A Hymn of Joy!

May 18th, 2014 dsisler

It’s Sunday morning! Time to get up and head to the house of the Lord!

 

CCSunday mornings are special (I pray they are for you as well). I understand King David’s words in Psalm 122:1 (NIV). “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” There is great rejoicing within my soul when I can join others in worshiping God my Creator and Jesus my Redeemer. To be in God’s presence is exciting.

 

So today I pray that you’re excited about heading to the house of the Lord. You will be blessed beyond measure when you approach God’s throne.

 

And today is also the day of the week that you will read an older post that I’ve written. I pray that you’ll enjoy reading about lofty ideas. Have a wonderful day!

 

Lofty Ideas

 

Perhaps you’ve seen the television show where inventors present ideas to investors. These inventors seem to have the perfect solution to a problem and they’ve put together the perfect product. Sometimes these ideas are really good. Sometimes, not so much.

 

While I have only seen this show a few times, I am reminded that sometimes what we believe to be a great idea is a flop to others. I am reminded that we probably will not be successful at everything we try to do.

 

Why is it that sometimes great ideas end in failure? Why on some occasions are multiple attempts made before success? Why is there a saying, “If at first you don’t succeed; try, try again?” Why can’t an idea always work the first time?

 

Maybe the idea was too lofty…unattainable. Or maybe it really had no merit and wouldn’t work regardless of how many times you try. Perhaps the method isn’t suitable for the plan.

 

There are obviously many reasons a plan or idea won’t work on the first attempt.

 

The book of Proverbs has some great wisdom tidbits and Solomon gives us some great advice on planning. Maybe some of these verses might help with a situation you are in right now. Let’s take a look.

 

Proverbs 14:22 (NIV) “Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”

 

Proverbs 15:22 (NIV) “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

 

Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

 

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

 

Proverbs 20:18 (NIV) “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.”

 

Proverbs 21:5 (NIV) “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

 

Proverbs 21:30 (NIV) “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.”

 

Yes, sometimes our plans may fail, but we know for certain that the plans of the Lord will never fail. 1 Chronicles 28:20 (NIV) gives us the advice David gave to his son Solomon. “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”

 

Yes, when God is in the middle of our plans, there will be success. It may not be the success we desired or hoped for, but it is the success God was seeking. And nothing can succeed against Him!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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The Word of God

May 17th, 2014 dsisler

I’ve mentioned on many occasions how I love God’s Word. I’ve thought of Scripture as a treasure and held to it dearly.

 

DSC04486A while back, I read something somewhere to the effect that we, as Christians, give honor to Scripture far more than we should. Yes, we should read it. Yes, we should study and obey it. Yes, we should believe it’s the inerrant Word of God. But we should not “worship” the Bible.

 

So I took a step back and have considered my thoughts on the Bible and if I indeed had made God’s Word a thing of worship…an idol if you will.

 

But then I read a passage of Scripture that has allowed me to go back to my original way of thinking. Not because I thought it was right, but because God’s Word says its right.

 

King David loved God’s Word and the Book of Psalm is filled with David’s burning desire to know, understand and follow God’s Words. If David can revere Scripture as he did, surely that is God’s intention for my life as well.

 

The passage of scripture I referred to above is Psalm 119:6-16. I’ve read this passage in every translation and paraphrase to gain a better understanding of what God wants us to hear. I actually love the Contemporary English Version of this passage because there are some phrases that are a little different and it points out what is important. Take a look at Psalm 119:6-16 from the CEV.

 

“6 Thinking about your commands will keep me from doing some foolish thing.
7 I will do right and praise you by learning to respect your perfect laws.
8 I will obey all of them! Don’t turn your back on me.

9 Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word.
10 I worship you with all my heart. Don’t let me walk away from your commands.
11 I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you.
12 I praise you, Lord! Teach me your laws.
13 With my own mouth, I tell others the laws that you have spoken.
14 Obeying your instructions brings as much happiness as being rich.
15 I will study your teachings and follow your footsteps.
16 I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words.”

 

Does this version help you to understand this passage a little better? What were some of the phrases or words you saw that caught your attention? Let me share a few that I liked.

 

I loved verses 6 and 9! My life has been filled with foolish things. But the most foolish thing I’ve ever done was ignore God’s Word.

 

Verse 11 is one you probably have memorized, especially if you know the pledge to the Christian flag. Perhaps you’ll recognize it as, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 – NIV) A small change in language really helps us to understand that God’s Word is to be treasured because it will help us to obey God’s commands.

 

And then Psalm 119:15 is a delight for those who desire a deeper understanding of the Bible. When we study God’s Word, we will follow in His footsteps. God has given us the example. We must follow.

 

There is so much more in this passage of Scripture. We could talk about holiness. We could talk about what’s hidden in our hearts besides God’s Word. We could talk about worship and praise. We could talk about sharing the Gospel with others. We could talk about happiness in God’s Kingdom. These ideas are all in this passage.

 

My conclusion today is that we are to treasure God’s Word. We are to hold it above all other books as our example for holy living. God calls us to listen to His Words. And I intend to listen intently. Learn wholeheartedly. Obey exclusively. And respect enthusiastically.

 

The Bible holds all that God wants mankind to know. God has preserved the Bible and it’s writings throughout the ages so that we might have guidelines to live by. I believe we should love, honor and obey God’s Word, for within its pages are “Words of Life” (1 John 1:1).

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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So Many Choices

May 16th, 2014 dsisler

We all must make choices every day. Some are easy and can be made without much hesitation. Like “what color shall I wear today” or “do I want salad or a sandwich for lunch?”

 

August 2004 Trip2 018mSome decisions are difficult or that require time to make a decision. Like “what car shall I buy” or “what community do we want to live in?”

 

We each face choices in our day-to-day living. They are part of life.

 

We find in Deuteronomy that Israel had a choice to make. Moses thought it was an easy choice. But he also knew it had to be their choice. So he shared all the pros and cons of this important decision.

 

Moses and the priests called Israel together and said, “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his command and decrees that I give you today.” (Deuteronomy 27:9-10 – NIV)

 

There is a lot in these verses, but what I’d like to show is that Israel had already been chosen by God. Now it was their turn to make a choice.

 

After quite a long speech on blessings and curses, the renewal of the covenant, and prosperity in the Lord, Moses gets to the main point. In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Moses lays it all out for them. He makes a great case for God.

 

Moses believes it is an easy decision to make and says so. “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.” (Deuteronomy 30:11 – NIV) Moses goes on to say that they don’t have to go to heaven to find it. They don’t have to cross the sea to get it.

 

“No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14 – NIV) I love this verse for it is exactly the same for us on this side of the cross. God’s Word is within us. In our hearts and should be on our tongues. And the reason? So that we may know it and obey.

 

Moses then tells them they have a choice. Life and prosperity or death and destruction.

 

This great leader of God enlightened Israel of the consequences of disobedience and the blessings of obedience. For Moses, there wasn’t a decision to be made. He had already chosen to follow God. Israel needed to do the same.

 

One final swaying argument for God and Moses would hand the leadership role over to Joshua.

 

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 – NIV)

 

I can hear the great crowd cheering after Moses’ convincing words. They are inspiring words. Words that called Israel to action. Israel was all in at this point.

 

Oh, we know that Israel made bad decisions throughout their history in the Old Testament, but at this point, they chose God. They chose blessings. They chose prosperity. They chose life.

 

Do Moses’ words call you to action? Are they enough to convince you to love God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him? Are you willing to accept God as your life?

 

As a Christ-follower, I must ask myself a few questions as well. Am I thrilled that God’s Word is very near? Are God’s commands in my heart? Are they on my lips? Do I listen to God’s voice? Do I hold fast to Him?

 

I’ll say it like Moses did. It’s not a difficult decision. Choose life!

 

As you go through your day today, I know you will face a choice or two. Some may be even more difficult than mentioned above. If so, please ask for God’s help. He will be happy to weigh in on the situation. And God will also be happy that you invited Him in to your decision process.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Spiritual Growth and Acts 2

May 15th, 2014 dsisler

I have read through Acts 2:42-47 dozens of times through my lifetime. It’s one of those great passages that give us insight into the early Church. We read in this passage what they did. We find examples of what we should be doing. We see a wonderful picture of the Church as Christ instructed.

 

IMAG1501What I have never done however, is look at this passage as a way to gauge spiritual growth. The points listed in this section of Scripture show us how the early Church grew spiritually. I believe we can use these same points to determine if we are growing as well. Let’s take a look at these verses.

 

In verse 42, we see the early believers devoted themselves to four things. When we devote ourselves to these same four things, we will see spiritual growth in our lives.

 

Apostles Teaching

The early Church didn’t have a New Testament, so they had to depend upon what the apostles taught. And what did they teach? Jesus’ words. His teachings. All that we find in our New Testament.

 

So when we devote ourselves to God’s Word and learning what God has to say to me each day, spiritual growth will occur.

 

Fellowship/Community

I am truly blessed to be able to go to work each day and connect with fellow believers of Christ. I know how important that is. Community was important in New Testament days and it is just as important today.

 

When I am committed to being with my fellow believers in corporate worship, spiritual growth happens.

 

Breaking of Bread

As part of our worship service, the Lord’s Supper is observed. When I accept the cup of Christ each week, I am making a commitment to Him. I accept Him in my life over and over.

 

Coming to terms with my sin each week is another step to spiritual growth.

 

Prayer

Communion with God through prayer is yet another way we can commit to God and an area where we can see spiritual development. The early Church was devoted to this spiritual discipline and we should be just as committed.

 

When I am in communion with God through prayer on a regular basis, I see spiritual growth within my own life.

 

After this verse, we see other ways the early Church grew spiritually. Take a look at the rest of the verses.

 

“Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:43-47 – NIV)

 

Giving

Regardless of who had what, everyone was taken care of. When I give regularly to my local church, I see spiritual growth in my life. When I see needs of others and share what I have with those less fortunate, I see even greater spiritual growth.

 

Spiritual eyes help me to see needs. Spiritual eyes come through spiritual growth.

 

Worship

Our early Church friends praised God with sincere and glad hearts. That is proof of spiritual growth.

 

My worship to God isn’t just the singing I do on Sunday morning. Worship happens every day, throughout the day. Worship is my life. Spiritual growth can be seen as I offer my life to God as worship.

 

Sharing

The early Church shared their stories with others and the church exploded. New believers were added daily to their number.

 

When I share my story with those who haven’t heard about Jesus, God will do some pretty remarkable things. He will provide the boldness and confidence on my part which is also part of my spiritual growth journey, but God will also work on the seed that has been planted in the heart of the hearer. Spiritual growth will begin in a new soul and the process will begin anew within them.

 

I don’t know if these were words you needed to hear today, but for me, these are vital. I see the correlation between spiritual growth and the Church. I see how my own spiritual growth can be important to the growth of God’s Church. I understand how God has combined all of the elements into the journey. And it makes me smile.

 

Maybe your spiritual journey has slowed to a near stop. If so, there’s no better time than today to jump in and follow the example of the early Church.

 

If you haven’t even thought of starting this journey, I would encourage you to reread these verses. See how spiritual growth can lead to a life of faith and a community of believers. But most of all, please understand that spiritual growth will draw you closer to God. And that’s right where He wants you to be.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Engaged

May 14th, 2014 dsisler

I have found it difficult to write these past few days. I then realized the reason. My personal time with God had been diminished, if not completely eliminated from my day. Oh I have had those short prayer times. I’ve heard a song or two on the radio that has brought my attention to God. I’ve attended church and worship service. I’ve even had a few conversations about God. But my one-on-one time with God has been pretty restricted.

 

DSC02389mmmmMy quick trip to Kentucky seems to still have a hold on my body. My workload at the church has needed my immediate attention. I’m tired. I’m irritable. I’m unengaging. I’ve had a bad attitude. I can use all of these as excuses for not spending time with God, but really they are just excuses. And bad ones at that!

 

So this morning in my devotion time, I started rereading a piece on leadership. What I read this morning is that as a leader, I am called to live a certain way. I am called to be engaged with God. I am called to be engaged with His Word. I am called to be engaged.

 

Take a look at some of these questions posed by this author. What is it that tends to fuel my service to God, adrenaline or intimacy?

 

In the past week, adrenaline has been fueling my service. But it’s obvious that is not what God desires. He craves intimacy with me. I should crave intimacy with Him. But how am I to find this intimacy when I’m overwhelmed by the happenings of my life, some of which include serving Him?

 

Jesus gave us the answer in John 15:1-11. We are to remain in Him. You see, when I’m too tired or weary or my attitude is in a bad place or my schedule is too busy, there’s no way I can remain in Jesus. My one-on-one time is always going to take a back seat. And boy, do I have it all wrong.

 

When I remain in Jesus, He will provide what I need. The production of fruit. The answer to prayers. And according to verse 11, joy.

 

I knew all of this. I’ve read this passage dozens of times over the past year…remember it’s become one of my favorites. But life got in the way. I got in the way. So today, it’s time to hand the reins back to the One who loves me unconditionally and say, “Let’s have a do-over.”

 

Perhaps you are in the same boat. If so, don’t let another day go by without spending some special time with God. Let Jesus know that you desire to remain in Him and then do it. Reengage. Reignite. Reenergize. And then, sit back and watch what God does through you.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

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