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Posts Tagged ‘Julie Cosgrove’

Through Bugs

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , , on August 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

IMG_20130628_143418_192The church where I work has a prayer garden with shady trees, lovely flowers and a trickling fountain. So, of course it attracts all sorts of God’s creatures. From my window, I can watch an never-ending drama of nature unfold as the seasons pass.  Take the bugs, for example.

In late April and early May, black beetles were everywhere, even inside. You had to watch where you stepped.  Then in late May when the temperature soared, the mud-daubers woke from their hibernation and began building cylinder mud cones everywhere.  June bugs next made an appearance as did an amazing ground hornet that looked like a bee on steroids but was quite benevolent and totally oblivious to humans. The scorching summer has now brought grasshoppers and the lulling hum of katydids.

How awesome our God is to orchestrate this bug cycle.  Though not all pretty and at times annoying, each has a time and a purpose unto heaven, as the verses in Ecclesiastes say.

It helps me to realize that there will be different times in my life. Something will appear, perhaps just for a season. It may be a person, a book, a song, or a tidbit of wisdom gleaned from a passage in the Bible I never noticed up to that point. It may not be something I like. But it all flows from the One who knows all and has perfect timing.

Lord, teach me to be in sync with Your plan for my life, and to  anticipate each new serendipity that comes, And when things that “bug” me come around, let me see them as lessons You can use to make me into the beautiful creature You know I can be,  just as You are daily recreating the garden at this church.   Amen.

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He meant to pass by

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on August 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

cropped-storm-clouds-2-134981298598261vgu1.jpgAnd he [Jesus] saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them… Mark 6:48

Does it seems as if God has passed you by in the midst of your struggles? Why would He?

Look at Mark 6:48 again. He meant to pass them by? Seriously?

It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t care. It wasn’t because He could walk on water and he wanted to rub that into his disciples’ faces – “Hey, look at me. A bad storm doesn’t phase me.”

Maybe Jesus meant to pass by to –

1. Get their attention so they would look to Him and not their problems.

2. Show them the way, like a beacon.

3. Prepare the way to calmer waters for them.

But instead, when they look upon God in the flesh, they were frightened and that fear clouded their belief. They thought they saw a ghost. How could this man they’d followed walk on water in a storm (even though he’d just fed thousands of people on one boy’s lunch)?

How often do we not trust God in our circumstances even though He has come through in the past in some miraculous ways?

So, according to Mark:  immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.  (vs.50-51a)

In the midst of our fear, God can speak to us, calm us down, or stop the winds that batter us.  Or He may choose to just get our attention so we focus only on Him.

Either way, we can rest assure He will not ignore our plight.

 

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Are You Bold Enough?

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on July 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

My youth minister gave an amazing sermon on the Lord’s Prayer.

Sure, you have probably heard tons of them as you’ve sat in the pews over your life. But this had a different spin on it.

He said the Lord’s Prayer was a very bold concept. Before Jesus, people prayed through the HIgh Priest who, because he was from the appointed tribe of Levi, was qualified to speak with God in the Holy of Holies.

Here, Jesus tells his followers they can demand things of God – directly.  Can you hear them mumbling, “What servant has the right to make demands of his master, or a child his parent?”

What do we demand in the Lord’s Prayer?

1. For God to make His kingdom come to pass on earth.

2. For our daily needs to be met.

3. To be forgiven for our sins.

4. To be protected from temptation.

We demand this from the omnipotent God we know is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.

 

It gave me the image of a child busting into the boardroom and demanding his CEO dad’s dollar for the soda machine.  Or a judge’s child clanking down the aisles of the crowded courtroom in the middle of a lengthy case with a hurt finger wanting dad to kiss it.  Or a president’s child interrupting the State of the Union address for a hug.

Pretty bold-

and pretty loving and caring of God to let us wee ones crawl towards His throne and onto His lap.

But, he does, each and every time. “Stop the universe. My child, that I love, needs me.”

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So much more than a scrape

Posted in Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on July 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

This verse of the day illuminated my cell phone screen:

O Lord my God, I cried to you for your help and you have healed me.  Psalm 30:2

Picture1It also illuminated my heart.  David cries out for God to help him.

How often have I done that? I have fallen, like a child off my bike.

I recall my mother hearing my sobs, rushing to me and helping me hobble into the house, my knee bloody and embedded with asphalt pebbles. She not only helped me up, but knew I needed more. She cleaned up the wound, yes -ouch that stung and I cried a bit more – bandaged it, and hugged me until the initial pain subsided. Then, off I was, with a slam of the screen door. Back to playing with my friends with a story to tell.

So it is with God. I stumble, and like David, cry out for help. But He does so much more. He not only helps me back onto my feet, but holds me as I cry. He washes my wounds with His mercy and bandages them with His grace. Soon, I am back on track and the healing has begun. It may take weeks, maybe months, but slowly that hurt will dissipate. The redness will fade.  One day I will look and barely see it anymore.

But, oh what a story to tell! Just as David did in his psalm.

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from Phil’s testimony

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on July 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

“Are you asking God to serve you, are you asking to serve God? If you pray for something that is in your control and you can do, then you are asking God to serve you.”  – Phil Jones, Christian song writer

 

In his testimony last night at a concert, this wise musician stated that when he was in his twenties, he was unsure if God existed. A friend challenged, “Then ask Him to manifest Himself in your life so you can know.”

Phil took that challenge.  He asked God to show Himself in a way that was out of Phil’s control – that was for Phil’s three-month old son to smile at Phil’s grandfather who was near death from emphysema.  The first day they visited the hospital, nothing happened. Phil chastised a god he still was not sure existed. “I was ready to believe in Him.”

Phil testifies that God clearly spoke to his heart. “You have one more day in town. Go back.”

The next day, when they entered the hospital room, his tiny infant son smiled – nonstop,for 45 minutes! Phil could only give God the glory. He gave his life to Christ and chose to serve Him from then on.  He has been serving and singing of God’s love and power to congregations for decades now. “God has been faithful. It is one thing to ask Him to make your baby smile, it is another to trust Him to provide your livelihood for His sake.”

By the way, his grandfather lived for 17 more years until the ripe old age of 93, and saw Phil’s son grow into a fine young man.

 

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Are You WORN out?

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on July 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

If you feel beat by life’s waves, there is hope.  Last winter when I was in a low spot, I heard this song over the car radio. I had to pull over. I sat on the side of the highway while cleansing tears let Christ flow back in and wash my worries into His lap.

Listen to the honest, heart-felt and hopeful song by Tenth Avenue North. Then fall to your knees and let Him carry the load.

 

 

 

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Hands and Feet

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , on July 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Did you know our thickest layers of skin are on our hands and feet?

Evolutionists state it is because we once walked on all fours.

But, I think it is by God’s design because He wants us to be Christ’s hands and feet on the earth until He returns for His own.

Sometimes, in order to do that, you need to become pretty thick-skinned, while still remaining softhearted on the inside.  You need to put yourself aside and become callous to comments, knowing that you are all about doing  the Lord’s work, not the feeding of your own ego.

Jesus told his disciples, and He tells us, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.f you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19

Yet He loved us all enough to stretch out His hands and feet upon the cross.

Your hands and feet are meant to be thick and calloused if they are constantly doing His work. So labor on, Christian.  Toughen-up and be willing stretch them out for His sake, and for the sake of the lost.

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Vital Christianity

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on July 14, 2013| Leave a Comment »

reblog from Truth Media –

“Our focus has become on legalistic doing: I must keep these rules and then I’ll be a good Christian. When we are doing this we’re treating Christianity like a religion. But vital Christianity is not a religion. It’s not a set of do’s and don’ts. It’s a new life in Christ, a new way of doing life.”

read more of Helen’s words of wisdom at http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2013/07/14/i-work-in-his-energy/

 

( get free devos like this in your email each morning by clicking the devo tab in the blue line on the above link page. In September- the men’s and women’s will merge into a shorter “Life Devotionals” with a different theme each month.)

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Weakness to Strength

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , on July 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »

reblogged from Prayer For Freedom

 

Weakness to Strength

Posted: 12 Jul 2013 05:08 PM PDT

The number of slaves estimated in the world.
The number of slaves estimated in the world.

Human Rights Watch estimated 15 million children are bonded labor in India alone. In the U.S. there are American children being sold on the streets for sex, numbers as high as 15,000 with 100,000 at risk of becoming trafficked victims.

I started to work with inner city children to help prevent trafficking. I sat and listened to girls as young as 10 tell me about their 18-year-old boyfriends. Frustrated, I began fighting battles and tried to force change. But I found there were only two things that brought real change and opened the doors for me to help. Prayer and my own weakness, because that is when I depended solely on God.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Many times people feel helpless to bring change to the world, they don’t know what to do or how to help. As Christians we are never helpless to bring change, in our weakness we will be able to bring change when our dependency is on Christ. Prayer and faith will always bring change to a world in desperate need of hope and justice. Our commitment begins with weakness in ourselves, seeking Gods heart through prayer, listening and walking in obedience.

When you are listening or reading the Bible what do you think God has called you to do to end slavery?

 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26

Prayer for Me: Father, thank you because in my weakness you are strong. Let my ears and heart be sensitive to you as I pray for the captives to be freed. And in faith I believe you are bringing freedom to people around the world.

Prayer For My Generation: Father, bring freedom to the children of my generation trapped in slavery. Let them never give up hope and know Christ’s freedom.

By Staff Writer at Prayer For Freedom

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From An Amazing Report

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on July 11, 2013| 1 Comment »

This was taken from the Anglican Relief and Development Newsletter dated July 9, 2013.

ok tornado

Unbelievable Devastation:

Whatever redemption has now come was birthed first from incomprehensible tragedy [in Moore, OK on May 2o, 2013.] The toll was shocking: 24 people were killed, including 7 children at the Plaza Tower Elementary school, and over 375 were injured. As the 1.3 mile wide tornado ground slowly over a 17 mile path it smashed 1,150 homes and caused around $2 billion in damages. The tornado was designated an EF5, the severest possible rating on the official Enhanced Fujita scale which measures wind speed and destruction…

The Beginning of Hope:

Spiritual healing is an important component of this relief effort as residents continue to deal with the shock and trauma. Christ our Redeemer will be organizing an Alpha course focused on those affected by the tornado that will provide a space to express questions about why God allows such tragedy and suffering.

Fr. Wilson explains the idea as a way to reach people holistically: “We’re going to let people know that we’re working on their physical healing, but also talk about healing them as whole people.” He does not claim to have all the answers to these questions, but it is important to provide a space to bring them before God, Fr. Wilson says.

oklahoma torando

 

Tragedy Turned to Transformation:

As the shock wears off, the congregation is beginning to see God’s grace at work, despite the tornado’s destruction. The small congregation  has been transformed into a missional church dedicated to serving its community.

When another tornado came through town a week later, the church housed over 200 people who were trapped in their cars in the tornado’s path. Without a storm shelter, all they could offer was the church building itself and the comfort of prayer. “We told them ‘all we have is Jesus,’ but we believe in him.”

Inside the darkened and storm battered church they comforted and prayed for frightened travelers for two and a half  hours before the storm abated, and through that experience a new ministry has been born. From now on, Fr. Wilson says, “When we get a storm warning we’ll go to the church a make sure it’s open for people.”

In the storms of life, what better shelter than to be in the arms of Jesus (and gathered with His people). Please continue to pray for the families affected by the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma and North Texas. Pray for all who have been tossed in their own storms that they may see Christ in the midst of it all  and reach for Him.

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