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Caged-In

March 25, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

IMG_20140324_111347_318As I pulled into the parking lot, dashing streaks of bright blue and white, half-hidden in the shadows, caught my eye. Then I heard the screeches.

A blue jay had become trapped in the cage where the air conditioning units are stored at my building. She flitted back and forth in a frantic dance. The rapid rustle of her feathers cried out for help.Her mate cawed in panicked shrieks and fluttered from the tree limb to the top of the cage and back again. My heart sank!

How did that poor bird become locked in the cage? Then I noticed the cage did not reach all the way to the ground. A three-inch gap stretched between the grass and the bottom bar. Perhaps an enticing bug had lured the jay underneath the steel webbing. However, its instinct told it to fly, not crawl. Above the jay were tree limbs and sky within reach, yet not accessible. Repeatedly, she darted back and forth banging against the top corners of the cage. I crouched down and extended my hand through the narrow opening at the bottom. I tried to chirp like a bird, and then coo in soft calming tones. The blue jay stopped, cocked her head to the side, then took off in even a more frantic flight – back and forth, back and forth. I tried to open the cage, but the lock prevented me from doing so. I needed the key.

I called the maintenance warden. He had a key, and some lubricant to un-stiffen the lock from the effects of the outside elements. It only took a few minutes of patient coaxing. Click, The lock released.

With a screech of the rusty hinges, one side of the cage opened. But the bird crouched at the other end, crunched against the upper corner. Its beak propped open, It’s feathered breast heaved. Tiny black eyes widened.

The warden backed away.The bird could see him fully now. It chirped, turned, and flapped its wings. Suddenly, she flew, out and up to the safety of the nearest tree. Her mate flew after her. Sheltered by the leaves, we heard soft tweeting. The maintenance warden and I smiled.

Aren’t we humans like that blue jay? Something has enticed us into a situation. Unaware of the danger, we venture forth. Suddenly, we feel trapped, unable to find the way out of this mess. Our human nature clouds the ability to find freedom on our own. Yet don’t we try, over and over, only to get the same results? Anxiety sets in. We become frantic, banging against the barriers that separate us from the life we want. The barriers called sin. Perhaps friends are huddled on the outside,praying. They call out to God to come rescue us. Some may try to show us the way out. But they don’t have what it takes to convince us. Our doubts, helplessness, and the attitude of “I got into this, I can get out on my own” stubbornness blocks us from seeing the way to escape.

Only Jesus holds the key that can release me and you from the bonds of sin which have encased us. He alone can show us the way out. If you have a friend who is trapped in circumstances that seems impossible, realize that you are not capable of freeing them. You must call for Jesus to unlock the cage. Then, like that blue jay did to the warden, when they fix their eyes on Him, they can see His mercy has flung the doors wide, pointing the way to freedom. At last, to fly free.

 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

I found God’s message of salvation today in a trapped and frantic blue jay.

Where will you find Him today?

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“Delivery”

March 22, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Two blog  posts  hit my inbox today–  one from an anti-trafficking missionary, another from a writer of devotionals. One in the field, one at a desk. Same message: it can’t be about you.

“Your eyes and heart need to be constantly on Jesus. Not on the circumstance or the evil that you know exists, but the love you know is eternal.” Prayer For Freedom 

“Why would God call, consecrate, and commission us to share our faith, when many believers experience perceived failure and consider it mission: impossible? Often, perception doesn’t reflect reality. Actually, God never asks us to perform a task without empowering and equipping us to accomplish His task.”  Allan Mitchell – Power to Change

There is one thing which will stop the message of the GOSPEL from reaching the ears who need to hear it…my pride. To share the love of ID-10056738Christ, I must not worry about rejection, rolling eyes or retracting footsteps. I am to, when prompted,  share what I know: Jesus loves me and you so much He died to be with us,  He is the one gift we are supposed to re-gift.

Whether that truth comes out in actions, in words, or in a smile, I am not the one giving the gift of Life.  My Lord is, through me. I am just the one who delivers the package. Christ i  s the present that can be clutched to the heart, or left on the table unopened. I may be the first person to offer the gift, or the fiftieth. Each time, it is up to the receiver to accept it, lay it aside, or toss it in the trash,

Lord keep me from focusing more on the method of delivery instead of the gift, which is You. Let me realize I am not the one they are accepting or rejecting, I am only the one You have deemed to be the person who knocks on their door and says, “Delivery.”

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

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It’s all in the clothes

March 18, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Maybe the old saying that “the clothes makes the man” is true.

In my Bible study group, a friend made an analogy. She stated that the police are just normal human beings. They have to eat, they get sleepy, they have a bad day–just like the ID-100174324rest of us. But, put a uniform on them, and they assume an authority that most people obey and respect. People may run to the uniform seeking help. Or, if they feel guilty over something they did, it may make them cower and turn away.

She went on to point out that we Christians are no different. We all have our flaws, our tendency to sin, to be self-orientated. But when we are cloaked in the cloth of the Holy Spirit, we take on the authority of Christ.  “…for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27

How people react depends on their situation. They may show respect for the wisdom our walk with God represents, and the power of His Spirit growing in us. They may run to us for help, whimpering, “Please pray for me.” Or, they may back away, afraid the Light shining from us will expose their dark secrets. How people perceive them doesn’t stop the police from doing their job, day in and day out.

The analogy goes further. Just as the police officers have to wear their uniforms to do their job, so we must dress in the love of Christ  before we head out to do our job – going into the world to spread the good news of Christ.  And, just as police officers strap on their equipment and weapons which has been assigned to them, so should we strap on the Armour of God (Ephesians 6) before we venture out.

A police officer is trained to always be prepared. Putting on their protective paraphernalia, communication equipment, their identifying uniform, and/or badge is all part of their routine before they go on duty. 

Fellow Christian, is it your routine to do the same?

 

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In the sky over Palm Beach Yesterday

March 16, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

taken from Facebook – photo is from

Meteorologist Jim Loznicka

Photo: You've heard about it and now you can see it. The "Angel Cloud" that appeared over Palm Beach yesterday.

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I Am Your Servant

March 15, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Amen, Steve, Amen

Steve's avatariChristian

Please click the blue iPray logo for more prayers

Father, I fall on my face before You in worship this morning. Please forgive me for those times I’ve treated You as though You were my servant, somehow expected to meet my demands. I am Your servant, Lord, and I humbly bow before You today. Amen.

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Dreading It

March 11, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

ID-100231618Today, I have to go to the dentist. Just saying the word raises my blood pressure. My chest tightens a touch…well more than that.

I have a cavern in one tooth. I can feel it with my tongue. Probably it is not more than a pin prick, it just seems that huge. Logic tells me if I don’t go through the pain of the shot, drilling and filling, it will begin to hurt more and more. At first, it maybe just a touch of discomfort. Then, Ice water will make me cringe, and next, hot soup will make me suck air. In a week or so, I will have to down aspirin, dab on anesthetic gels, and toss and turn at night. So, it has to be done.

Sin is that way isn’t it? It may seems small to the world, but to the one who is carrying it, it can be huge. But, the pain of being examined by Christ as He drills in and cleans it out of our lives is not a pleasant thing. But, like filling a cavity, it is necessary. Otherwise, after a while that sin will interfere with everything we do. Like the dentist, Our Lord has to clean out the mess before it can be properly treated. That hurts as well, but only for a while.

I know- if I had brushed my teeth more than once a day, or had not skipped those times I was too tired to floss before bedtime, or not chomped on that taffy, or downed those carbonated drinks… Little slip-ups can accumulate into something very unpleasant to have to handle–like a cavity.

Are not our lives the same way? We are accountable for our actions, and good or bad, they build up. Just as good dental habits make our teeth stronger and protect us against cavities, our good habits protect our souls and make us strong against the attacks of the devil. Whereas the bad habits can eat away at our souls bit by bit. At first we may not notice, but then, uh-oh. There it is. Just try to ignore it for very long.

I have to go to the dentist today. It is only one hour out of my life, and in reality, about 30 seconds of pain. Yet, I dread it. But, deep down I know God will be there to hold my hand and see me through it. Ditto for the sin I need to come to Him about.

I never thought I’d find God in a dentist appointment, but there you go. Where will you find Him today?

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All Night

March 7, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

I have read the story of the Exodus dozens of times. I have seen the movie with Charlton Hesston. It influenced my mind’s eye of how the parting of the Red Sea happened . . .until I noticed two small words in this passage from Exodus—”all night”.

Exodus 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. (emphasis mine.)

In the movie, Moses raises his hand and, swoosh, the sea parts just like that. In the Bible, it says it took all night long.

All night the crowd ofID-10015712 refugees stood trapped between a sea they could not cross and the Egyptian army drawing closer to enslave them again.

All night long Moses kept the faith and waited for the wind to do God’s bidding.

I thought, how often do I see the end results of good things and “miracles” in other’s lives and never see the “all night longs” which proceeded them, such as dark times of patiently waiting for God to act while danger drew nearer, the paths seemed blocked or the situation appeared hopeless?

How often is God preparing miracles in the background of my life which have not yet come to fruition because the timing is not right? How many “all night longs” are taking place in my life right now? How many prayers prayed are in the process of being answered, which I cannot yet see?

Oh  me of little faith. Those two little words tucked into a Bible story I have heard all my life convicted me and brought me humbly to my knees.

Where will you find God’s message today?

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I Give Up?

March 3, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Lent begins on this Wednesday, March 5th. I grew up giving up things for Lent– like sweets, soft drinks, or chewing gum. So I can relate to this story I found online when constructing the bulletins for the Lenten services at the church where I work:

“Some years ago a friend of mine told me that he had urged his children to move beyond giving up candy to giving up some habit of sin that marked their lives. About halfway through Lent he asked the children how they were doing with their Lenten promise. One of his young sons had promised to give up fighting with his bothers and sisters during Lent. When his father asked him how it was going, the boy replied, “I’m doing pretty good, Dad–but  boy, I can’t wait until Easter.”  *
 

Now, as an adult, I realize the purpose of Lent is a whole lot more than just giving up something for 40 plus days. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Christians are called to abstain from some sin in their lives during this time. Experts say it takes 30-50 days to reverse a bad habit. Lent is not the time to just temporarily stop sinning, thinking that after Good Friday we can pick it up again because it is now Easter. No, we are to use this time to discipline ourselves so we can better eradicate it from our lives.True, we should always try to abstain from sinning. But, like dust on furniture, it is funny how sin starts to accumulate if we do not take the time to clean our souls. That requires some contrite, on-our-knees confession prayers to God now and then. That’s the purpose of Lent.

ID-100228429

I am a pretty much a fanatical clean and neat freak, (I know. Right now my close friends and family are rolling their eyes and saying, “You think?”) But, I confess, when I get busy with life I often put off the dusting and vacuuming. After a while, it shows. Dust mites float in the sunlight and land on my TV, computer monitor, the bookshelves, and the table tops. After a while, you can scrawl your name in them. But, if you leave the curtains and blinds drawn, then my house looks fairly picked-up and presentable. I think our lives can be the same way.

So,maybe we can see Lent as a spiritual spring cleaning. When you draw back the curtains and let in the Light of the World, Christ shines on those dust bunnies that have accumulated in our lives and, let’s be honest, the bit of dirt we have tried to shove under the carpets until we can deal with it later. You know, those nagging little whispers of our conscience that tell us we need to make a change in our attitudes and habits.

Jesus, by His death, became our duster. He helps us wipe away our sins, so our souls, which are the dwelling place for His Holy Spirit, can become sparking clean again.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? I Corinthians 6:19

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!  Hebrews 9:41

This Lent, instead of giving up something, take on this: Let Jesus’ white glove scrape across your life, and where there is some dust of sin settling, let Him help you wipe it clean. Then, confess to Him often, so you can stay clean. Don’t let sin accumulate in your temple! Tell the devil that is one thing you plan to give up.

 
 
 
 
 
*(www.catholic.org/clife/lent/faq.php)

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Just Be

February 28, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Woman MeditatingBe still and know that I am God.   Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we hear a Scriptural verse so often, it loses its impact.  Take John 3:16, for example.

This was true for me for Psalm 46:10. I have it on my bulletin board near my computer and see it every day, yet way too often I do not  take it seriously. In fact, I am anything but “being still”. I know He is God, but do I let that absorb deep into my soul? Breaking down the verse renewed its meaning for me.

Be still and know that I AM . . . Even though I know He is God, do I let Him be God over my life, or do I, more often than not, put Him on the back burner until I need His presence?
He is my Father and Provider, My Lord and Savior, Omnipotent Creator, King of all kings. When Moses asked Him what His name was, God replied I AM. Jesus told the Pharisees that before there was Abraham I AM. He is here and now, not just in the Bible stories of the past. He is forever present, be it two thousand years ago or two thousand years from now. There is nothing that is more powerful than He, and He is in control.
 
Be still and know . . . know not just with my brain, but with every fiber of my being. To know is to be certain, without a shadow of a doubt, or an ounce of hesitancy. We say, “I know for a fact . . .” when we are adamant about something.  Do I know God?  How can I know Him better? The answer is simple – by spending time with Him. That means I don’t do all the talking in my prayer life, but I stop and listen.  And to listen, I must . . .
 
Be still. . . How very easy, and yet very hard.  To be still is also for me to be silent. Silence is hard to achieve in today’s world. We are surrounded by noise. But often it is only in silence that we can hear the powerful voice inside of us that we know is not from us. Being still requires effort, a conscious act of not being distracted. But, when you get right down to the heart of the matter, this is where you can find God and understand He has always been right there.
 
Be – that is all God requires of us. We just need to be what we were created to be. Jesus’ death on the cross restored the relationship of man to God before the Fall of Adam and Eve. It returns us, through Christ’s blood, to our natural state of grace once we accept Him as Savior  . But, our human nature mucks that up, doesn’t it? So, we need to remember to just be. Our merciful God accepts us as we are, with all our short comings and all our faults, and through the eyes of His Son, sees us as pure, blameless and made worthy when we come into His presence and ask for forgiveness. We don’t need to be perfect- Christ makes us that way.  We only need to be willing to “be”.

If a Bible verse starts to lose its impact, dissect it down. Read each word and find new meaning, with God’s help. Scripture is alive and breathing with His Spirit. We are not to just read it, but to digest it, make it a part of us, and live it.

 

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Clouded View

February 25, 2014 by juliebcosgrove

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the
mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days; and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the
midst of the cloud.  Exodus 24:14

dreamstime_m_18038487.jpgGod told Moses to wait… and he did. For six days he was encased in a deep fog – he probably couldn’t see his hand in front of his face. Zero visibility. Six days…waiting.

I can relate to Moses’s experience in Exodus 24. There have been times when I have been in a spiritual fog for a while. I’d lost my sense of direction. I couldn’t see where to go. I couldn’t determine if I took a few steps to the left or the right would that plummet me off a cliff? So I didn’t move at all. And it seemed like the fog lasted for an eternity.

It is an eerie feeling when you are waiting on the Lord.  I admit I had waves of anxiousness and doubts. “Why am I here? Why can’t I vision You in my life right now, Lord?” Then, as frustartion mounts, “Why can’t I see a way out of this? What lessons are You trying to teach me?”  And with a trembling lip, “You aren’t mad at me are you?”, as if God was an angry parent who’d put me in time-out.

But, somehow I knew God’s glory was in that cloudiness with me, just as His glory was with Moses.  Which is why I kept praying to Him even though I could not sense His presence.. And eventually, God’s voice led me out of the midst of the clouds. Just as He did with Moses.

We cannot always see God’s working in our lives. But in the meantime. like Moses, we need to wait, watch and worship. God has not abandoned us. He has us where we are for a reason. Trust in that. You can find Him today, even if you can’t find anything else.

 

for more on the In-between times and why God puts us there, consider the Bible Study Between the Window and the Door. Thanks.

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