Tag Archives: Jesus

Passionate Pursuit

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How is your spiritual life?  Who are you depending on in your walk with Jesus?  Is it your pastor? Your Bible study leader? Sunday School teacher? Mom? Dad?  Mentor?  I sure hope not!  Although each of those people can help push you forward YOU are the only one responsible for your Christian growth.  If you want a real love relationship with the One and Only, you have to do the work.

Persistence and passion are the key.  My awesome husband will tell you he knew I was God’s choice for him the moment he laid eyes on me (at the Defiance County Fair).  I, however, had a different plan for my life.  I was never getting married since I intended to have a stellar, career as an opera singer.  God definitely had other plans for my life.  As we talked, over the next hour or so, he passionately, persisted, in his pursuit of a date with me.  I said yes and 45 years later, 41 of them married, I do not have a moment’s regret.

The same concept applies to our life with Jesus.  He is passionately pursuing us.  He wants to be part of who we are.  Unless we determine to do all that is necessary there is no relationship.  So what does that entail?  The same thing we do to build ‘people’ relationships.  Spend time with Him.

Love Jesus

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.   Deuteronomy 6:5

Thy word, have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You.  Psalm 119:11

Prayer Lily

I Needed The Quiet

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I NEEDED THE QUIET

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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!

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!

7 Rules For Life

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7 RulesFrom time to time I read something on Facebook that is actually applicable to life.  The 7 Rules of Life resonated in my thoughts, leading me to find scripture that tells me God would want these ‘rules’ to be considered and used by His Children.

Hebrews 12:8 tells us to live at peace with everyone.  If we are doing that we will not need to make peace with our past because there will be nothing there to worry about.

I loved the second one and really gave it some thought.  If we truly believe Genesis 1:27 then we understand that we are defined by God.  How we look and our personal characteristics are the mirror of God’s image.  What other’s think doesn’t really matter when our life is completely centered on the One and Only.

Matthew 6:34 applies to rules 3 and 7.  Our problems, trials, temptations, and challenges look different as time passes.  What may have been a major crisis in our 20’s pales when we look at it through the lenses of our 50’s.  We will never solve all the problems that are in this world, but we can know that in God’s timing everything will eventually work out.

Judging others is a major issue in everyone’s life.  We may be able to convince others on the surface that we aren’t judging them, but…  Matthew 7:1-2 tells us that the consequence of being judgmental is that we will be judged in the same way as we judge others.  Can we at least, if we have to ‘judge’, do so with love, mercy, and compassion?

Why are we so worried about stuff?  We are clearly told in Phil. 4:6-7 to quit worrying.  God is in control.  He has our front, back, sides, tops, bottoms, past, present, and future in His very capable hands.  Let this truth settle in your mind…He wants and will provide what is best for us.

Number 6 is the only one I would question.  I have given God charge of my life.  With that I have given him control of happiness, joy, delight, and all the other good things that are in His storeroom for me.  Ecclesiastes 2:26 says He will give us wisdom, knowledge, and happiness if we please Him.  You might ask how do we please Him.  It’s quite simple!  We learn His Word, know His Son, and share all with others.

Fishy Friends

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fishermanMy dad was an avid fisherman.  As soon as the weather was warm enough to be on the lake he was there.  Of course, he taught all three of his girls the skills necessary to be fisherman.  Such things as putting our own bait on the hook, quiet conversation or no talk at all, and of course how to swim if we fell out or the boat capsized were patiently taught until we got it.  To this day all three of us still enjoy a quiet morning on the water.  In fact I can still filet and skin a fish.

Jesus was into fish too!  His first disciples were persuaded to follow Him by telling them they would become ‘fisher’s of men’.  In Matthew 4:19 we are not only told He said this but they followed immediately.  Then he walked down the road a bit and said the same thing to two more fisherman.  They followed immediately.  These four men Peter and Andrew, James and John became Jesus’ BFF’s!

Christ_feeding_the_multitudeJesus also used 5 loaves and 2 fishes to clearly show that He could and would provide for His people.  (My husband jokes that we will be served fish and chips in heaven, at the Great Banquet, because of the number of times fish is a part of the Story.)

When Jesus appeared to  the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee, before His Ascension, guess what He served?  Yep!  He was cooking fish and invited his friends to have breakfast with Him.  John 21:12-13

IchthusIn the first century church the fish symbol (Ichthus) was used by believers to identify themselves as Believers.  These friends of Jesus would ‘write’ the upper half-circle of the fish when they met someone and if that person finished the lower half-circle they were recognized as a fellow Believer.

Do you use a symbol to proclaim your belief?  Do you wear a cross?  Do you unashamedly carry your Bible?  Do people ask if you’re a Believer because of how you act or look?  Do you willingly talk about Jesus when someone notices what you’re wearing, carrying or modeling?  I take every opportunity I find to talk about my Jesus.  You can too!

Heavenly Father, shine through me.  Let others see Your love, faithfulness, joy, delight…when they see me.  Oh, Lord, let my life be totally about You!  Make it so in Jesus Name!

God’s Great Love…

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I have finally finished the Book of Deuteronomy and am ready to dig in to Joshua.  I am reading the Word in the Message and Peterson writes some very interesting introductory thoughts about the book.  This one in particular was very compelling, and I quote, “God’s great love and purposes for us are worked out in the messes, storms and sins, blue skies, daily work, and dreams of our common lives, working with us as we are and not as we should be.” (The Message.  Eugene H Peterson.  NavPress. 2004  pg. 263)

God loves us, without question, and really wants what is best for us.  He knows what ‘we should be’ but determines to work with us as we are.  His purpose is to make us the best we can be as we mirror His Son, Jesus.  He knows we are imperfect, sinners, always.  It is not a spur of the moment plan.  God is able to see the past, present and future of each of our lives and He wants to be part of every moment.   His presence is always there we just don’t always choose to honor it.  God’s plan will prosper us and provide for us.

God's Plans

He does nothing without just cause.  He knows the right time, the right place, and the reasons for His actions regarding us.

Ezekial 1423

However, He expects us to communicate with Him through prayer.  And wants others to be doing the same for us.

1 Thessalonians

God knows and He will share His plan.  All we have to do is ask and listen for the response.

Oh, How He Loves Us by David Crowder

Heavenly Father, my prayer today is that You will open our hearts and minds and give us the ability to hear You.  Oh, Lord, when we hear You let us respond as You would have us respond.  I lift this prayer in the Mighty and Awesome Name of Jesus.  Make it so!