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Posts Tagged ‘Where did you find God today’

How Many Times

Posted in Life Experiences, tagged , , , , on July 9, 2015| 1 Comment »

The minister of the church where I work read a statistic a while back. If you want people to “get the message” you have to present it to them in at least three to four ways. We inform the congregation of upcoming events by email, Facebook, pew bulletins and verbal announcements. By doing so, we reach out to most of the people. However, inevitably someone will complain that they “never heard about it.”

I began to wonder. How many ways is God trying to tap me on the shoulder and I am just not getting the message. We humans can be pretty dense headed, right? God sent prophets hundred of years before Jesus was born of Mary to proclaim his coming. Then He sent angels to shepherds and a star in the sky. He spurred three wise travelers to make the trek from their foreign lands.

While Jesus walked on earth, he tried numerous ways to tell his disciples who He was, the purpose of His coming and why He had to die. They just didn’t get thequestion message. Are we any different?

We have the Bible, nature, and the Holy Spirit to relay the message. Perhaps even an angel or two. And yet…

Lord, no wonder we miss so much of what You are trying to tell us. Don’t give up. Keep trying. Help me to find You in my day, every day. Teach me Your ways and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

 

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Illuminated

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on June 25, 2015| 3 Comments »

I saw an advertisement for glow-in-the-dark paint which you can apply to a stone path. AHA! Reminds me of the Word of God.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

The ad says the chemicals absorb the stepping stonessunlight, so when it becomes dark, they release a glow. That way,  people can see the way to travel and not stumble. This miracle paint is for sale at most of the national hardware chain stores.

While my life is sunny and things are going great, I should be storing up passages from God’s Word and memorizing them. Let them ooze into my heart and soul just as the glow-in-the-dark paint seeps into the porous stone.

The Word of God should illuminate my faith so when the dark times come, and they will, I will have them stored up inside of me. One by one, the faith-stones will light my way along the path, even though I cannot see where it  leads. Then, instead of crouching and crying out in fear, afraid I may stumble, I can walk upright, assured that God’s light will guide me through.

Are you storing up His Light in you?  You can get it at any local book store, or as a free app on your smart phone. It is called the Bible.  Illuminating, right?

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It’s What’s Inside

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on June 16, 2015| 1 Comment »

IMAG0266An older woman I know excitedly told how she got a part-time job stuffing envelopes. Her eyes danced as if she was a teenager once again. Her nephew questioned what the big deal was. It didn’t sound very exciting to him.

She smiled. “Oh, it’s not the envelopes. It is what goes inside. A very important letter that will help thousands of people. I am so glad to be a part of that effort.”

Her words hit me. It’s what goes inside. The image describes the purpose of being a Christian. We are the vehicle for delivering God’s message of redemption and love to the world. In other words, we are the envelopes.

It is what is going on inside of us, i.e., the transformation by the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus into our hearts, that is the important stuff. As others peer inside the window to our soul, they can see a difference. Something important is happening. The Light of Christ is flickering, glowing, then shining. The message revealed is one of forgiveness and salvation, of something more wonderful waiting for us beyond the pain of this world.

 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17

Lord, the times when I think I am not much on the outside, remind me it is what’s inside that is important – You working in me. You have placed your stamp of delivery on me, and I am simply to carry the message. Let me be more thankful, like my elderly friend, to be a part of that effort. Amen.

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Hunger Pains

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on June 12, 2015| 3 Comments »

I was in the zone…typing away, editing as I went, the plot moving along. In the background the washer swished and the dryer tumbled. I’d break to feed a mewing cat, or refill my tumbler with water, and then scoot my chair back to the keyboard.

After a while, a slight wooziness waved over me. I blinked to refocus, only to be interrupted by a deep gurgle in the pit of my torso. Like Seymour the man eating plant, my stomach growled, “Feed me.”  I sighed, pushed back my chair and opened the fridge. Door opened with the frigid air blanketing my face, indecision clouded my brain. I knew not to grab anything junky.  I snatched a carton of fat-free Greek yogurt. Quick, easy to down, no cooking or mess to clean. I spooned it past my lips as I typed. That staved off the hunger for a while, but the sensation returned within a few hours.

Isn’t this often true of our spiritual lives? We are in such a rush, our concentration focuses on the “doing” mode. We forget that, like our bodies, our souls need regular nourishment in order to function.  A deep hunger for God niggles us. At first we ignore it, but it doesn’t  go away. We know a snack such as a faith based show won’t satisfy us. Not even a few Facebook scrolls from Christian friends.

ID-10087293But what to feed it? We flip through a few highlighted verses in our Bibles, scan our bookshelves filled with devotionals and inspirational guides, even stare at the Biblical saying plaques on our walls. We turn on Christian music. Still, the deep aching isn’t quite satisfied.  We need real God-time. And Sunday is days away.

But any time can be stop and pray time. Regular moments with our Father in Heaven can fulfill us and sustain us as we move through our day. From the half hour spent with hands folded, we receive enough strengthening to carry us through whatever we need to accomplish. Our gas tank refills, so to speak.

Reading our Bibles is wonderful. Christian music is great.  But in order to fully digest what we see and hear, we need to take it to the Father and let His Spirit help us absorb it in order to feed our faith in the way we need the most, just as our bodies assimilate the food we swallow.

Spend quality time with God today. Don’t snack now and the as you keep on “doing.” Instead, sit down, relax and devour the full-plated goodness God wishes to provide.That’s the full meal deal. Talk about soul food!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

for tips, trials and triumph consider getting Squeeze More God-Time Into Your Day.Squeeze cover

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Cast Your Cares

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on May 31, 2015| 2 Comments »

Wednesday evening I stumbled trying to carry a package to my car. Down threeIMAG0241-1 steps, wretching my right foot and ankle in the process. In the ER clinic the nurse dampened a felt covered strip filled with fiberglass and molded it around my foot and calf. Within minutes it had taken a perfect shape, protecting and providing support and strength to my injured extremity. It now fit only me, no one else. Next, he secured it with two bandages wrapped around and around.

Reminds me of my Savior. He is the same for all of us, yet His Spirit molds to me individually, knowing my soul’s shape, weaknesses and strengths. He forms a protective shell, guarding my thoughts and shielding me from the evils of this fallen world. All the while He is healing my weaknesses and strengthening me. He guards me from further injury.

Then His grace and mercy intertwine to further support me, secured by His love. He wraps Himself tightly around my soul when I need it to protect me from further harm.

Since I fell, and my foot and ankle became injured, the doctor told me to not put weight on it for several days, but instead to use crutches. God’s Word and blessings are my crutches whenever I fall out of His will. He picks me up, often through the prayers of others, and sets me right.

Now, with this soft cast on my right leg,  I’ve grasped a new meaning of 1Peter 5:7– “casting my cares on Him.”

Lord, may I rely on you in my weakness as You strengthen me, and lean on You for support as I heal whenever I tumble from Your grace. Thank You for this valuable lesson, even though painful. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Carried

Posted in Christian, tagged , , , , on May 24, 2015| Leave a Comment »

…. I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4b

shepherd- dayspring really wooly

courtesy of Day Spring Really Wooly collection http://dayspring.com/

A young woman in our congregation hobbled to receive communion with a scraped knee and Velcro laced cast-boot. When I asked her how she was doing and if she needed assistance, she said this recent injury reminded her of a time as a little girl when she broke her leg and was in a cast for weeks on end. Her father carried her to the altar during church to receive a blessing of healing.

“I pictured later that’s what our Heavenly Father does when we are broken. He lovingly carries us to His altar to receive healing in our soul. As I hobbled through the day now, that image sticks in my mind and I am comforted.”

She found God in her injury.

http://ecards.dayspring.com/ecards/subcat.asp?CategoryID=6&SubCategoryID=47&CardID=401952&Widescreen=False&CurPage=1There are times we need to be carried. Perhaps we’ve hit abump in the road of life and taken a tumble. Our soul has been scraped. We ache and throb, and when we try to get up, we wobble unsteadily. We need the Good Shepherd’s staff to lean on for a while.

ID-100108485Other times, we just need Daddy to cuddle us. Like a toddler we stretch out our arms and whimper, “Up,please.”  We need His warm strength, or maybe just to see the world from a new perspective–on His shoulders.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10

In their classic song Flood, Jars of Clay sing for God to lift them up because they are weak, to lift them up so high they cannot fall. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help, be it from a friend, a parent, or your Heavenly Father. Sometimes, you just need to be uplifted so you can carry on, or be carried so you can be lifted up in spirit.

Jesus carried his cross so He could now carry us…

  • to be with Him,
  • to rest for a while,
  • to renew our strength,
  • to be comforted.

Lord, lift me up…

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A Quick Cover Up

Posted in Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , on May 3, 2015| 1 Comment »

I had to leave in five minutes. I looked down and gasped. During my showering and hair styling, my nail polish had chipped off on a few nails- ugh!

Now if you aren’t a gal, let me explain. This is equivalent to a button popped off or a mustard droplet on a necktie. Not the end of the world, but it definitely screams that you are not put together. Plus, all day you will be self-conscious and imagine everyone is giving you a wide berth and clicking their IMAG0225tongues.

Back to my plight: No time for a manicure. So I dabbed on some more polish to “smooth over” the rough spots. I knew better. With not quite dry nails I smudged two when I dug in my purse for my car keys. The newly applied coat actually revealed more of the “craters” rather than concealing it. Plus it adhered to the old, making the polish thicker and uneven in places, which made it chip off even more during the day. Now my nails really screamed “Mess!”  Sigh.

Well, God used this as a lesson. No, it’s not that I have a vanity thing, though there is that I suppose. But how often do we try to cover up our sins thinking the world will not see them?  We don’t have time to deal with it so we try a quick cover-up. I lost my temper so I will send her flowers.  I walked by without saying hello so I will text it later. I took home some copy paper from the office so tomorrow I’ll bring brownies. I used the Lord’s name in vain so I will put an extra dollar in the offering plate. Quick cover-ups never properly fix the problem.

To set things right, I needed to take the time to remove the old chipped-off stuff, apply a new coat or two of polish and then seal it. Or, at least remove the flaking color and leave my nails fresh and clean. However, that would leave them exposed. Polish and sealant help protect them from breaking. They also add a touch of attractive shine and glimmer.

IMAG0105Couldn’t the same be said of my soul? I need to take the time to remove sin by confessing to God, and perhaps another person, the wrong I’ve done which is chipping away at my relationship. Then I must reapply God’s polish–by reading His Word, colored with prayer and brushed on with a contrite heart–so I can again shine. Lastly, I need to once more be sealed by His merciful Spirit so I am protected. Otherwise, sin will just keep peeling off any attractiveness I present to the world. I will lose my attractiveness.

Thing is, if I’d called and apologized for running late due to a slight wardrobe malfunction, people would have understood. How much more difficult to say I’m going to be tardy because I need to get right with God and someone I’ve wronged,  and that is a process which can’t be rushed?

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13

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There’s an App for That

Posted in Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on April 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

On my e-reader tablet is a cool app. It is a landscape that changes as the weather does. That is according to a national weather forecasting service. It isn’t always accurate.It is a forecast, a prediction of a likely occurrence. It lets me know when there is a “good chance” of rain or sun or snow, etc in my area of Texas. Click on the link below to view it.

storm-clouds-2-134981298598261vguA few days ago  a tornado watch, then warning was issued. There was one sighted about 50 miles south of my location moving directly east, so I wasn’t in danger. It is hard to predict if and when one will strike. That is why these siren-activated announcements are called watches and warnings.

OH, IF ONLY LIFE WAS THIS WAY.  There is a 50% chance you will be in a car accident. this afternoon, so watch out! Today will be mild and sunny, so anything you worried about will dissipate. Tonight, there is an 80% likelihood you will come down with a cold, so stock up on tissues and meds. BEEP… BEEP….BEEP: This is a warning. You are about to receive a call concerning a death in the family, so prepare yourself now.

Well, perhaps some of us would prefer not to know in advance. It would activate our worry mode. And, these broadcasts are not guarantees.Nor are they 100% accurate. They only give the probabilities of it possibly happening.

However, unlike the weather service, we do have a 100% reliable source. Our Heavenly Father. No need to predict- He already knows. Whatever we go through, whatever is coming, He is there to guide us, shelter us, comfort us or rejoice with us.

That’s an app we can count on each and every day. It’s called trustful prayer.Woman Meditating

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I found GOD In Church

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on April 20, 2015| 1 Comment »

church-building-clipart-FaithChurchYou may scrunch you eyebrows at the title. But, let’s be honest with each other. How often do you go to worship out of obedience, but during the service your mind wanders? You just are not connecting that day. You don’t “feel” the Holy Spirit moving. Your body is perched in the pew and your money is in the collection plate, but that’s about it.

This past Sunday, our rector broke tradition. He admitted he’d hit a dead end in writing his sermon and at the twelfth hour, God intervened. He heard the holy whisper in his soul, “Don’t tell them about me, they know that. Help them experience ME.”  Obediently, with a cracking voice and tears welling in his eyes, he stepped away from the pulpit and spoke the Truth God had planted in his heart, mind and soul.

Praying hands_He interrupted the normal flow of the service and asked us all to bend a knee and pray for a renewed experience of God–dwelling in us, equipping us, comforting us, and strengthening us with His Spirit so we could bring others to Him and stand together united in Christ, for each other and beside each other. Then we stayed on our knees and confessed our sins.

As we knelt, tears warmed my eyes. I felt a surge of gentle power flowing through each soul and into me. For a brief moment, we were one in Christ. One voice, one request, one humbled desire.

Of course, this is how it should always be in worship. However,our churches are filled with humans. We are all on different paths of  the faith-walk. We all have sins lurking on the edges of our souls. We all have hurts, grudges, prejudices and preferences. You know, those things Satan loves to utilize in order to separate us. Often times it is more than pews which divide us into sections.

But on Sunday, in one church who is renting space in a strip center in southwest Fort Worth as we grow our congregation, Christ’s glory filled the place as we spontaneously prayed in obedience. Our strength was renewed and we soared. It is what our congregation needed–it is what we all need.

Don’t be fooled, dear friends. We in the U.S.A and Canada are not cushioned from the evil persecution that is flooding the Coptic nations. Just because we have “In God We Trust” on our coins or sing “God Save the Queen” doesn’t mean we have an invisible wall to stop the tsunami of hatred from crashing across our land. The first waves are already lapping at our shores.

Let us all bend a knee, often and united together  and pray to renew our experience of what it is like to be true children of God, washed by the blood of the Lamb, and bolstered by His Holy Spirit. Let’s no longer think about God, but truly dwell in Him. For He alone is our strength, our comfort and our hope.

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Beyond Taxing Times

Posted in Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on April 15, 2015| 1 Comment »

 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

If you have taken time out to read this devotional today of all days, congratulations. Millions of people are only thinking of one thing today—getting their tax returns done before midnight.  They are too busy rendering unto Cesar at the moment to find time to turn to God, except perhaps in a desperate plea of panic when they see how much they owe. Tax time can definitely be a stressful time. So many rules, loopholes and hoops to jump through. Endless forms to fill in, if-that-then-this scenarios, trying to determine if you, as a square peg, can squeeze into the round hole of restrictions.

Praise God  that His way is not so convoluted. Perhaps that is why many people find salvation hard to believe. There are no hoops to jump through, no volumes of rules to follow to the letter or else, no restrictions, no loopholes. What’s the catch? It’s not that simple. No way. There has to be a plan.

Of course there is. What is God’s plan? To restore us to His presence. That’s it. His biggest desire for us is to return to Eden. But our sinful nature blocks the way. Evil lurks to trip us up and tempt us into turning our heads, and then our backs. All we need to do is to say we are sorry and we desire Christ to come into our lives and take it over. His plan brings peace into chaos, hope into despair, a future of faith where none once existed.

Today, who will you choose to serve? Jesus said we can’t have two masters. Yes, we must render unto ImageCesar, so to speak. But, the best way to do that is to realize that even the government is under God’s plan. In Romans, Paul encouraged the people to be respectful of their government because it, too, came from God. If God is truly sovereign then all is under His control, despite the human free will factor. Once we render all to Him, it makes having to render unto the government more purposeful, and all the more necessary. By paying our taxes, we are abiding by the law of the land, and in essence, obeying God’s desire for us.

Render all to God first—all your fears, misdoings, hurts, joys, blessings and money. Then trust in His plans for you. He died on a cross to ensure that plan. Whatever April 16th brings, you can have faith that it is under control. Render unto Cesar, yes. But first, surrender to God.

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