Category Archives: Fellowship with God

No One Is More Important Than Jesus

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These words of Oswald Chambers had a profound effect on me the first (and every) timehouse I read them.  I have many friends who mean much to me but not as much as my Jesus.  I have a loving family whom I adore but they don’t mean as much to me as my Jesus.  I have a church family that I think the world of but they don’t mean as much to me as Jesus.  God gave me the most awesome man on earth as a helpmate, but Jesus surpasses the love he has for me.  (Yes, he’s comfortable with that because he also knows that Jesus’ love for him is greater than mine.)  There is no one in this world greater than my  Jesus!

Our soul’s history with God is frequently the history of the “passing of the hero.”  Over and over again God has to remove our friends in order to bring Himself in their place, and that is where we faint and fail and get discouraged.  Take it personally: In the year that the one who stood to me for all that God was, died–I gave up everything?  I became ill?  I got disheartened?  Or–I saw the LORD?

It must be God first, God second, and God third, until the life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any account whatever.  “In all the world there is none but Thee, my God, there is none but Thee.”  Keep paying the price.  Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision. 

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest (Westwood, NJ; Barbour and Company, Incl, 1935), 195.

I thank my God every time I remember you.  Philippians 1:3

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Get Some Rest

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baby rest

God says on the seventh day He rested from His work(Genesis 2:2) and since we are created in His image we need rest too.  In the 23rd Psalm David said, “He makes me lie down…”  Job’s friend Jophar gives him a crumb of reassurance saying, “You will lie down without fear…” (Job 11:19).  With great wisdom Solomon wrote these words, “…when you lie down your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24b).  Jesus recognized the need for quiet rest when he said to the disciples, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

In my career as a teacher and principal I learned just how important rest was.  Long hours and a great deal of stress do not help anyone’s health.  Burning the candle at both ends, ends up with nothing when the flames have consumed all the wax.  I finally came to my senses and retired early.  The job was consuming me and I heard the Spirit clearly say this is NOT what I want for you.  You see, even though I prayed every morning that I would keep Him close all day, when I walked through the school doors I quit focusing on Him and started focusing on kids, teachers, parents and all the issues and stress a high poverty, inner city, school brings.  I ended up quite ill from lack of rest, poor diet, and high stress.  When my awesome husband was hospitalized and in a chemically induced coma for 20 days from a Traumatic Brain Injury I had much time to pray, think, and reflect. The conclusion–my career was killing me.  Once the decision was made, a calmness came over me that I had not known before.  I knew without question this was exactly what God wanted.  I needed adequate rest and He already knew this was the only way I was going to get it.  Praise God! I listened! and rested!

God’s word says in the 23rd Psalm “…He makes me lie down in green pastures,…”  He doesn’t just suggest that we rest He makes us rest.  He created us and He knows what we need.  We have to pay attention and not try to do it our own way.  Remember what happened to Jonah?  God said go to Ninevah and say to them what I want you to say.  What did Jonah do?  He did it his way, ran away, jumped ship and ended up in the stinky belly of a whale.  When God says do it He expects that from those who say “Oh, God, You are my God”.  Now that’s not the end of the story.  God told Jonah, after he got to Ninevah, to walk the city, proclaim His word and then sit on the hill and rest.  There’s that word again.  REST!  He’s serious about it!

Heavenly Father, thank You! for making me aware.  You deserve my total, rested attention.  I want to do that.  Make my life more and more about You.  In Jesus Name make it so!

Added to and reposted.

 

Great Blogs on Christian Inspiration

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I really enjoy reading Christian inspirational blogs.  Here a just a few of what I consider the best of what I’ve found so far.

eagle

Anne  @ Freedomborn is at the top of my list.  Her posts are thought provoking, full of scriptural reference, and from a heart that truly loves God.  She writes from Australia and shares the beauty and perspective that can only be from ‘down under’.

shandraWith Heart Wide Open    Shandra Harris writes with her whole Spirit showing.  Her motto-As for me and my blog, we will serve the Lord-is exactly what she does.

onethousandgifts-thumbAnne Voskamp who wrote One Thousand Gifts and is the inspiration for my One Thousand Gifts page writes at A Holy Experience.  She shares her life and thoughts in a pure and honest style that is quite refreshing.

Bible Love Notes1-Minute Bible Love Notes is a delightful, easy to read, informative, daily blog of basic Bible truths.

wordsmith

Butch Dean, The Wordsmith’s Desk, writes with the confidence of many years.  Whether his post is short or long he inspires with his simple and straight-forward comments.

I read many more than these but these are the ones I go to often.  Enjoy your visits and let me know if there are others I should be checking out.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Keep The Appointment

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clocks

How often do we keep our God appointments?  Are we more likely to say…If I have time today…Maybe later…and then it’s time to sleep and we have had no or little contact with Him?

1 Samuel 13:14 tells us of the consequences for King Saul when he decided to go his way and not keep the appointment God had given him.

God is out looking for your replacement right now!  This time He’ll do the choosing.  When He finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of His people.  And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!    The Message

What was the appointment?  Samuel had told Saul to wait 7 days before attacking the Philistines at Gilgal.  At that time he, Samuel, would sacrifice to God and the battle could begin.  Saul waited the seven days, but in the meantime he was loosing his army to fear.  On the 7th day when Samuel didn’t show up immediately Saul took matters into his own hands and did the sacrifice himself.  Samuel showed up at the end of the sacrifice and said, “What on earth are you doing?”  Saul’s answer was much like our own when we feel we’ve waited long enough and have to take matters into our own hands.  Every time I decide I’ve waited long enough and it’s time to do it my way…there is a consequence.  The results are not the ones I wanted.  Saul’s consequence was not only the loss of his kingship but a serious bout of mental illness.

What is our appointment?  God only wants one thing of us.  He wants a relationship with us.  Each day I set aside specific time to spend with the Lord of my life.  I read His personal instructions to me (The Bible),  I talk to Him about my day, my thoughts, and lift others up (in prayer), and I sit quietly and enjoy the moments with Him (Psalm 46:10).  After reading the verse above, won’t you agree, it’s just to risky to miss the appointment.

Covenant

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Several years ago the Spirit Sisters did a Bible study that asked us to write a covenant with God.  I did that, put it in my Bible, and forgot to open it at the end of the class.  Recently, I came across it again.  It has some powerful, convicting words in it that I can honestly say I haven’t really pursued.  That does not change my desire to do them or God’s desire to have me do them.

A covenant is a permanent agreement between people or groups that involves promises to each other.  God made covenants with Abraham, Noah, David, Solomon, Samson, and many others in the Word.  Daniel, Gideon, Paul, Ruth…made covenants with God.  Either way the words were meant to influence and last throughout time…and they have.

I hope you will read the one I wrote and that it will motivate you to a closer relationship with Jesus, the One and Only.  In fact, write one of your own!

Father, I am making this ‘covenant’ with You.

thumbnailCAW5ZPKYI will love You!

Fruit of the Spirit colorsI will let the Fruit grow and bear Fruit.

Jesus prayingI will honor You with my words and ways.

listeningI will listen for Your voice and obey.

serveI will serve You by serving others.

Thy WordI will put Your Words in my heart.

followingI will follow You!

Oh, LORD, give me the strength to go where You want me to go, to be what You want me to be, the courage to share You with others, and the wisdom to know how to reflect You in each life situation that comes my way.     (Signed–Marie, April 2, 2007)