Category Archives: 5-Minute Friday

The Green-eyed Monster

alien-29939_640Recently a friend purchased a new winter coat.  It was a beautiful purple wool with a silver fox collar.   I knew how good I would look in the coat and also knew I simply could not afford it.  So what happened…my eyes turned green with envy and I couldn’t even make myself tell her how nice she looked in it.  (BTW I’m not proud of my reaction!)

Whenever you envy another”s things, looks, or skills it causes problems for everyone involved.

When I got home I decided to search the Word for what God has to say about this issue.

James 3:14  But if you have bitter envy (jealousy) and contention in your hearts, do not brag, and do not lie against the truth. (New Testament Breakthrough V ersion)

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (New International Version)

The Message translates envy as the opposite of wisdom.

James 3:17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

End of 5 minutes…but continuing on.

So what is envy? Envy is the desire for some object, character trait or skill that another already possesses.  Why is it not a good thing?  Easy answer…because it takes our focus off of God.

God has told us clearly that He can and will supply everything we need.  All we have to do is ask.  Check out Philippians 4:19 and Matthew 7:7.  No one has more than God and His desire is to give it to us.

So then why do we envy?  Why do we desire what belongs to someone else?  Because satan knows, just like he did in Eden, that if he can get us to take our eyes off God and focus them on something else (the Green-eyed Monster) he wins.

Do not let this happen.  Do not let evil win.  Keep your focus on Jesus!  Here are some verses to memorize and keep in your arsenal to defeat the enemy.

 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.                                         Proverbs 8:17 NKJV

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.                           Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV

Click on the picture to hear these beautiful words set to music.

Click on the picture to hear these beautiful words set to music.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

I’m joining Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday.  This week’s prompt is ‘green’.

 

Words

Words…Seven of them…From the cross…

1    Luke 23:32-38

2     Luke 23:39-43

3    John 19:26-27

4    Matthew 27:45-49

5     John 19:28-29

6    John 19:30

7     Luke 23:46-49

five-minute-friday-4-300x300I’m joining Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt. Five minutes. No editing. Lots of women. All of us writing on that same word.

A Satisfied Spirit Cares

A Caring Mom

A Caring Mom

I care!  Perhaps too much.  About things that matter, things that don’t matter, and things that should matter.

I care that this world is a scary place and so many people can’t see the beauty of for the fear…

I care that so many marriages are ending before they’ve really had a chance to flourish…

I care that churches, families, and businesses are struggling under political correctness…

I care that violence and hate are so obvious everywhere…

I care so much that I want everyone to know that all can be overcome with time spent in the Word, in Prayer, in fellowship with other Believers, in worship!

Yes, I care!

5-Minute Fridays are an internet flash mob of bloggers who write for 5 minutes on a specific word.  Come join the mob at Heading Home.

 

Whisper

prayerI’ve heard Him whisper my name…

I’ve heard Him say no more shame….

I’ve heard Him whisper be brave…

I’ve heard Him say you’re saved…

I know His voice whether whisper or shout

He Has a plan that covers my life

He knows my name and calls me His own

He gave His all with all that He had

I’ve heard Him whisper my name……………………

Click on the picture and you’ll get to here a delightful old hymn.  Sing along if you like the words are printed there.  Blessings to you and yours!

 

I’ve written this with a flash mob of other bloggers for 5-Minute Friday.  If you would like to join the group just head on over to Heading Home and have fun!

Reach

When I saw the word ‘reach’ for this weeks 5-Minute Friday I immediately thought of Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, “God and Adam”.   Often, only the hands are shown but if one looks and gives some thought to what he was trying to say it’s not hard to understand that the artist is depicting the relationship of God and Man.

Hands_of_God_and_Adam

 

Notice that God is reaching down with His right hand while Adam is reaching up with his left.  The right hand is often a symbol of strength while the left is one of weakness.  That is exactly what is portrayed in this painting.  God’s hand (on the right) shows great strength as it strains to touch the weak left hand of Adam.  Paul speaks of this concept in 1 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you.  My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”  

Mighty God, let me know Your touch!  Let me reach out to You and know the grace that passes all understanding.  Give me the strength to reach out to those around me.  Make it so in the Precious and Holy name of Jesus!