Jesus

My devotion today was the beginning of Jesus Christ's journey to Jerusalem and the cross.  He was going to Jerusalem knowing full well He would die on the cross...for us!

I realized I have trouble getting through each day without thinking about myself: what I want to eat, what I want to say, what I want to do. Then I think of Jesus...doing what He must because of all the things I want, all the things I say, all the things I do that are sinful.

God is so holy and wonderful, and because He is holy He cannot look upon my sins. So, what does He do?  He loves all of us imperfect humans so much that He sends His own Son to earth to die on the cross for all of our "I wants," selfishness, vengefulness, and our lack of concern for others. Because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we can now be considered holy and be with God!

How wonderful is our God to prepare a way for us to return to Him!

Love

I John 1:9
If we confess our sins,  He is steadfast and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

If that isn't unconditional love,  I don't know what is.

The Cross We bear...

14May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14 

Hmmmm. The cross we bear...does that mean God loves us and wants what is good for us, yet we will have trials...which will be to His glory?  Not the happiest thought...until I remember everything is for His glory for His plan!  If I can just stay focused on that,  I will be able to bear any cross,  including the cross I am currently carrying that I feel is someone else's fault. I pray for wisdom and patience in this situation and thankfully I have some Christian friends who are praying for me also.  I struggle with knowing God is in control  on the one hand, and feeling very angry and vengeful on the other.  Again,  Father, I pray for your wisdom and patience for me and for others. I want to stay in your will,  not mine or anyone else's. Amen

For you, Father

Lamentations
12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” 

God is waiting to make all of us better. We just have to keep our eyes on Him and His will, and everything will be restored.  We need not be jealous of others. What others have and are able to do, is given to then by God for His plan...even if it appears to us it is more than what we have or more than what we can do.  Why would we be jealous of that when what we have is from God also! He is not a small God; He will take care of us all.  

Lent

Well, this Lent instead of giving something up,  I added something that I hope will glorify God, remind me what Christ did for all if us,  and remind me to focus on Him all day, every day.

Today my devotional was from Lamentations and was a humbling reminder of what happens when I let this world crowd out God. The first step is I start to look past a few "minor" sins,  then I overlook them,  then I forget about focusing on God,  then forgetting becomes easier and easier and easier.

The next I know,  I am knee deep in all the concerns and cares of this world with no thought of God, His plan for me, all the sins I commit without thought or acknowledgement.

Then, as always, something happens...a song, a devotional, a scripture, a word from someone...the Holy Spirit's nudging! I am grateful God is always pursuing me, and everyone else, so that I will return to Him, ask for forgiveness, and start again to glorify Him and Him alone. Thank you, Father, for your mercies; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!

Everyone is important to God...and we should see them that way

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” - CS Lewis, “The Weight of Glory”

That quote was from my devotions this morning.  Wow! Two things jump out.  One, if we don't tell people about Jesus Christ, they will fall in the "immortal horrors" category when they die!  Ouch, that makes me want to be more watchful for opportunities to share the Gospel. The good news from that? Believers in Christ are in the "everlasting splendors" category! Yes! Let's celebrate and thank God for that every minute of every day.

The second point of clarity for me was that everyone walking around is special to God...even if they don't believe in God or Jesus Christ. It is not that I didn't know that before; this just clarifies the idea for me and helps me to keep that idea in the forefront of my mind (rather than just keeping "me" in the forefront of my mind).  The poor, the homeless, the rich, the person who has everything, the person who can't seem to get a break, my children, my parents, my enemies, politicians, people that detest me, the waiter who spilled water on me, the guy driving the car that cut me off yesterday...all are as special to God as I am. Thank you, God, for loving us all

Talking to God and why bad things happen to good people

Sustaining grace does not promise the absence of struggle but the presence of God. - Max Lucado

The sermon this past Sunday was about God's plan and how we all fit in. It was about how we are called in order to be used to accomplish God's purpose...not ours.

The pastor explained that we are called not because of the work we do or the great things we did,  but because God has a plan and we are part of it.

The pastor went on to explain that sometimes that means bad things happen, so that His plan is accomplished! So, we are still a part of His plan, we just do not like the part we get to play this time. Yet He is ALWAYS with us.

Sustaining grace does not promise the absence of struggle but the presence of God.  - Max Lucado

God is always at work...

Well, yesterday, I started learning a new verse,  Lamentations 3:22-23, about God's steadfast love even when I think everything is at its worst. Today, my devotion highlighted those verses!  Well planned by the writer of the devotional series and scripture memorization plan,  but they were really just fulfilling what God already had planned. Amazing!

Verse 21 of Lamentations is key,  though.  Previous to that verse,  it was all about "woe is me."  Then verse 21 says "but" and everything changes and the realization that God is at work and always has been sets in. Our pastors keep preaching the importance of the word "but" in scripture...another example of God working in everything!

Everyday,  when I focus on myself,  I lament; when I focus on God, everything is good!  This seems like a no brainer; doesn't it? Yet, daily, I struggle to do this. Yet, daily, God is faithful; The Holy Spirit brings me back to Him every time! Thank you,  Father!

Thanks, God, for loving me. For loving us all!

22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

God's love for all of us...

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-40.


It says it all! Praise God, He is always pursuing us!

Am I really sorry?

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart..." (Psalm 51:17). Nothing more. Nothing less.

Hmmmm. Saying I am sorry sure seems meaningless next to that Bible verse. However,  I have to start there.  After an apology, I have to think about what happened and how that hurt God and/or someone else. Only then,  can I try to figure how to do things differently so I don't do that again. Now that is what I call a plan! A solid plan! Right?

Them I read this verse again, and I realized I don't need my plan...once again I have taken control from God and put it in my unqualified and human hands. I do not need my plan; I need God's plan. I need to pray and stay focused on God every minute of every day, so I can be a part of His perfect and great plan instead of my foolish, fragile plan.

God, please help me to focus on only you...not me!  Amen.

Hidden sin

No sin is hidden from God. Yet I always think that if I do not show others my faults and sins, or not think about them, or if I just cover them up, then I am okay.  Good news,  God's Son makes all our sins go away...bad news, he still sees all our sins no matter what we do, and to be honest, so do most other people (eventually).

That actually seems kind of a relief.  I don't have to pretend that I am perfect.  Oh, I should try 100% to be Christlike, but when I fail, and I fail regularly, Jesus' blood has me covered.

Does it get any better than that?  If Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed!   Jn 8:36

I am a sinner

...but I don't like to admit it. Do you?

When anyone confronts me negatively, I am offended.  I forget I may have offended them, and I am in protectionist mode...protecting myself!

That is so wrong! Look at Lamentations if you want to see what happens to a hardened heart. Look at the Psalms to see what happens to a repentent heart.


Father, please help me to be more repentent and not worry about what offends me. I want to be more like Jesus and love my neighbor more than myself. Amen

Sin

She Reads Truth starts a new devotion this week about sin. Sin is ugly,  painful,  grieves us all, and I would prefer to avoid talking about it.  However,  we have to confess our mistakes and missteps in order to be unburdened of them and to be able to start over.

Why is this so hard? I know that when I confess my sin to God I am forgiven and I can start over at that moment,  and a burden is lifted off my shoulders.  So, why is this hard?  Maybe because I would rather hide the shame of my sin than confess it?

But I cannot hide my sisn,  and only when I confess my sins to God, through Jesus, am I forgiven and made whole yet again.

Lord, please help me to regularly, throughout each and every day, confess my sins to you.  Amen

March 1st - new month...renewal!

It is so beautiful when snow has blanketed the ground,  muting all the noise,  covering all the imperfections and busyness...being that it is Sunday morning,  my mind immediately goes to Christ's sacrifice on the cross for us...His blood is a white blanket over all our sins and imperfections and makes everything peaceful and beautiful!