Friday, April 11, 2008

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (New International Version)

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong"


Have you noticed how off-track the world is lately? From a "webinar" with a popular TV host and an author who just doesn't quite get it right...to a book that says it can open up the knowledge of the garden of good and evil, oops! I mean the secret to being extremely wealthy and, therefore, successful. Then there's mediums and fortune tellers who can tell you your future and "give you a leg up." It's sad, isn't it? It is...it's downright heartbreaking. These people don't like to look, feel, or think they are weak in any way, so they look to lies to tell them they're powerful and they are gods. (little g...of course) But according to this passage, they're missing the real secret (which is no secret at all). According to this passage they're missing the boat completely because it's in their weakness, when they've got no one to give credit to but God, that they are made strong. As a Christian we need to embrace...not our god inside of us as there is no "god" in a human...but our human weakness. We need to admit regularly, "God, YOU are in control of this world. Not me. I can be successful by the world's standards on my own if I really want to, but to be truly successful, fulfilled and content in this life and the next, I have to give it over to You. I rejoice in the roadblocks You've given me in my life. They remind me I am a creation of the One True God, and through my struggles and weaknesses I am able to see more of You. THAT is success." Take some time today to realize your limitations...and thank God that He breaks through all limits and boundaries to amaze us again and again with His grace and power.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Habakkuk 3:18

"...yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

The book of Habakkuk, just three chapters found at the end of the Old Testament in the section of books called "The Minor Prophets", is such a picture of life. We, as Habakkuk did, ask God when He's going to do all He says...He says He's going to do it all the wrong ways (as to the way WE think)...so we sit back and wait to see how it's going to work because none of it makes sense. As we wait, we watch, and in the watching stand amazed at our great God.

In the end we realize that...

Though the future is unknown & sometimes scary,
Though our homes may not be peace & joy filled,
Though jobs and even friends may be beyond reach,
We will be faithful and trusting that the L-RD, our God, will be with us always.

He will care for us, and, if we acknowledge our sin and let go of the shame and guilt we sometimes wear like war medals, He will help us become the Child of God He intends for us to be...and we will rejoice!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Matthew 15: 8-9

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."
Matthew 15: 8-9

Jesus was speaking of the Pharisees when He said this, but I believe He could be speaking of so many people today who call themselves Christians. We need to read this and ask God, "Could you say this of me?" We need to immerse ourselves in God's Word, The Bible, and bring our hearts "home" to Him. Reading books by Bible teachers and Christian leaders is great, but our real teaching comes from God Himself. I know I have my favorite authors who open up the meaning of God's Word, and I will readily suggest some books to friends who ask questions about different subjects. However, we need to make sure we're learning (and loving) more of God that we are of the author ~ or even of ourselves. I learned long ago about those trained to reveal counterfeit money, and it has stayed with me as a catalyst for my own ability to know false teaching when it comes my way. A counterfeit specialist doesn't study counterfeit money...they study THE REAL THING. How are you doing? Could you listen to a popular TV host and have your stomach turn at the lies being believed by so many? Or would you believe the lie "because there's some truth there?" If you want to know the truth, then get to know the truth...SEEK GOD ~ may your rules be HIS rules.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Psalm 119:28-35

28: "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your Word."
35: "Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight."
Psalm 119

As the longest chapter of any book in the Bible, and a Psalm (a song) no less, you would think Psalm 119 would be a love song to God for who He is. Instead, it is a love song to God for His *LAW*. I'm not sure any of us would ever sit down and write a long letter to our governing body singing praises of our laws. However, when the law comes from the One who knows no time constraints, sees life from beginning to end, created each and every particulate in the Universe, and even knows our hearts better than we do, it seems foolish NOT to sing praises for the parameters He has laid out for us to follow in His Word.

Make it a study in your life ~ ask God to reveal to You what "law" of His Word He wants you to work on...whether it be learning HIS definition of sin or learning to love yourself through HIS eyes...it is in the doing so that you will find joy and peace. Yes, THERE you will find delight.