He Knows
By Shirley Mitchell
"All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom."
Isaiah 28:29
When my husband Doug needs some help finding things in the house, he doesn't go to me or our oldest two daughters. He asks our youngest daughter Victoria. When he doesn't know where he left his keys, she'll jump up, run to the exact location, and bound back to her father with the keys. When we forget what time a party starts, we ask Victoria (Tori). When we forget someone's name at school, Victoria remembers. Not only has this developed her confidence, it has brought out her personality. Almost every day an incident occurs. She will smile and put her pointer finger on the side of her head, tap her temple, and say, "Tori knooows, Tori knoooows."
Although she is only six-years-old, she doesn't miss much that is going on in our home. She observes, listens, and quickly jumps in to help. She usually has the right answer. On rare occasions she has not been right, and she says sadly, "Tori didn't know. Tori is only six and still learning."
Her quest for knowledge and wisdom is a picture of God for me. Our God is wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom. He is omniscient which means, "having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. One having total knowledge." It is an attribute that can only be described of God. No one's counsel can compare to the counsel of the Lord. He understands the human heart and mind, and He knows every detail of the past, present, and future. Psalm 44:21 tells us that He knows the secrets of our hearts. Psalm 94:11 says that God knows the thoughts of man. Psalm 139 says that He knows our every movement, when we sit, rise, go out, and lie down. He perceives our thoughts and knows every word before it is on our tongues. He has ordained all of our days.
When I think about all the digital information available out there now, I am amazed that God knew it already. He already knew everything contained in public records, financial information, and medical records. Every day the world transfers billions of dollars, God knew about them and the motivations behind them. Everything that makes a Facebook entry and the ones that don't, He knows it all. Grocery stores and credit card companies are just now tracking where you and I spend our money, but God has known all along. Every day millions of people seek counsel either from a professional counselor or a trusted friend. God knows everything they share, and He is the one who can give the right counsel and wisdom.
If all of the information from all the universities in the world was collected in every subject - science, history, engineering, art, music, sociology, social work, psychology, education, architecture, finance, accounting, dentistry, and on and on, then our God would know it all.
He spent only six days creating the universe, and yet it is filled with His glory. Proverbs 3:19 tells us, "By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew." We see God's wisdom by how systematically nature is arranged. From the path of the sun, to the changing of the seasons, to the intricate designs of each form of life to live in their particular habitat, God was methodical in His creation. We see God reflecting His glory in the beauty of the earth from majestic waterfalls, to the rugged snow-capped mountains, to the meadows filled with flowers of the richest colors.
Proverbs 3:13-18 also tells us that wisdom and understanding is precious to us, too. It is more profitable than silver, and yields better returns than gold. It is more precious than rubies, and nothing we desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
Can you think with me of the things that happen every day that we don't know? I don't know how I'm going to get everything done for the day. I don't know which activities to say "yes" to and which to decline. I forget important things like people's birthdays. While I counsel many women, sometimes I can't solve my own problems. My friend Anne said to me something so precious. She said, "I started thinking I just don't know what is going to happen this year - with my ministry, with Israel. I don't know what the Lord has in store. Then God brought Jeremiah 29:11 to me in a new way. He said to me, "You don't know, Anne, but I know. For I know the plans I have for you.plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Our God is aware of everything. Let's allow Him to be our Counselor and give us His wisdom. Let's seek Him first in every decision and issue in our lives.
Pray with me: Oh, God, You are wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom. You laid the foundations of the world in perfect wisdom, order, and beauty. You know the secrets of our hearts and the thoughts of our mind that we never shared with another. We trust You in Your perfect wisdom and love to deal with us. So we lay before You the things where we need Your counsel. We ask You, Lord, to give us the wisdom we need to guide our days so that we may live the life of blessing, honor, and bring glory to You. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Higher Call
The Higher Call
By Shirley Mitchell
"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.' He said to another man, 'Follow me.' But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.' Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.' "
Luke 9:57-62
I find this passage so interesting because it tells us that Jesus encountered many people who had to make a decision to follow Him, not just the 12 disciples who were specifically appointed. Many others received the opportunity of a lifetime, and Scripture records just a few in this passage to serve as a reminder to us that not everyone chooses to accept the call of Jesus.
To the first man, Jesus warns that a follower must be prepared for some loss. He says there is a loss of ownership. Jesus makes it clear that He is homeless. A follower will not have a place to lay his head. "My" and "mine" are gone for the sake of the kingdom. These are some of the first words children learn because they have a tendency to hoard their things. A follower will no longer be able to hoard and depend on his own provision. There is a loss of independence and security. Additionally, there is a loss of physical comfort. A follower trusts in God's decision for provision for each day whether God provides a warm bed, or at other times He provides a rock for a pillow.
The next two men (who decided to not follow Him) said the same words, "First let me go." One man wanted to bury his father first. Burying the dead was a sacred duty. We do not know if the father was dying or if he was already dead. We only know that the man wanted to do something else first. He was not ready to commit himself to follow Jesus. His words show an unwillingness to forsake the earthly life for the kingdom life. It shows an unwillingness to relinquish control to God for the next move. "First I must do what I want to do, Lord."
The last man wanted to tell his family goodbye. Jesus says "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." He is referring to 1 Kings 19:19-21, when Elijah calls Elisha into the ministry. Elisha was plowing a field. He stopped and never looked back. Actually, he slaughtered the oxen as an offering to the Lord. This act removed any temptation to return to his former lifestyle. God wants us to be willing to abandon everything that gives us worldly security. We can't have one hand on the plow and one hand in His. Sooner or later we find that we are still anchored to that fixed point and can't continue until we sever the tie. We have stretched that rubber band to its breaking point.
Jesus talks another time to the crowd about the cost of discipleship. In Luke 14:25-27, He says that a person can't be His disciple without hating his or her family. Of course, Jesus was not saying that His followers must have a burning hate for their families. Family was highly important in the Jewish community. He is saying that compared to your love for God, your love for your family should pale in comparison. God should be your first love, and it should not be sparing. It should be extravagant. He should be your first loyalty.
I would never suggest irresponsibility, nor does this give us permission to neglect. We dare not misconstrue this to mean that we can be irresponsible. I know that my highest call is to be a godly wife and a mother. My family is my first ministry. God has allowed me more kingdom work in women's lives that requires many sacrifices but never neglect of my family. I have left my daughters in Doug's care as I had brief God assignments. The key is the discernment to know "when Jesus calls." If Jesus called, then a follower who left the plow or who did not bury his father was not irresponsible or neglectful of his responsibilities. He was following God's higher call.
These three men's opportunities to follow Jesus were open for a brief time and then shut. It was not open-ended. If they didn't seize it at that time, then they could not regain it later. God usually does not give second chances, only next opportunities. What I mean by "next opportunity" is that the situation may change, but He offers another opening to step out in faith and follow Him.
There are many ways God can pick up the details. Sometimes when the leader moves out of a responsibility, someone else will step up and fill the gap left behind. As we mature in Christ, it is our responsibility to ask God how we help grow others and if we need to get out of the way for someone else to have an opportunity to grow. Other times, no one may rise to take the vacant role. Why would God leave a hole? He is sending a strong message to all including family, friends, and coworkers that their friend left behind something so wonderful for something of greater worth: to serve in the kingdom and to reach hurting humanity. How hurting humanity needs a Savior! Oh, what a testimony a woman leaves! She shows that God is worth leaving her life of self-absorption. Her eyes are no longer blind to others' hurts. She prioritized their needs. There she finds greatest fulfillment for her life. The gap left behind can be a gaping hole to serve as a reminder to other friends, family, and the next generation. They will be encouraged to lay down their nets, their plows, their comforts, their security, and their "knowns" to exchange them for the unknown glorious life.
Lastly, if He calls us to leave something behind, it may be for a reason that we will never know until we get to heaven. We can seek confirmation of the calling. Then you and I must trust that His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. If He has called us to leave a post, then He is responsible for the consequences and the outcome.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, give us the heart to trust You when You call. May we not say, "Lord, first let me go," but may we be like Isaiah and say, "Lord, here I am. Send me." Empower and encourage us to live the life of the highest calling in service to You. It's in the Name of above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
By Shirley Mitchell
"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.' He said to another man, 'Follow me.' But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.' Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.' "
Luke 9:57-62
I find this passage so interesting because it tells us that Jesus encountered many people who had to make a decision to follow Him, not just the 12 disciples who were specifically appointed. Many others received the opportunity of a lifetime, and Scripture records just a few in this passage to serve as a reminder to us that not everyone chooses to accept the call of Jesus.
To the first man, Jesus warns that a follower must be prepared for some loss. He says there is a loss of ownership. Jesus makes it clear that He is homeless. A follower will not have a place to lay his head. "My" and "mine" are gone for the sake of the kingdom. These are some of the first words children learn because they have a tendency to hoard their things. A follower will no longer be able to hoard and depend on his own provision. There is a loss of independence and security. Additionally, there is a loss of physical comfort. A follower trusts in God's decision for provision for each day whether God provides a warm bed, or at other times He provides a rock for a pillow.
The next two men (who decided to not follow Him) said the same words, "First let me go." One man wanted to bury his father first. Burying the dead was a sacred duty. We do not know if the father was dying or if he was already dead. We only know that the man wanted to do something else first. He was not ready to commit himself to follow Jesus. His words show an unwillingness to forsake the earthly life for the kingdom life. It shows an unwillingness to relinquish control to God for the next move. "First I must do what I want to do, Lord."
The last man wanted to tell his family goodbye. Jesus says "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." He is referring to 1 Kings 19:19-21, when Elijah calls Elisha into the ministry. Elisha was plowing a field. He stopped and never looked back. Actually, he slaughtered the oxen as an offering to the Lord. This act removed any temptation to return to his former lifestyle. God wants us to be willing to abandon everything that gives us worldly security. We can't have one hand on the plow and one hand in His. Sooner or later we find that we are still anchored to that fixed point and can't continue until we sever the tie. We have stretched that rubber band to its breaking point.
Jesus talks another time to the crowd about the cost of discipleship. In Luke 14:25-27, He says that a person can't be His disciple without hating his or her family. Of course, Jesus was not saying that His followers must have a burning hate for their families. Family was highly important in the Jewish community. He is saying that compared to your love for God, your love for your family should pale in comparison. God should be your first love, and it should not be sparing. It should be extravagant. He should be your first loyalty.
I would never suggest irresponsibility, nor does this give us permission to neglect. We dare not misconstrue this to mean that we can be irresponsible. I know that my highest call is to be a godly wife and a mother. My family is my first ministry. God has allowed me more kingdom work in women's lives that requires many sacrifices but never neglect of my family. I have left my daughters in Doug's care as I had brief God assignments. The key is the discernment to know "when Jesus calls." If Jesus called, then a follower who left the plow or who did not bury his father was not irresponsible or neglectful of his responsibilities. He was following God's higher call.
These three men's opportunities to follow Jesus were open for a brief time and then shut. It was not open-ended. If they didn't seize it at that time, then they could not regain it later. God usually does not give second chances, only next opportunities. What I mean by "next opportunity" is that the situation may change, but He offers another opening to step out in faith and follow Him.
There are many ways God can pick up the details. Sometimes when the leader moves out of a responsibility, someone else will step up and fill the gap left behind. As we mature in Christ, it is our responsibility to ask God how we help grow others and if we need to get out of the way for someone else to have an opportunity to grow. Other times, no one may rise to take the vacant role. Why would God leave a hole? He is sending a strong message to all including family, friends, and coworkers that their friend left behind something so wonderful for something of greater worth: to serve in the kingdom and to reach hurting humanity. How hurting humanity needs a Savior! Oh, what a testimony a woman leaves! She shows that God is worth leaving her life of self-absorption. Her eyes are no longer blind to others' hurts. She prioritized their needs. There she finds greatest fulfillment for her life. The gap left behind can be a gaping hole to serve as a reminder to other friends, family, and the next generation. They will be encouraged to lay down their nets, their plows, their comforts, their security, and their "knowns" to exchange them for the unknown glorious life.
Lastly, if He calls us to leave something behind, it may be for a reason that we will never know until we get to heaven. We can seek confirmation of the calling. Then you and I must trust that His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. If He has called us to leave a post, then He is responsible for the consequences and the outcome.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, give us the heart to trust You when You call. May we not say, "Lord, first let me go," but may we be like Isaiah and say, "Lord, here I am. Send me." Empower and encourage us to live the life of the highest calling in service to You. It's in the Name of above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Life that Really Matters
A Life that Really Matters
By Shirley Mitchell
"You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12:8
Jesus said in John 12:8 when Mary poured out the oil from her alabaster box to anoint Him for His burial, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." As long as the curse of sin is in the world and the curse of sin is on the ground that requires man to toil and to remove the thorns and thistles (Gen 3:17-18), then there will be plenty of people in despair. As long as the prince of the air rules this world, people will be hungry and live in oppression.
Doesn't Jesus' statement just hurt that the world will always have the poor? When I was reading my Bible recently, this verse just nailed to my heart. Some people will be reduced to begging and pleading for help. They are destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor. There will always be those in need of clothing. I mean truly in need of clothing. When my friend Cissie returned from a mission trip to Haiti last year, she said one thing that seared me. She talked about a village that she visited where the children just didn't have any clothes. She didn't take many pictures from that village since they just ran around naked. We will always have the hungry and those who need clean drinking water. There is a new picture by my computer of two boys in Africa drinking the dirty water - lapping it up like a dog to remind me that there are always hurting people who need Jesus! There will always be those orphaned by the world, needing to find the God who adopts them all as sons and daughters.
As our Christ Compels Board Member Phil says about the poor, "If we serve someone food without telling them about Jesus, then all we have done is let them go to hell on a full stomach." At first when he said it, it took me by surprise, but I started to reflect on the true love at the root of his statement. We must minister to them both physically and spiritually. If there will always be the poor, then there will always be ministry to do. True ministry requires us to get dirty. True ministry requires our sweat. True ministry requires us to be stretched, uncomfortable, and to sacrifice - sometimes our own dreams and our own esteem.
When was the last time that you let God stretch you and use you for the sake of the poor? There is something for the kingdom that only you can do, and there is something that only I can do. The life worth living is the life that is poured out for the faith of others! This is the life that truly matters. It is human nature to desire to be significant. We want to be someone who is important. Without God, all that we do is futile and meaningless. We can't find happiness. With God, when we pour out ourselves for the sake of others for Christ, then we find meaning to life. We find significance. We find a life that matters!
Pray with me: Oh, God, teach me to minister. Teach me how You want me to minister to a world that will always need ministry. There are so many people hurting who need You so show me the ones to whom You chose for me to minister. Help me to get over the life of living for myself and pursue the life of living just for You. Bring eternal meaning to our limited time on earth. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
By Shirley Mitchell
"You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12:8
Jesus said in John 12:8 when Mary poured out the oil from her alabaster box to anoint Him for His burial, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." As long as the curse of sin is in the world and the curse of sin is on the ground that requires man to toil and to remove the thorns and thistles (Gen 3:17-18), then there will be plenty of people in despair. As long as the prince of the air rules this world, people will be hungry and live in oppression.
Doesn't Jesus' statement just hurt that the world will always have the poor? When I was reading my Bible recently, this verse just nailed to my heart. Some people will be reduced to begging and pleading for help. They are destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor. There will always be those in need of clothing. I mean truly in need of clothing. When my friend Cissie returned from a mission trip to Haiti last year, she said one thing that seared me. She talked about a village that she visited where the children just didn't have any clothes. She didn't take many pictures from that village since they just ran around naked. We will always have the hungry and those who need clean drinking water. There is a new picture by my computer of two boys in Africa drinking the dirty water - lapping it up like a dog to remind me that there are always hurting people who need Jesus! There will always be those orphaned by the world, needing to find the God who adopts them all as sons and daughters.
As our Christ Compels Board Member Phil says about the poor, "If we serve someone food without telling them about Jesus, then all we have done is let them go to hell on a full stomach." At first when he said it, it took me by surprise, but I started to reflect on the true love at the root of his statement. We must minister to them both physically and spiritually. If there will always be the poor, then there will always be ministry to do. True ministry requires us to get dirty. True ministry requires our sweat. True ministry requires us to be stretched, uncomfortable, and to sacrifice - sometimes our own dreams and our own esteem.
When was the last time that you let God stretch you and use you for the sake of the poor? There is something for the kingdom that only you can do, and there is something that only I can do. The life worth living is the life that is poured out for the faith of others! This is the life that truly matters. It is human nature to desire to be significant. We want to be someone who is important. Without God, all that we do is futile and meaningless. We can't find happiness. With God, when we pour out ourselves for the sake of others for Christ, then we find meaning to life. We find significance. We find a life that matters!
Pray with me: Oh, God, teach me to minister. Teach me how You want me to minister to a world that will always need ministry. There are so many people hurting who need You so show me the ones to whom You chose for me to minister. Help me to get over the life of living for myself and pursue the life of living just for You. Bring eternal meaning to our limited time on earth. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Doubts
Doubts
By Shirley Mitchell
“When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ "
Matthew 11:2-3
John the Baptist said of Jesus in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus’ time had come. However, knowing it will happen and living it out are two different things.
In Matthew 11:1-6, John was in Herod’s prison for confronting the king with his sin of adultery with his brother’s wife. He was alone in a dark prison cell. I think the food in the prison would make even you and me long for a taste of those good ole locusts we ate in the wilderness. Some time back in the wilderness with wild animals would be better than the walls that enclosed him and the chains on his body while the prison’s creepy creatures crawled on him. I am sure he did not get prison yard breaks to get some fresh air and play some football. He was alone and in darkness...Plenty of time to think...Plenty of time to reflect on his life.
He sent word to Jesus and asked him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" I just wonder why he would ask Jesus if He was the Messiah. What was he was thinking all alone in that cell without his blackberry connection to the internet for information and a television to watch the evening news? Information only came through the prison guards and the message he was allowed to receive. I imagine that he thought something like this:
My father told my mother about the angel and that I would be born. He was right about so many things. Did he misunderstand that I would make a way for the Lord? Did he lie and add that part to the angel’s prophecy? No, he wouldn’t lie. I gave my life to You, God. My parents consecrated me since birth. I never drank fermented drink. My entire appearance showed my dedication...My hair, my clothes. Not only was I physically devoted, I was bold with the message I thought Your Spirit was leading me to say. I pointed my finger at those Pharisees. I told them their Jewish pedigree was not the key to a relationship with You. Yet, here I am in this desolate prison under the control of an evil man who makes decisions by his daily lusts. I told people Jesus was the Messiah. I called him the Lamb of God. Was He? I know I had to decrease, but when will He increase? I need to know. Was I wrong? Did I live my life for something that was not true?
I believe he was suffering from a severe case of doubt and took his question to the Messiah. This is the most shuddering question a once faithful disciple could think. Only the brave ask it and seek God to answer any doubts of His ability or willingness to act in their lives.
Has anything happened in your life to cause you to doubt God? Don’t think for a second God will throw His holy fist down on the armrest of His throne in anger over such honesty and willingness for confirmation of the truth of who He is or His involvement with your life. He already knows what you are thinking. A hard heart trying to conceal doubts will disappoint Him and give a foothold to the devil.
John doubted after all he had experienced. He took it to Jesus where his question would be safe. Jesus praised him. We do not have an insecure, tyrant God who zaps us or shelves us when we need strengthening. Our God is prepared for our emotions. Psalm 139:1-4 tells us He perceives our thoughts. He is familiar with all of our ways. He knows every word before it is on our tongues. He already knows so we can be who we really are with Him. We do not have to pretend or deny it.
In Matthew 11:4-6, Jesus answered John’s question by saying, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Jesus did not tell John simply, “I’m the Messiah.” Jesus illustrated His title through the proof of His actions instead of stating His title with only words. Jesus was saying that He fulfilled the Messianic prophecies that describe His duties like in Isaiah 29:18-19, Isaiah 35:5-6, and Isaiah 61:1. You see, in Jesus’ eastern culture they would describe a truth in pictures or metaphors. Our western culture expresses a truth through words, bullet points, and definitions. Being fully eastern, John understood a picture reply. Additionally, since Jewish boys were educated and memorized large sections of the Torah, the Psalms, and the prophets, John understood the meaning of the picture words. Jesus painted His self-portrait that showed He was the Messiah.
Soon King Herod would succumb to his lusts and promise his brother’s wife’s daughter anything she desired after her provocative dance for him. Tragically, the gift was the life of the prophet who boldly spoke the truth of her mother’s sins (Matthew 14:1-12). Sadly, the mother thought if she squashed the voice of the truth that spotlighted her sin, then things would be better. Silencing the audible voice of truth never changes the truth, though. If only she had softened her heart and accepted the other truth John offered. If she had repented, then she would have received forgiveness which brings abundant life. Praise God, John did not die without asking his questions and receiving some answers – and some unsolicited praise by the highest opinion of the Anointed One he had proclaimed unashamedly. He was open to Jesus with doubts and Jesus settled them. God can settle our doubts, too – only if we let Him. Let’s take our doubts to Him.
Pray with me: Oh, God, You know the areas of our lives where we doubt that You care or are involved. You also know the times when we doubt who You are. We wonder if You are really good all the time. We question why did something bad happen to those who love You. So we bring our doubts to You and ask You to settle them. You are sovereign, and You are Lord of all. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
By Shirley Mitchell
“When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ "
Matthew 11:2-3
John the Baptist said of Jesus in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus’ time had come. However, knowing it will happen and living it out are two different things.
In Matthew 11:1-6, John was in Herod’s prison for confronting the king with his sin of adultery with his brother’s wife. He was alone in a dark prison cell. I think the food in the prison would make even you and me long for a taste of those good ole locusts we ate in the wilderness. Some time back in the wilderness with wild animals would be better than the walls that enclosed him and the chains on his body while the prison’s creepy creatures crawled on him. I am sure he did not get prison yard breaks to get some fresh air and play some football. He was alone and in darkness...Plenty of time to think...Plenty of time to reflect on his life.
He sent word to Jesus and asked him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" I just wonder why he would ask Jesus if He was the Messiah. What was he was thinking all alone in that cell without his blackberry connection to the internet for information and a television to watch the evening news? Information only came through the prison guards and the message he was allowed to receive. I imagine that he thought something like this:
My father told my mother about the angel and that I would be born. He was right about so many things. Did he misunderstand that I would make a way for the Lord? Did he lie and add that part to the angel’s prophecy? No, he wouldn’t lie. I gave my life to You, God. My parents consecrated me since birth. I never drank fermented drink. My entire appearance showed my dedication...My hair, my clothes. Not only was I physically devoted, I was bold with the message I thought Your Spirit was leading me to say. I pointed my finger at those Pharisees. I told them their Jewish pedigree was not the key to a relationship with You. Yet, here I am in this desolate prison under the control of an evil man who makes decisions by his daily lusts. I told people Jesus was the Messiah. I called him the Lamb of God. Was He? I know I had to decrease, but when will He increase? I need to know. Was I wrong? Did I live my life for something that was not true?
I believe he was suffering from a severe case of doubt and took his question to the Messiah. This is the most shuddering question a once faithful disciple could think. Only the brave ask it and seek God to answer any doubts of His ability or willingness to act in their lives.
Has anything happened in your life to cause you to doubt God? Don’t think for a second God will throw His holy fist down on the armrest of His throne in anger over such honesty and willingness for confirmation of the truth of who He is or His involvement with your life. He already knows what you are thinking. A hard heart trying to conceal doubts will disappoint Him and give a foothold to the devil.
John doubted after all he had experienced. He took it to Jesus where his question would be safe. Jesus praised him. We do not have an insecure, tyrant God who zaps us or shelves us when we need strengthening. Our God is prepared for our emotions. Psalm 139:1-4 tells us He perceives our thoughts. He is familiar with all of our ways. He knows every word before it is on our tongues. He already knows so we can be who we really are with Him. We do not have to pretend or deny it.
In Matthew 11:4-6, Jesus answered John’s question by saying, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Jesus did not tell John simply, “I’m the Messiah.” Jesus illustrated His title through the proof of His actions instead of stating His title with only words. Jesus was saying that He fulfilled the Messianic prophecies that describe His duties like in Isaiah 29:18-19, Isaiah 35:5-6, and Isaiah 61:1. You see, in Jesus’ eastern culture they would describe a truth in pictures or metaphors. Our western culture expresses a truth through words, bullet points, and definitions. Being fully eastern, John understood a picture reply. Additionally, since Jewish boys were educated and memorized large sections of the Torah, the Psalms, and the prophets, John understood the meaning of the picture words. Jesus painted His self-portrait that showed He was the Messiah.
Soon King Herod would succumb to his lusts and promise his brother’s wife’s daughter anything she desired after her provocative dance for him. Tragically, the gift was the life of the prophet who boldly spoke the truth of her mother’s sins (Matthew 14:1-12). Sadly, the mother thought if she squashed the voice of the truth that spotlighted her sin, then things would be better. Silencing the audible voice of truth never changes the truth, though. If only she had softened her heart and accepted the other truth John offered. If she had repented, then she would have received forgiveness which brings abundant life. Praise God, John did not die without asking his questions and receiving some answers – and some unsolicited praise by the highest opinion of the Anointed One he had proclaimed unashamedly. He was open to Jesus with doubts and Jesus settled them. God can settle our doubts, too – only if we let Him. Let’s take our doubts to Him.
Pray with me: Oh, God, You know the areas of our lives where we doubt that You care or are involved. You also know the times when we doubt who You are. We wonder if You are really good all the time. We question why did something bad happen to those who love You. So we bring our doubts to You and ask You to settle them. You are sovereign, and You are Lord of all. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God
By Shirley Mitchell
"Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.' "
Luke 17:20-21
John baptized the people with water. He understood that the purpose of his life was just to prepare the way for the Messiah. When Jesus Messiah appeared on the scene and he baptized him, he said of Jesus in John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus' time had come. He preached a message of repentance and told the people that the kingdom of God was near. The kingdom of God was being manifested in power on earth. The kingdom of God which holds majesty and power was beginning an invasion on earth. The invasion was of God's design, not of man's design.
Luke 17:20-21 says, "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.' "
The kingdom of God was never meant at Jesus' first coming to have an earthly rule. The kingdom was meant to live within us. God designed to reign first in the hearts of His people before He would have physical, earthly rule. In some future time, Jesus will return and set up His political and geographical rule.
Jesus is King - He came to live among us so He could identify with our humanness. Who wants a king who has no understanding of what it means to be human? He came to be one of us before He ruled over us. He gave up His riches to know our poverty. He had everything; yet to win us, He left all the riches in heaven.
Precious one, doesn't that just astound you to know how valuable you and I are? Our King came to identify with you and me. He knows what it is like to be tempted, sad, or frustrated. He knows poverty. He knows all about physical needs. He desires to set a kingdom in our hearts. He wants us to let Him rule over our lives not as a tyrant but as a loving, caring Father with the ability and the knowledge to deal with any situation. I hope you feel the same way that I do. I can bend my knee to this King. He is worthy to rule in my heart and yours.
Pray with me: Oh, thank You, Jesus, for leaving everything in heaven to come to earth and dwell among us. You left Your throne and submitted to the Father's plan. You came to set up a kingdom - not politically or by geography. You set up a kingdom in our hearts. You want us. You have everything in the world except man because You gave us the freedom to choose. So Lord, we choose You every time, above all things. We choose YOU! It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.' "
Luke 17:20-21
John baptized the people with water. He understood that the purpose of his life was just to prepare the way for the Messiah. When Jesus Messiah appeared on the scene and he baptized him, he said of Jesus in John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus' time had come. He preached a message of repentance and told the people that the kingdom of God was near. The kingdom of God was being manifested in power on earth. The kingdom of God which holds majesty and power was beginning an invasion on earth. The invasion was of God's design, not of man's design.
Luke 17:20-21 says, "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.' "
The kingdom of God was never meant at Jesus' first coming to have an earthly rule. The kingdom was meant to live within us. God designed to reign first in the hearts of His people before He would have physical, earthly rule. In some future time, Jesus will return and set up His political and geographical rule.
Jesus is King - He came to live among us so He could identify with our humanness. Who wants a king who has no understanding of what it means to be human? He came to be one of us before He ruled over us. He gave up His riches to know our poverty. He had everything; yet to win us, He left all the riches in heaven.
Precious one, doesn't that just astound you to know how valuable you and I are? Our King came to identify with you and me. He knows what it is like to be tempted, sad, or frustrated. He knows poverty. He knows all about physical needs. He desires to set a kingdom in our hearts. He wants us to let Him rule over our lives not as a tyrant but as a loving, caring Father with the ability and the knowledge to deal with any situation. I hope you feel the same way that I do. I can bend my knee to this King. He is worthy to rule in my heart and yours.
Pray with me: Oh, thank You, Jesus, for leaving everything in heaven to come to earth and dwell among us. You left Your throne and submitted to the Father's plan. You came to set up a kingdom - not politically or by geography. You set up a kingdom in our hearts. You want us. You have everything in the world except man because You gave us the freedom to choose. So Lord, we choose You every time, above all things. We choose YOU! It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Make Straight
Make Straight
By Shirley Mitchell
"John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' '.John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, 'I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' ' "
John 1:15, 23
He was one of the most colorful prophets of the Bible. He stirred up Israel and set the stage for Jesus to enter. Isaiah prophesied about him 700 years before his birth. The religious leaders thought he was crazy. His parents praised God for letting them be his parents and for blessing them with him in their old age. Numerous people were baptized by him. Herod hated him. Some of Jesus' disciples followed him before they followed Jesus. He preached boldly and showed no fear. He was chosen by God to be the one who prepared the way for Jesus. Do you know who he is? That's right, he is John the Baptist.
In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel appeared to his father Zechariah and told him that his prayers had been heard. His wife Elizabeth would bear him a son, and he was to give him the name John. Elizabeth and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins, which made John the Baptist and Jesus cousins, too. John would be a joy and delight to his parents and great in the sight of the Lord. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth and bring back many people to the Lord. He was to go before the LORD in the spirit and power of Elijah and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
In John 1, when the people wanted to know who was this man preaching in the wilderness, John confessed that he was not Elijah, the Christ, or the Prophet. He simply used the words of Isaiah the prophet and said, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. In ancient times a forerunner would go before a dignitary to announce his coming and clear the way before him. Highways were made straight only for a king. John understood the dignitary he announced was much higher than he. In John 1:27 which says, "He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie," he used an analogy of their time to explain how high Jesus outranked him. In ancient times a slave would have had many menial tasks to perform for his master. However, unstrapping the sandal was considered too menial a task. A person's slave would not do it; the master would do it for himself. John was saying in comparison to Jesus, he was even lower than a slave.
John called Jesus the Lamb of God. In the Jewish culture, the symbolism of the lamb would need no explanation. They knew the lamb meant a sacrifice as an atonement for their sins. However, few people understood before the cross that Jesus was to be the final Lamb sacrificed for our sins.
The news about this prophet in the wilderness who didn't need a modern day sound system to be heard had spread to Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the region of the Jordan. His clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey, for heaven's sake. This alone would make him an attraction. People were laying aside their work for the day and closing up their shops. They came to hear a man preaching by the Jordan River. The Pharisees had united with the Sadducees, their enemies, to investigate this wild looking man who was preaching and baptizing by the river. One friend dragged another there because she could not go alone. The curious came to see why everyone was talking about Him. The hopeful came seeking one who might finally release them from the political oppression and unrest. People with hopes for their futures...People with dreams for their children...People with questions about their oppression and the evil in the world...People just like you and me.
John preached a message of repentance and told the people that the kingdom of God was near. He baptized the people with water. John understood that his life was just to prepare the way for Messiah. When Jesus Messiah appeared on the scene and he baptized him, he says of Jesus in John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus' time had come.
My friend, you and I can learn much from John's example. We are preparing for our home in heaven and for the return of the King. Our heart's desire should be that He becomes greater and that we become less. May we be filled more with the Spirit and less of our flesh and selfish desires for He is our God!
Pray with me: Oh, God, thank You for Your perfect plan. You perfectly planned Jesus' birth and life on earth. You sent John the Baptist to make straight the way for Your Son. Help us to learn from John's life that we are here to serve the kingdom and to prepare the bride for the return of our Groom. May You become greater and we become less. Shine through us so all people see when they see us is Jesus. It's in His name we pray, in Yeshua's Name. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
By Shirley Mitchell
"John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' '.John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, 'I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' ' "
John 1:15, 23
He was one of the most colorful prophets of the Bible. He stirred up Israel and set the stage for Jesus to enter. Isaiah prophesied about him 700 years before his birth. The religious leaders thought he was crazy. His parents praised God for letting them be his parents and for blessing them with him in their old age. Numerous people were baptized by him. Herod hated him. Some of Jesus' disciples followed him before they followed Jesus. He preached boldly and showed no fear. He was chosen by God to be the one who prepared the way for Jesus. Do you know who he is? That's right, he is John the Baptist.
In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel appeared to his father Zechariah and told him that his prayers had been heard. His wife Elizabeth would bear him a son, and he was to give him the name John. Elizabeth and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins, which made John the Baptist and Jesus cousins, too. John would be a joy and delight to his parents and great in the sight of the Lord. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth and bring back many people to the Lord. He was to go before the LORD in the spirit and power of Elijah and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
In John 1, when the people wanted to know who was this man preaching in the wilderness, John confessed that he was not Elijah, the Christ, or the Prophet. He simply used the words of Isaiah the prophet and said, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. In ancient times a forerunner would go before a dignitary to announce his coming and clear the way before him. Highways were made straight only for a king. John understood the dignitary he announced was much higher than he. In John 1:27 which says, "He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie," he used an analogy of their time to explain how high Jesus outranked him. In ancient times a slave would have had many menial tasks to perform for his master. However, unstrapping the sandal was considered too menial a task. A person's slave would not do it; the master would do it for himself. John was saying in comparison to Jesus, he was even lower than a slave.
John called Jesus the Lamb of God. In the Jewish culture, the symbolism of the lamb would need no explanation. They knew the lamb meant a sacrifice as an atonement for their sins. However, few people understood before the cross that Jesus was to be the final Lamb sacrificed for our sins.
The news about this prophet in the wilderness who didn't need a modern day sound system to be heard had spread to Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the region of the Jordan. His clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey, for heaven's sake. This alone would make him an attraction. People were laying aside their work for the day and closing up their shops. They came to hear a man preaching by the Jordan River. The Pharisees had united with the Sadducees, their enemies, to investigate this wild looking man who was preaching and baptizing by the river. One friend dragged another there because she could not go alone. The curious came to see why everyone was talking about Him. The hopeful came seeking one who might finally release them from the political oppression and unrest. People with hopes for their futures...People with dreams for their children...People with questions about their oppression and the evil in the world...People just like you and me.
John preached a message of repentance and told the people that the kingdom of God was near. He baptized the people with water. John understood that his life was just to prepare the way for Messiah. When Jesus Messiah appeared on the scene and he baptized him, he says of Jesus in John 3:30, "He must become greater; I must become less." He knew his ministry would dwindle when Jesus' time had come.
My friend, you and I can learn much from John's example. We are preparing for our home in heaven and for the return of the King. Our heart's desire should be that He becomes greater and that we become less. May we be filled more with the Spirit and less of our flesh and selfish desires for He is our God!
Pray with me: Oh, God, thank You for Your perfect plan. You perfectly planned Jesus' birth and life on earth. You sent John the Baptist to make straight the way for Your Son. Help us to learn from John's life that we are here to serve the kingdom and to prepare the bride for the return of our Groom. May You become greater and we become less. Shine through us so all people see when they see us is Jesus. It's in His name we pray, in Yeshua's Name. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Unmet Expectations
Unmet Expectations
By Shirley Mitchell
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7
How do you deal with your unmet expectations? How do you deal with the times like when the engagement ring never arrives or the pregnancy test doesn't come back positive? How do handle it when you don't have the successful career or perfect job? Or what about when you don't get the accolades of people for your talents or the thankfulness for your service? Or what about when you are hit with the reality that your children aren't obedient, well-behaved, tidy, talented, or godly - or all of these things? Or when the doctor's report collapses our plans for the future?
Do you set your goals lower? For example a 20-something year old woman will set her criteria for a man as godly, attractive, good provider, funny, and athletic while a 50-something woman will set her criteria in a man as still breathing. Do you begin to think that you really aren't all that? Do you fall into discontentment, disappointment, and jealousy? Do you complain? Is your voice bitter? Do you doubt your worth? Do you obsess over it? How do you handle it when life does not turn out like you had hoped?
The mind is the battlefield. Satan knows the value of a captured mind. If he can capture our minds, then he can defeat us. He can't steal us from God once we are His children. However, he can steal our testimony and steal our worship. He knows that if he can control our thoughts, then he can control our minds. His aim is to infiltrate our minds with his thoughts. Remember, God's Word says our weapons that we fight with are not of this world (Ephesians 6:12). We just have to out-truth the enemy. Believe God, decree His Word, and act upon the truth of God's Word. Hebrews 5:14 (AMP) says that God's Word should be used constantly as a steady, daily diet to shape our minds, senses, and mental faculties.
Recently, I had the opportunity to put this battlefield technique into practice. Something happened that day that shocked me, hurt someone I dearly loved, and just didn't seem fair. Because I was so crushed, it was all I thought about that day at work. I was playing the event over and over in my mind. Before I went to sleep, I had said 1 Peter 5:7, "Lord, I cast this burden upon You," but I woke up obsessing about it. I told God, "O Lord, I took it back from You. Gosh, I'm sorry. Here, take it again. I give it back to You. I can't handle this weight." I did this repeatedly through the night and was ashamed that I kept taking back what I had cast to Him.
The crushed feeling lasted for a couple of days until I realized this one wasn't going to go away through praying the Scriptures that I held in my mind. It was time to sharpen that Sword and build a greater armory of weapons. So I pulled out five laminated Scripture sheets and carried them with me as I drove, set one by the computer to review while it is booting up, and took them with me while I was waiting to pick up the kids. I bombarded my mind with some serious fire power, God's Word. I read, studied, meditated, and memorized verses. Scriptures of praise filled my mind and overflowed from my mouth.
I also prayed. I told God, "You take what the enemy is trying to press me with and hurt my loved one with, and You turn it into a blessing. I trust You to do this, God. Only You can turn our sorrow into dancing."
I was living by Philippians 4:6-8 which tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything and to take control of our thoughts. We are to not get obsessed and worry about one little thing or one great big thing! But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then God's Word promises that His peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Verse 8 tells us to think about "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. My thoughts are my choice just as your thoughts are your choice.
I consciously chose to change my thought pattern. I couldn't see it from God's point of view, but I could trust His point of view was better than mine. He uses all things for His glory. Dear friend, you and I must give God the weight and pick up our weapons. He wants us to be warriors and more than conquerors in Christ. Battles will come our way. If they were easy, then any nonbeliever could do it. They will be tough fights. They will push us to our limit so that we can see God working in us and through us. He has given us everything we need to be victorious. When our expectations are not met and our minds become a battlefield, let's do what we have been trained to do. Let's grip our swords and fight!
Pray with me: Oh, Dear Heavenly Father, nothing is unexpected to You. Nothing surprises You or blindsides You. You know it all from the beginning. Help us to trust in Your plan for our lives. Teach us to handle it when life doesn't turn out like what we expected. Help us to give You the weight and to pick up our weapon, the Sword of Truth. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7
How do you deal with your unmet expectations? How do you deal with the times like when the engagement ring never arrives or the pregnancy test doesn't come back positive? How do handle it when you don't have the successful career or perfect job? Or what about when you don't get the accolades of people for your talents or the thankfulness for your service? Or what about when you are hit with the reality that your children aren't obedient, well-behaved, tidy, talented, or godly - or all of these things? Or when the doctor's report collapses our plans for the future?
Do you set your goals lower? For example a 20-something year old woman will set her criteria for a man as godly, attractive, good provider, funny, and athletic while a 50-something woman will set her criteria in a man as still breathing. Do you begin to think that you really aren't all that? Do you fall into discontentment, disappointment, and jealousy? Do you complain? Is your voice bitter? Do you doubt your worth? Do you obsess over it? How do you handle it when life does not turn out like you had hoped?
The mind is the battlefield. Satan knows the value of a captured mind. If he can capture our minds, then he can defeat us. He can't steal us from God once we are His children. However, he can steal our testimony and steal our worship. He knows that if he can control our thoughts, then he can control our minds. His aim is to infiltrate our minds with his thoughts. Remember, God's Word says our weapons that we fight with are not of this world (Ephesians 6:12). We just have to out-truth the enemy. Believe God, decree His Word, and act upon the truth of God's Word. Hebrews 5:14 (AMP) says that God's Word should be used constantly as a steady, daily diet to shape our minds, senses, and mental faculties.
Recently, I had the opportunity to put this battlefield technique into practice. Something happened that day that shocked me, hurt someone I dearly loved, and just didn't seem fair. Because I was so crushed, it was all I thought about that day at work. I was playing the event over and over in my mind. Before I went to sleep, I had said 1 Peter 5:7, "Lord, I cast this burden upon You," but I woke up obsessing about it. I told God, "O Lord, I took it back from You. Gosh, I'm sorry. Here, take it again. I give it back to You. I can't handle this weight." I did this repeatedly through the night and was ashamed that I kept taking back what I had cast to Him.
The crushed feeling lasted for a couple of days until I realized this one wasn't going to go away through praying the Scriptures that I held in my mind. It was time to sharpen that Sword and build a greater armory of weapons. So I pulled out five laminated Scripture sheets and carried them with me as I drove, set one by the computer to review while it is booting up, and took them with me while I was waiting to pick up the kids. I bombarded my mind with some serious fire power, God's Word. I read, studied, meditated, and memorized verses. Scriptures of praise filled my mind and overflowed from my mouth.
I also prayed. I told God, "You take what the enemy is trying to press me with and hurt my loved one with, and You turn it into a blessing. I trust You to do this, God. Only You can turn our sorrow into dancing."
I was living by Philippians 4:6-8 which tells us not to be anxious about anything but to pray about everything and to take control of our thoughts. We are to not get obsessed and worry about one little thing or one great big thing! But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Then God's Word promises that His peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Verse 8 tells us to think about "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. My thoughts are my choice just as your thoughts are your choice.
I consciously chose to change my thought pattern. I couldn't see it from God's point of view, but I could trust His point of view was better than mine. He uses all things for His glory. Dear friend, you and I must give God the weight and pick up our weapons. He wants us to be warriors and more than conquerors in Christ. Battles will come our way. If they were easy, then any nonbeliever could do it. They will be tough fights. They will push us to our limit so that we can see God working in us and through us. He has given us everything we need to be victorious. When our expectations are not met and our minds become a battlefield, let's do what we have been trained to do. Let's grip our swords and fight!
Pray with me: Oh, Dear Heavenly Father, nothing is unexpected to You. Nothing surprises You or blindsides You. You know it all from the beginning. Help us to trust in Your plan for our lives. Teach us to handle it when life doesn't turn out like what we expected. Help us to give You the weight and to pick up our weapon, the Sword of Truth. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)