It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Christ set us free so that we would be free. It sounds pretty simple, and yet we’re not always free. Sometimes we’re like Lazarus. Jesus raised him from the dead, but he was still bound. Jesus had to tell the people who were watching, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” And sometimes after our grave clothes have been removed, we choose to put them back on. Paul tells us that if we don’t stand firm, we can be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. I want to know how to keep that from happening, don’t you?
The Greek word for freedom is Eleutheria. It means liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation. The Greek Lexicon says that true liberty is living as we should, not as we please. The freedom Christ has given us is the freedom to choose. 1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “’Everything is permissible for me’ but not everything is beneficial.” We are free to choose, but not every choice we can make is good for us. 1 Peter 2:16 tells us not to use our freedom as a cover-up for evil. We are to use our freedom to live as servants of God. If we choose to live as we please rather than as God intends, we will be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. I want to be a servant of God, but being burdened by a yoke of slavery doesn’t sound very appealing. The word translated “burdened” means to harass, badger; to have it in for; to be entangled, to be enmeshed. No wonder it doesn’t sound appealing.
Our choice to follow Christ sets us free to be His servant. Our choice to follow our own will makes us makes us entangled and enmeshed. Just as Isaiah prophesied, Christ came to proclaim freedom for the captives. Let’s stand firm in that freedom by making the choice to follow Him.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wholehearted Devotion
Scripture reading: Isaiah 26:1-4
2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…”
What is your passion? The dictionary defines passion as boundless enthusiasm or obsessive love. Obsessive…now there’s a word that gets my attention. I tend to be obsessive about pretty much everything. I’ve been trying to figure out my passion. I’ve decided my passion is trying to figure out things. What consumes most of your attention? Is it deciding God’s will for your life or how to spend your time or how to spend your money? Is it worrying about things you can’t change or trying to plan how you can change them? So many things call for our attention. It’s hard to focus on anything when our minds are everywhere.
The bible says God is looking for someone to strengthen. He is looking for someone who is fully committed to Him. The word translated fully committed in the NIV is “Salem.” It means complete, whole, perfect, peaceful, without strife, total obedience. That word is sometimes translated wholehearted devotion. The dictionary defines wholehearted as unconditional and enthusiastic. One definition for devotion is addiction. Could God be looking for someone who is unconditionally and enthusiastically addicted to Him?
Isaiah promises God will keep us in perfect peace if our minds are fixed on Him. Frank Laubach, a missionary to the illiterate, was committed to constantly bringing the Lord back to his mind. Here is an excerpt from his journal as recorded by Max Lucado in his book, “Just Like Jesus.”
May 24, 1930: This concentration upon God is strenuous, but everything else has ceased to be so. I think more clearly, I forget less frequently. Things which I did with a strain before, I now do easily and with no effort whatever. I worry about nothing and lose no sleep. I walk on air a good part of the time. Even the mirror reveals a new light in my eyes and face. I no longer feel in a hurry about anything. Everything goes right. Each minute I meet calmly as though it were not important. Nothing can go wrong excepting one thing. That is that God may slip from my mind.
We all want to be peaceful and without strife, don’t we? The secret is to make God the object of our focus and our passion. He will take care of everything else.
2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…”
What is your passion? The dictionary defines passion as boundless enthusiasm or obsessive love. Obsessive…now there’s a word that gets my attention. I tend to be obsessive about pretty much everything. I’ve been trying to figure out my passion. I’ve decided my passion is trying to figure out things. What consumes most of your attention? Is it deciding God’s will for your life or how to spend your time or how to spend your money? Is it worrying about things you can’t change or trying to plan how you can change them? So many things call for our attention. It’s hard to focus on anything when our minds are everywhere.
The bible says God is looking for someone to strengthen. He is looking for someone who is fully committed to Him. The word translated fully committed in the NIV is “Salem.” It means complete, whole, perfect, peaceful, without strife, total obedience. That word is sometimes translated wholehearted devotion. The dictionary defines wholehearted as unconditional and enthusiastic. One definition for devotion is addiction. Could God be looking for someone who is unconditionally and enthusiastically addicted to Him?
Isaiah promises God will keep us in perfect peace if our minds are fixed on Him. Frank Laubach, a missionary to the illiterate, was committed to constantly bringing the Lord back to his mind. Here is an excerpt from his journal as recorded by Max Lucado in his book, “Just Like Jesus.”
May 24, 1930: This concentration upon God is strenuous, but everything else has ceased to be so. I think more clearly, I forget less frequently. Things which I did with a strain before, I now do easily and with no effort whatever. I worry about nothing and lose no sleep. I walk on air a good part of the time. Even the mirror reveals a new light in my eyes and face. I no longer feel in a hurry about anything. Everything goes right. Each minute I meet calmly as though it were not important. Nothing can go wrong excepting one thing. That is that God may slip from my mind.
We all want to be peaceful and without strife, don’t we? The secret is to make God the object of our focus and our passion. He will take care of everything else.
Monday, May 18, 2009
A Woman Who Fears the Lord
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31
Proverbs 31:30 NLT Charm is deceptive , and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Is this woman real? Since the passage starts out, “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?” I’d like to think she’s fictitious. If you’ve met her, please don’t tell me. I’d like to think the writer of Proverbs is just giving us an ideal…someone he looked for but couldn’t find. Still, God inspired him to include this woman in His word, and He doesn’t waste anything. She can surely teach us something.
Her husband trusts in her. She does him good as long as there is life in her. Okay, I’ll aspire to that one. The New Living Translation says, “…she will greatly enrich his life. She will not hinder him but help him…”
Then we move on to wool and flax. And later she quilts her own bedspread. She does a lot of sewing. I’m asking God if I can still be virtuous without the sewing part.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast. I’ve got that one covered. I’ve been doing it for over 30 years now.
It looks like she must have exercised. She needed the strength and endurance to do all she had to do. The Amplified Bible says, “She girds herself with strength…and makes her arms strong…” The New Living Translation says, “She is energetic…” Regular exercise will do that for you.
Her children stand and bless her. She must have taken care of them. I consider it a privilege to be able to do that.
Why does she do all these things? I think this sums it all up, “…a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” As the Amplified Bible puts it, she “reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord.” Reverent fear of the Lord turns everything we do…the cooking, the cleaning, and all the little things we do to tend to our families…into an act of worship.
Proverbs 31:30 NLT Charm is deceptive , and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Is this woman real? Since the passage starts out, “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?” I’d like to think she’s fictitious. If you’ve met her, please don’t tell me. I’d like to think the writer of Proverbs is just giving us an ideal…someone he looked for but couldn’t find. Still, God inspired him to include this woman in His word, and He doesn’t waste anything. She can surely teach us something.
Her husband trusts in her. She does him good as long as there is life in her. Okay, I’ll aspire to that one. The New Living Translation says, “…she will greatly enrich his life. She will not hinder him but help him…”
Then we move on to wool and flax. And later she quilts her own bedspread. She does a lot of sewing. I’m asking God if I can still be virtuous without the sewing part.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast. I’ve got that one covered. I’ve been doing it for over 30 years now.
It looks like she must have exercised. She needed the strength and endurance to do all she had to do. The Amplified Bible says, “She girds herself with strength…and makes her arms strong…” The New Living Translation says, “She is energetic…” Regular exercise will do that for you.
Her children stand and bless her. She must have taken care of them. I consider it a privilege to be able to do that.
Why does she do all these things? I think this sums it all up, “…a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” As the Amplified Bible puts it, she “reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord.” Reverent fear of the Lord turns everything we do…the cooking, the cleaning, and all the little things we do to tend to our families…into an act of worship.
Monday, April 20, 2009
He Knows You
O LORD, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD. Psalm 139:1-4 NIV
Is there someone whose thoughts you can almost read, whose sentences you can finish? If so, you’ve invested a lot of time in getting to know that person, haven’t you? You know God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, but have you ever considered He is also very personal? He loves you so much that He has taken the time to get to know you personally.
Remember when Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb and found He was gone? She stood at the tomb crying. She heard Jesus. She even saw Him. But she didn’t realize it was Jesus. John 2:15-16 says "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
But then He said her name. And that made all the difference.
Verse 17 says, “Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).” Jesus had taken the time to get to know Mary Magdalene. When she heard Him say her name, it was a familiar sound.
Can you believe He has taken the time to get to know you too? Yes, God wants you to know Him, but He knows you!
Look at the first line of Psalm 139 again. He doesn’t just know you. He has searched you in order to know you. The word translated “search” means to search out, find out, examine; to see through. He is familiar with all your ways. According to the Hebrew dictionary, that means “to be in the habit; to get along well with.” The New American Standard Bible says He is intimately acquainted with all your ways. You’re not just a friend of God; you’re a close friend. And that makes you special!
Is there someone whose thoughts you can almost read, whose sentences you can finish? If so, you’ve invested a lot of time in getting to know that person, haven’t you? You know God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, but have you ever considered He is also very personal? He loves you so much that He has taken the time to get to know you personally.
Remember when Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb and found He was gone? She stood at the tomb crying. She heard Jesus. She even saw Him. But she didn’t realize it was Jesus. John 2:15-16 says "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
But then He said her name. And that made all the difference.
Verse 17 says, “Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).” Jesus had taken the time to get to know Mary Magdalene. When she heard Him say her name, it was a familiar sound.
Can you believe He has taken the time to get to know you too? Yes, God wants you to know Him, but He knows you!
Look at the first line of Psalm 139 again. He doesn’t just know you. He has searched you in order to know you. The word translated “search” means to search out, find out, examine; to see through. He is familiar with all your ways. According to the Hebrew dictionary, that means “to be in the habit; to get along well with.” The New American Standard Bible says He is intimately acquainted with all your ways. You’re not just a friend of God; you’re a close friend. And that makes you special!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Father, Forgive Them
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:34 NIV
I’ve been thinking about this verse since we discussed it in Bible study a few weeks ago. Jesus gave us an example of forgiveness to follow, but have you ever thought about the fact that the people who killed Him really didn’t know what they were doing? I’ve always thought they had to know what they were doing. They may not have known that was God on the cross, but they must have known that crucifixion was cruel. And they must have known that Jesus was innocent. How could He say they didn’t know what they were doing? Jesus is truth (John 14:6), so He can’t lie. If He said they didn’t know what they were doing, then they really didn’t know. There must be something in that statement that I’ve never noticed.
Could Jesus be saying they didn’t understand the big picture? You know, God uses everything that happens to us for His good purpose. I’ve spent years trying to forgive one of my son’s teachers. I’ve also had a hard time forgiving myself for letting him stay in her class. I thought, even then, that God was calling me to homeschool, but I was afraid I couldn’t do it. I know the statements “God is calling me” and “I can’t do it” don’t belong in the same sentence. Still, I wasn’t sure. My son is in college now, and we are still thankful for his first grade teacher, Mrs. Fortner, and his second grade teacher, Mr. Lilly. We’ve always considered those teachers to be gifts God gave our son. But until now, I’ve had a hard time considering one of his teachers to be a gift from God. Since Jesus looked at the big picture, maybe I should too. She didn’t know what she was doing, but God used her to accomplish His purpose.
It didn’t happen immediately, but this teacher did help us make the decision to homeschool. And God uses adversity to make us into the people He wants us to be. I tend to try to shield my children from adversity. Yes, when we look at the big picture, we can forgive anyone who hurts us because we can see it as part of God’s plan. The cruel death that Jesus suffered was also part of God’s plan.
I don’t think Jesus meant that the people who crucified Him didn’t know it was cruel. He meant they didn’t know that God was using their cruelty to fulfill His plan and offer us forgiveness for our sins. So, Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to death. Few of us will be called to be that obedient, but we can learn from Jesus’ prayer on the cross. We can forgive and wait to see God’s plan.
I’ve been thinking about this verse since we discussed it in Bible study a few weeks ago. Jesus gave us an example of forgiveness to follow, but have you ever thought about the fact that the people who killed Him really didn’t know what they were doing? I’ve always thought they had to know what they were doing. They may not have known that was God on the cross, but they must have known that crucifixion was cruel. And they must have known that Jesus was innocent. How could He say they didn’t know what they were doing? Jesus is truth (John 14:6), so He can’t lie. If He said they didn’t know what they were doing, then they really didn’t know. There must be something in that statement that I’ve never noticed.
Could Jesus be saying they didn’t understand the big picture? You know, God uses everything that happens to us for His good purpose. I’ve spent years trying to forgive one of my son’s teachers. I’ve also had a hard time forgiving myself for letting him stay in her class. I thought, even then, that God was calling me to homeschool, but I was afraid I couldn’t do it. I know the statements “God is calling me” and “I can’t do it” don’t belong in the same sentence. Still, I wasn’t sure. My son is in college now, and we are still thankful for his first grade teacher, Mrs. Fortner, and his second grade teacher, Mr. Lilly. We’ve always considered those teachers to be gifts God gave our son. But until now, I’ve had a hard time considering one of his teachers to be a gift from God. Since Jesus looked at the big picture, maybe I should too. She didn’t know what she was doing, but God used her to accomplish His purpose.
It didn’t happen immediately, but this teacher did help us make the decision to homeschool. And God uses adversity to make us into the people He wants us to be. I tend to try to shield my children from adversity. Yes, when we look at the big picture, we can forgive anyone who hurts us because we can see it as part of God’s plan. The cruel death that Jesus suffered was also part of God’s plan.
I don’t think Jesus meant that the people who crucified Him didn’t know it was cruel. He meant they didn’t know that God was using their cruelty to fulfill His plan and offer us forgiveness for our sins. So, Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to death. Few of us will be called to be that obedient, but we can learn from Jesus’ prayer on the cross. We can forgive and wait to see God’s plan.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
You Are Beautiful
The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord. Psalm 45:11 NIV
My friend, Denise, from elementary school was gorgeous. She had long, bouncy, golden brown hair, blue eyes and long, dark eyelashes. But Denise and I were not part of the elementary in-crowd, so we didn’t get to define beauty. One day my uncle and I were discussing the latest haircut, a Pixie, which I needed to make me look like the important girls. He said, “You know who I think is the second prettiest girl in school, after you? It’s Denise.” Now, I had a mirror and I knew how to use it. I knew I was not prettier than Denise, but I thought, “Bless his heart…he really believes that.”
I tend to think that beauty has eluded me. I do have two beautiful daughters and people tell me they look like me, so maybe just briefly at some point between awkward and aging, beauty found me. Maybe it was somewhere during high school and college. I remember seeing a picture and thinking, “I wish I looked more like her. Oh, wait! That’s me. Never mind…” In my mirror, I was still overweight with glasses and had braces covering my crooked teeth. It was okay, though, because I was pretty sure I was the only one who noticed. You see, I’m invisible.
When my 8-year-old played Cinderella, she was always Cinderella and the prince always found that the glass slipper was a perfect fit. When I thought of myself in the Cinderella story, I was one of the women in the crowd. I was the one who never had the opportunity to try the slipper before the handsome prince found its owner.
Today I have a knight in shining armor who would fight to protect me, and he thinks I’m beautiful. When he tells me so, he looks at me in a way that takes me back to that feeling I had with my uncle. “Bless his heart…he really believes that.” Of course, I’m not sure my husband understands beauty. He doesn’t even care if his socks match each other. Now, God understands beauty.
The King who is enthralled by your beauty is the Creator of the universe. He created beauty. What is His definition of beauty? It doesn’t matter. You and I fit that description. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” The ideal body moved from Marilyn Monroe to Twiggy. The preferred look has been heavily made up, natural, and everything in between. Beautiful hair has been long and straight, and it has been short and curly. That’s why beauty is fleeting. The world’s view of it never stays the same. But the King, the One who has the right to define beauty, thinks you and I are beautiful. Let’s just rest in that and honor Him.
My friend, Denise, from elementary school was gorgeous. She had long, bouncy, golden brown hair, blue eyes and long, dark eyelashes. But Denise and I were not part of the elementary in-crowd, so we didn’t get to define beauty. One day my uncle and I were discussing the latest haircut, a Pixie, which I needed to make me look like the important girls. He said, “You know who I think is the second prettiest girl in school, after you? It’s Denise.” Now, I had a mirror and I knew how to use it. I knew I was not prettier than Denise, but I thought, “Bless his heart…he really believes that.”
I tend to think that beauty has eluded me. I do have two beautiful daughters and people tell me they look like me, so maybe just briefly at some point between awkward and aging, beauty found me. Maybe it was somewhere during high school and college. I remember seeing a picture and thinking, “I wish I looked more like her. Oh, wait! That’s me. Never mind…” In my mirror, I was still overweight with glasses and had braces covering my crooked teeth. It was okay, though, because I was pretty sure I was the only one who noticed. You see, I’m invisible.
When my 8-year-old played Cinderella, she was always Cinderella and the prince always found that the glass slipper was a perfect fit. When I thought of myself in the Cinderella story, I was one of the women in the crowd. I was the one who never had the opportunity to try the slipper before the handsome prince found its owner.
Today I have a knight in shining armor who would fight to protect me, and he thinks I’m beautiful. When he tells me so, he looks at me in a way that takes me back to that feeling I had with my uncle. “Bless his heart…he really believes that.” Of course, I’m not sure my husband understands beauty. He doesn’t even care if his socks match each other. Now, God understands beauty.
The King who is enthralled by your beauty is the Creator of the universe. He created beauty. What is His definition of beauty? It doesn’t matter. You and I fit that description. Proverbs 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” The ideal body moved from Marilyn Monroe to Twiggy. The preferred look has been heavily made up, natural, and everything in between. Beautiful hair has been long and straight, and it has been short and curly. That’s why beauty is fleeting. The world’s view of it never stays the same. But the King, the One who has the right to define beauty, thinks you and I are beautiful. Let’s just rest in that and honor Him.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Worship Him with Dancing
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21 NIV
Follow Baal? Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? Did Baal create you or redeem you? What were those people thinking? Well, the Hebrew word, Baal, means “lord, master, possessor.” It seems that in Elijah’s day, each locality had its own Baal. Okay, I’m starting to relate a little more. I’m afraid I have my own “Baal” also. It’s not always the same thing. I guess I would define the “Baal” in my life as anything I allow to master me.
Is there anything that constantly takes your attention away from God? It could be a habit you’d like to break. It could be the need for approval. It could be anything that keeps you from worshiping and following God with a passion. That’s what it means to waver between two opinions.
The Hebrew word that is translated “waver” means to become crippled; to worship in a limping dance. Anything that keeps us from following God alone will cripple us. Can you just imagine wanting to worship God but having something that hangs on to you until it makes you limp? Psalm 119:32 says, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Now there is a heart set free to dance with God! Is there any question that the Lord is God? Then throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Fix your eyes on Jesus and get ready for the dance of your life, the one God created you to dance.
Follow Baal? Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? Did Baal create you or redeem you? What were those people thinking? Well, the Hebrew word, Baal, means “lord, master, possessor.” It seems that in Elijah’s day, each locality had its own Baal. Okay, I’m starting to relate a little more. I’m afraid I have my own “Baal” also. It’s not always the same thing. I guess I would define the “Baal” in my life as anything I allow to master me.
Is there anything that constantly takes your attention away from God? It could be a habit you’d like to break. It could be the need for approval. It could be anything that keeps you from worshiping and following God with a passion. That’s what it means to waver between two opinions.
The Hebrew word that is translated “waver” means to become crippled; to worship in a limping dance. Anything that keeps us from following God alone will cripple us. Can you just imagine wanting to worship God but having something that hangs on to you until it makes you limp? Psalm 119:32 says, “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Now there is a heart set free to dance with God! Is there any question that the Lord is God? Then throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Fix your eyes on Jesus and get ready for the dance of your life, the one God created you to dance.
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