Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 25, 2016

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, God's Promises, Joy, Patience & Perseverance, Thanks & Praise, Trusting God

WINTER JOY

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? [Romans 8:38 (NLT)]

Steamboat Ski Area

As I stepped off the plane into biting wind and blowing snow, the shock of the bitter cold took my breath away. Having started the day at a balmy 70 plus degrees, I wanted to turn around, get on the plane and go back to where I’d been. The plane, however, wasn’t returning that night so neither was I. As I trudged across the tarmac, I questioned my sanity in leaving the warmth of southwest Florida for a stay in our Colorado home.

That first night in the mountains, I just wanted to go back. Once I traded my t-shirt for layers of fleece, my shoes for insulated boots, and my light jacket for a heavy parka, however, things improved. Once I saw the beauty in the aspens’ glistening hoarfrost, strapped on my snowshoes and enjoyed the snow instead of cursing it, and once I’d taken my first ski run down the mountain and embraced the wintery world in which we’ll live for the next two months, my attitude changed. Once I’d accepted and adjusted to where I was, I found joy in my surroundings.

We made the deliberate choice to spend part of our winter in the cold and snow but, sometimes, life drops us off in cold dark places not of our choosing. We end up at the funeral home, principal’s office, police station, or in the ICU. We find ourselves in cardiac rehab, divorce court, an Al Anon meeting, or across from an unsympathetic loan officer or angry boss. Bills pile up, loved ones get sick, tornadoes hit, accidents happen, children get in trouble, and dreams disappear. When those times occur, we want to turn around and go back to the way it was before—before sickness, bankruptcy, death, betrayal, or unemployment. God, however, does not offer return tickets to the land of before.

Several years ago, it felt like God left me in a cold dark place and I longed for the time before—before any of the bad happened, a time when everyone seemed happy and life was good. There was no going back, however, and it was fruitless to yearn for what had been but was no more. By trusting in God and His purpose, I surrendered my circumstances to him. Along with my tears were prayers and, with His guidance, I eventually adjusted my behavior, changed my expectations, stopped yearning for the before and looked with hope to the after. As for the after—while different, it’s possibly even better than the before! Granted, it didn’t happen overnight and it took more than wearing wool socks and long johns to get to a place of acceptance. It happened when I stopped asking God “Why” and started asking Him “What do you want me to learn from this?” It happened when I managed to find reasons for gratitude in even the darkest place. Eventually, out of the pain came not just acceptance but joy.

At some time or another, we all end up in cold dark places and enter a winter time for our souls. We need to find a way, not just to survive them, but to thrive in them. To do that, we must trust in the Apostle Paul’s words that while not everything that happens is good, God will bring good out of whatever happens. As difficult as that sounds, God will open our eyes to the good in the bad and we’ll find a way to have joy in all circumstances.

Thank you, God, for taking the broken pieces of our lives and putting them back together so they are stronger. Thank you for taking the cold winters of our souls and shining your love and light upon them, warming our hearts and enabling us to once again face life with joy.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [Romans 8:28 (NLT)]

Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. [Philippians 3:1a (NLT)]

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 13, 2016

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Love & Works, Sharing Our Faith, Today: Make it Count

THE LIZARD TRAP

She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden. First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. [Proverbs 31:16-17 (MSG)]

brown anole - floridaThe Proverbs 31 woman (or man) has what our Florida pastor calls “opportunity awareness.” Where others may see an unplowed field, he or she sees a vineyard. Their vision is not just of what exists now; it is of what can exist in the future. A perfect example of “opportunity awareness” was demonstrated recently by a child who sold a lizard trap to our pastor after church. This little boy gathered up plastic containers from that Sunday’s treats and cut small holes in their lids. To catch a lizard, one just had to put a little food in the box and a lizard would climb in and be trapped. He even had two lizards in another container to demonstrate his product! This little boy didn’t see a plastic carton destined for the recycling bin—he saw a way to capture lizards (and to earn some money).

God presents us with opportunities all of the time; we just have to open our eyes to the possibilities. Spencer Smith worked for 3M and was trying to create a super-strong adhesive when he discovered a somewhat useless un-sticky glue. A solution without a problem, it was nearly five years before one of his colleagues saw its possibilities. A choir member, he tired of losing the paper bookmarks in his hymn book. He tried coating his paper markers with Smith’s glue and Post-it Notes were the result. George de Mestral took a look at the burrs that got caught in his dog’s coat when hiking. Instead of seeing an annoyance, he saw the possibility of making a fabric fastener that would mimic the burrs’ microscopic hooks. His idea was met with resistance and laughter but, since his vision resulted in Velcro, I imagine he was the one who ended up laughing. Caleb and Joshua saw a land with promise but the other scouts saw only giants. When the Apostle Paul sat in a Roman prison, he didn’t see barred doors; he saw an opportunity to write to the early church and to witness to the jailed and their guards. Surrounded by a crowd after he and John healed a crippled man, Peter saw a congregation to whom he could preach.

So what do these inventors, an eleven-year old budding entrepreneur, Israelite scouts, and early Christian evangelists have to do with us? The French scientist, Louis Pasteur said, “In the field of observation, chance only favours the prepared mind.” These people saw more than what was right in front of them—they saw possibility and potential and, more important, they were prepared to do something about it. God continually presents us with fields that seem barren, boxes that look empty, things that don’t work the way we anticipated, burr-like annoyances, unbeatable foes, locked doors, and people with questions. Yet, in all of these circumstances, God provides us with opportunities to serve and witness for Him with our lives and words. Every situation (both good and bad) comes with an opportunity to be Jesus to someone. But, as Pasteur pointed out, we need to be prepared, both to see and to do.

Remember as you go about your day that you may be the only Jesus some of your friends, neighbors, and family will ever see. [Wanda Brunstetter] 

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. [Thomas Edison]

Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. … Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. [Colossians 4:2,5 (MSG)]

Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. [Galatians 6:10 (MSG)]

Copyright ©2017 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 12, 2016

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Joy, Money & Wealth, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

THE DOG SWEATER

dog outfit
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG)]

While taking photos in the park before church, I stopped to take a picture of a costumed dog. Personally, I think God blessed animals with fur so they wouldn’t have to wear clothes but the dog’s photo would make a cute addition to the church website. The dog’s person complained that Fluffy’s Christmas outfit had not yet arrived from Amazon. The following week, I came upon the same woman and her dog was now wearing a holiday ensemble. While I took the dog’s picture, Fluffy’s person lamented that the poor thing had to wear last year’s sweater with her new accessories. Apparently the pup had enjoyed a few too many treats over the year and the new sweater was too small. I wanted to tell her how thankful she should be to have a dog, let alone be able to feed and dress it, when some people can’t afford to feed and clothe their children. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit put his hand over my mouth and I realized that the dog probably fills a very empty place in her life.

I remembered that encounter as I ever so self-righteously began this devotion about giving thanks. The Holy Spirit, however, suggested I examine my own behavior before pointing fingers or casting stones at this woman. Granted, we probably don’t stress about dressing our dogs in seasonal attire but something tells me we’re really not that different. Like her, most of us are probably nowhere near as thankful about our blessings as we should be. How often do we compare what we have with what we want? We have a new coat, but now we want a scarf, new boots and gloves to go with it. We have a perfectly good house, but now we want to redecorate, remodel or even get a bigger one. We have a spouse, but we want him or her to be thinner, tidier, richer, or not to snore. We have a good job, but we want one that pays better, has shorter hours, a nicer boss, or longer vacations. We have a car, but now we want a newer sportier model or a second (or even third) one. We have healthy children, but they’re not the perfectly-behaved gifted athletic ones we’d planned on getting.

We all want what we don’t have, often while failing to appreciate what it is that we do have. Consider those people who have neither coat to wear nor roof over their heads. What of the widowed who would welcome an opportunity to pick up after a spouse or hear him snore again, the man who got a pink slip with his pay check last week, the woman who takes two busses to work or the grocery store, or the couples who struggle with infertility? They’d be thrilled to take what we are so anxious to find fault with, change or discard. There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to improve our lives but, when we compare what we have to what we want, we’re bound to become dissatisfied. Perhaps, we should start comparing what we have to what it is we actually deserve. I know my blessings far outweigh anything I’ve ever done to deserve them. When I compare what I have to what I deserve, I’m filled with gratitude and joy.

Here’s something to consider: what if everything with which we found fault today disappeared tomorrow? Moreover, what if we woke up tomorrow with only the things for which we thanked God today?

Father, forgive us when we find fault where we should find gratitude and when we offer complaint instead of praise. Forgive our blindness to the blessings right in front of us. Give us thankful hearts and generous spirits. Thank you, dear Lord, for your limitless love and for not giving us what we deserve.

Oh, thank God—he’s so good! His love never runs out. … Good people see this and are glad; bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks. If you are really wise, you’ll think this over—it’s time you appreciated God’s deep love.  [Psalm 107:1,42-43 (MSG)]

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 11, 2016

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Love & Works, Obedience, Sharing Our Faith

RAINDROPS FALLING ON MY HEAD

Celebration community beach church
As you serve the Lord, work hard and don’t be lazy. Be excited about serving him! [Romans 12:11 (ERV)]

Do your best to be the kind of person God will accept, and give yourself to him. Be a worker who has no reason to be ashamed of his work, one who applies the true teaching in the right way. [2 Timothy 2:15 (ERV)] 

It rained in southwest Florida yesterday. While that is of little interest to most of you (especially if you are experiencing an Arctic blast in the north), it was of concern to our church. We have one of the most beautiful churches in the area—designed by God (with a little help from the park district)—but it has a leaky roof. Actually, since we meet outside in a city park, we have no roof at all! While God and the weatherman seem to cooperate most Sundays, every once in a while our sanctuary has mud puddles and the chairs are wet. Many find shelter in the nearby gazebo while the early birds crowd onto the band shell with the band and singers. The truly hardy (and latecomers) hunker under their umbrellas in the rain.

Pastor was asked if there would be an abbreviated service because of the weather. As long as we were without tornado warnings or lightning, the service would proceed as planned. If, in spite of the inclement weather, people came to our church, a full worship service is what they wanted and what they’d get. Without a doubt, I am sure there was a least someone there yesterday who desperately needed the entire service, not just a Reader’s Digest version that had been condensed because of the weather. I’m sure there was at least one person whose heart was moved by the words of Amazing Grace and more than one who needed to hear every word of Pastor’s message about truthfulness. There probably were many more who craved laughter and truly needed to hear each one of his jokes. There were many who were there, not just for music and message, but also for Christian fellowship. Along with worship, they needed the welcome, kind words, smiles, handshakes, and hugs that came with the service.

Yes, we are saved by faith alone. All the work in the world does not mean salvation and even our grandest efforts will not get us into heaven. That doesn’t mean, however, that we are not to put our best effort into everything we do for the Lord and His church. God expects a first-class effort, not a half-hearted attempt, even when it’s raining.

While those who passed by the park may have seen a rather bedraggled group of church-goers gathered together and trying to stay dry, I think God looked down from his heavenly throne and saw a grand cathedral filled with joyful worshippers. He didn’t hear just a few voices raised in praise, he heard a choir much grander than that famed one in Utah! He saw people expressing love—for one another and for Him. Yesterday, God was just pouring a little of his goodness down on us and I pray that His goodness continues to grow because everyone did his or her best during worship service. After all, “Into each life some rain must fall.”

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all, Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary. [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]

May the clouds in the skies above pour goodness on the earth like rain. May the earth open up to let salvation grow. And may goodness grow with that salvation, which I, the Lord, created. [Isaiah 45:8 (ERV)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 7, 2016

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Patience & Perseverance, Peace of God, Prayer, Today: Make it Count

TEN SECONDS

I’ve told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you’ll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world. [John 16: 33 (GW)]

 Jesus looked at them and said, “It is impossible for people to save themselves, but everything is possible for God.” [Matthew 19:26 (GW)]

angels trumpet Netflix’s “unbreakable” Kimmy Schmidt was kidnapped as a teen and survived fifteen years in a doomsday cult while imprisoned in an underground bunker. Once rescued, she faces a world she didn’t think still existed and for which she is completely unprepared. While this certainly is an odd premise for a television comedy, there’s much to be learned from her naive and optimistic outlook. In one episode, Kimmy (who knows from experience) explains that one can stand anything for ten seconds and adds, “Then you just start on a new ten seconds.”

While at the gym, positioned on hands and toes with my core supporting my body’s weight, I thought about coping in ten second increments. Granted, holding in plank for only one minute is nothing when compared to the challenges people face day to day, but those sixty seconds seemed unachievable when the timer started. Knowing I could easily remain in push-up position for ten seconds, however, I stopped thinking about sixty and just kept counting to ten. What at first seemed impossible, when broken into small increments, became possible.

Any 12-step program teaches the importance of taking life one day at a time. Sometimes, however, even one day seems way too long. When we’re in pain or distress or even trying to maintain sobriety, time seems interminable. While vacations pass too quickly, chemo treatments, grieving, hospital stays, healing, unemployment, financial difficulties, depression and passing a kidney stone don’t go nearly fast enough. Being a Christian certainly doesn’t mean we will avoid adversity or suffering; in fact, suffering and adversity were pretty much guaranteed for the early Christians. Suffering may develop character but, given a choice, most of us would be satisfied without more character building if it involves discomfort or adversity. Moreover, knowing that trials both test and strengthen our faith is of little comfort when we are the ones enduring those trials.

Instead of asking God, “How much longer?” perhaps we need to say, “Lord, as long as you are beside me, I can hold on for now!” We can say that with confidence, knowing that anything can be endured (and endured with joy) because of the power of the Holy Spirit, even if we can only do it one day or even ten seconds at a time.

[ONE DAY AT A TIME, SWEET JESUS (by Marijohn Wilkins & Kris Kristofferson)]
I’m only human, I’m just a man,
Help me believe in what I could be And all that I am.
Show me the stairway I have to climb
Lord for my sake, help me to take One day at a time.
One day at a time sweet Jesus That’s all I’m askin’ of you.
Just give me the strength To do every day what I have to do.
Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord, help me today, show me the way One day at a time.

Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble, and pray continually. [Romans 12:12 (GW)]

We ask him to strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy. You will also thank the Father, who has made you able to share the light, which is what God’s people inherit. [Colossians 1:11-12 (GW)]

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

December 31, 2015

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Faith & Hope, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Obedience, Salvation: A New You, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

I AM WHAT?

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. [2 Timothy 1:1 (NLT)]

This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. [Titus 1:1 (NLT)]

julia butterfly- NBG2122aweb“I am….” How would you finish that statement? I recently came across an Internet article by Mark Papadas in which he posits, “How a person finishes that statement defines who they are, their beliefs about themselves and the world, and the standards they live by.” While we commonly say that people will live up or down to our expectations, Papadas writes that, in reality, they will live up or down to their own expectations and adds that people rarely give conscious thought to what it is they expect from themselves.

The Apostle Paul certainly knew who he was and what he expected of himself. I wonder if the rest of us are that clear about our identity and purpose. Who am I? Am I a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, writer, volunteer, photographer, retiree, senior citizen, or friend? Yes to all but, while those words may describe me, none of them define me. We’re not our roles, resumes, paychecks, pasts or pedigrees and we mustn’t let those define us. We’re human beings and not human doings.

Who am I? I am a child a God and a follower of Christ. As such, I know He expects me to love Him completely and my neighbor as myself. As a child of God, what do I expect of myself? I should love God and man, repent and forgive, study God’s word and pray, be part of the church and spread the gospel, live an upright life and do God’s will. I want to be as much like Christ as humanly possible. Can I live up to my expectations? Probably not completely but, with the power of the Holy Spirit, I can sure try. Why? Because I am a child of God.

What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God. [Hans Urs von Balthasar]

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. [Galatians 3:26-27 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2015 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.