be talking to him. Then I’d let him talk. He is so witty and his southern drawl is a pleasure to listen to. I knew it would go quickly, so I’d make the most of the time and simply enjoy the moment.

 

I didn’t win that contest and was saddened that I wouldn’t be able to have a conversation with him, but in the whole scheme of things, it really is okay. I’ve been able to enjoy Michael on many occasions in his role as a NASCAR driver, owner, and commentator. I’ve been able to go to a few races at Daytona International Speedway and enjoy the thrill of seeing my favorite driver win a race. My dream of speaking with him directly will probably never come true, but there was an opportunity and I certainly did my best to make it happen.

 

99 seconds. That hardly seems like any time at all. What if I only had 99 seconds to speak to my husband or my children or to God? What meaningful conversation could be had in that short time? We know that it would be impossible for anything to really come of a 99 second conversation. We’d never have the opportunity to share in deep, meaningful dialogue. We’d never have a chance to give friendship to the lonely, comfort to the grieving, and love to the untrusting. It might even be a challenge to sum up God’s grace and forgiveness in 99 seconds!

 

So why is it that that is exactly what we do with God? Quickie prayers, maybe lasting 99 seconds. And what do those prayers consist of? Probably requests that we’d like answered. And probably one-sided. Our side. I don’t know about you, but my desire is to have meaningful conversations with my God. Conversations where I can praise Him for who He is and for what He has done in my life. A channel of communication where I can tell Him all of my worries and troubles. A dialogue where He can assure me that everything will be alright because He is with me.

 

I’ve come up with my own acronym for prayer. You’ve seen them out there, but I wanted one that would fit into this writing. WORTH. What is our time with God worth? How can I make this time with Him meaningful? By following this plan, you’ll spend quality time with God and enjoy the blessings.

 

W – worship God for who He is and what He’s done in your life

O – observe what God is teaching you in the moment

R – repent of the times you’ve ignored God or spent little time with Him

T – tell Him what is on your mind…share your requests

H – humble yourself to His leading

 

My dear friend, God desires a real relationship with you. His desire is for you to approach His Throne, sit a while, and have a chat. A meaningful conversation. Don’t rush it. He has all the time in the world for you!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Thinking Again

 

There are some crazy things happening in our world today. I’ve mentioned them before. You know what I’m talking about. Along with this craziness comes talk and discussion about the end times and how our world as we know it will soon come to an end.

 

Local Scenics0171mI’ve had plenty of time to think and rethink my stance on how and what God’s plans might be in the end. I thought I’d share my conclusions with you.

 

Persecution

As we search the New Testament and secular writings, we find that the early Church was persecuted for their faith. If I read Scripture correctly, because of the persecution these early Christians faced, they were able to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to areas of the world who needed to hear about Jesus. The result? Unimaginable and immeasurable growth.

 

My simple question to you would have to be, are you as a believer in Christ ready for persecution? It’s coming at us quickly. Let’s be prepared to give an answer when asked about our faith and let’s be bold as we give our answers.

 

Views

You know, we can argue whether we Amillennialists, Premillennialists or Postmillennialists and I have found that there are folks who tend to dwell upon these positions. Folks, God is going to end this world the way He has it planned regardless of my end times position. With that in mind, I want to be ready for the day God tells Jesus to come get His Bride.

 

I believe that the evil one is hard at work in this area. He is keeping a lot of people focused on this topic instead of what they need to be focused on. To be ready for the Bridegroom. Do you recall the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25? Five virgins were prepared with oil in their lamps. The remaining five weren’t prepared and had to leave to purchase oil. While they were gone, the Bridegroom returned, they missed Him and the Bridegroom turned them away with the words, “I tell you the truth, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:13 – NIV) These are not words I want to hear.

 

Just as we are to know Jesus by His Voice, Jesus will know us by our actions, our heart, our faith, and who we put our trust in. I’m sorry. I won’t argue end times views with you. I choose to spend my time getting prepared.

 

The Gospel

Which leads to this point. While I prepare for the return of Christ, my mission must be to share the Gospel as I go through my day-to-day life. I must be prepared to point others to Jesus all the time. Why? Because Jesus told me to. Matthew 28:19-20 wasn’t just for the disciples. Matthew 28:19-20 isn’t just for the pastors of our world. Matthew 28:19-20 is for every person who confesses to be a Christian.

 

Think of this word go like “as you are going.” Throughout my day, in the midst of everything I do, I must be making disciples. However that looks in your life, that’s what we are to be doing. When we are busy sharing the Gospel with others, there will be no time for arguing. The Name of Jesus should be continually on our lips. The Name of Jesus should be written on our hearts so clearly that others will see His Name. The Name of Jesus should permeate every breath I breathe and step I take. Jesus. Only Jesus.

 

And this leads to my next point.

 

Rahab

I’m leading a study right now on the biblical character of Rahab. There are so many facets of this story that I could share, but there just a few that line up with this blog post.

 

First, Rahab heard about God. She had heard all the stories of miracles, and Israel’s release from slavery, and rebellion, and punishment, and victories, and Rahab knew that Israel was on the doorstep of Jericho. Through all that she had heard, this foreign harlot believed that Israel’s God was the God of the sky above and the earth below (Joshua 2:11). She heard and believed. We must continue to share the message of Jesus with anyone and everyone. When the seed is planted, God will continue the work and lives will be changed. Keep talking about Jesus!

 

Second, the city of Jericho was melting with fear and no one could be found who had courage. The city was locked up tight because there was nothing else to do. The residents of Jericho knew their time was coming to an end and all they could think to do was be fearful. Rahab on the other hand took action. She hid the spies and declared her faith in God. Whether we like it or not, we are to become more like Rahab. Put your trust in God. Have faith in His plan of action.

 

And finally, just think of the moment when the walls around Rahab fell. She could have run. She could have tried to escape on her own. But instead, she stood her ground. She held to her faith in God. She believed that He alone would be her Savior. And that’s exactly what happened.

 

When the walls of our world (family, job, home, nation, security, etc.) begin to crumble, stand firm in your faith. Believe that your hope and salvation comes through Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. Don’t waiver from your position. Jesus is the solid ground upon which we can stand. Trust and have faith in Jesus. Stand firmly.

 

Friend, this blog post isn’t meant to frighten you, it is meant to light a fire within you. Maybe it’s about time for us, as Christians in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ to start doing something instead of arguing. Let’s get to work (preparing ourselves and telling others about Jesus), because that is the mission Jesus left for us to do.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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