Jeremiah 17

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV)

I did one those things where I just dropped my bible of 28 years open and it landed on this scripture I highlighted in orange probably more than 25 years ago.  It's just what I needed for today.  

It's made me recognize the moments where I rely on my self and I get burned out and tired.  When I just keep working so hard to be and do the right things without His help.  The contrast is beautiful (and obvious) as I consider the life that comes from confidence in Him.  Abiding in him.  Trusting him. Like a tree planted by water.  The living water.  Bearing fruit.  I want that. Amen?

Hebrews 11

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5 NIV)

Enoch's experience should speak to us about how to walk a faith filled life.   Imagine not dying, getting to skip that part and right off to heaven you go!   Lol 

The word of God is the light to our lives.  It should be our concern that we hear and obey.   We pray this morning that we would walk in truth and that we would have an even better understanding of the Hope we have in Christ.  

2 Cor 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV)

What did Jesus say as He ascended?

I go to prepare a place.... I will send one who will help you .....you will do greater things than I....

Who is this one? The Spirit!  Where did he go?  Inside us!   If he is in us -???  where the spirit of the lord is there is ....??? FREEDOM!  

Freedom in us over ...

Sin

Shame

Guilt

Worry

Fear

Pride , yep pride 

Self

Amen!  We are free!!

Gen 3:21

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21 NIV)

This simple sentence suggest so much.  God slays an animal to provide for his beloved even though they had disobeyed  him.  God makes clothing and dresses them.  It doesn't say he gave them clothes it says he "dressed" them.  I picture Him bending on one knee like we do for our toddlers and zipping up a jacket. He DRESSED them.  God covered them.

Even though we get outside of God's plan for our lives he still loves us.  His heart is tender and caring like a gentle father towards his children.  

Trust him today. 

Lamentations 5:15

Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. (Lamentations 5:15 NIV)

There is a strange contradiction in human nature all around us .  We can strut around like a peacock, reek of pride, display a swollen ego and yet be the loneliest and most miserable person in the world.  The joy has ceased when we live in this way, pretending and playing a game.  Deep within we become lonely and wonder if God even cares about us. 

Our dancing will cease when we live in a place of sin and defeat.  Let's get away from the pride of life and live in a place of joy and peace. 

2 Cor 3:18

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)

A servant of God must stand alone at times. We must place our faith on the light , looking into the face of God. At times you will have people around you who are powerhouses of faith who encourage you, but they move away, they pass on and we are left alone to live our faith.  We cannot count on others to carry us in our faith.  We must press in to the presence of God on our own.  

Spiritual testing

So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32 NIV)

There does come a time in our lives where we will become tested.  We might think we are being ordered but it is really a time of testing.  Consider the examples of men and women being tested in the Bible.  

Abraham - take his only son's life

Peter - unconsciencly tried 

The people of Israel - the promise land 

Do you want to be Christ-like?  Everyday is a day of testing.  It's up to us as we approach our testing - will we turn back  or will we embrace all that He is trying to teach us. 

Deut. 7:9

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV)

Wake up! Open your eyes!   No longer dead, we are alive .  God has called us to obey him. When we do He blesses our lives.  He makes us alive in Him.  We have such a great responsibility to our world and to our family.  Love God! Know that He is GOD!!   He is faithful.  Sing and shout of Hos faithfulness!!  

Oswald Chambers - all or nothing!!!

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All or Nothing?

04

17

2015

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment…and plunged into the sea. —John 21:7

Have you ever had a crisis in your life in which you deliberately, earnestly, and recklessly abandoned everything? It is a crisis of the will. You may come to that point many times externally, but it will amount to nothing. The true deep crisis of abandonment, or total surrender, is reached internally, not externally. The giving up of only external things may actually be an indication of your being in total bondage.

Have you deliberately committed your will to Jesus Christ? It is a transaction of the will, not of emotion; any positive emotion that results is simply a superficial blessing arising out of the transaction. If you focus your attention on the emotion, you will never make the transaction. Do not ask God what the transaction is to be, but make the determination to surrender your will regarding whatever you see, whether it is in the shallow or the deep, profound places internally.

If you have heard Jesus Christ’s voice on the waves of the sea, you can let your convictions and your consistency take care of themselves by concentrating on maintaining your intimate relationship to Him.

Little advice from Trip Lee

Devin was super geeked to get this book.  He shared some thoughts that he read last night. 

Trust in God's taste over our own. 

When it comes to morality we have bad taste. None of us were born with natural moral sense. Somehow we are repelled by good things and attracted to the wrong things.  If we don't take part in wicked things we feel left out. Like we are missing out on the fun. But we have it exactly backwards. It's like complaining about missing a chance to waste our lives!!!

There are sometimes when it's better to be left out.

Amen?!

Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1 NIV)

God never forsakes us!  It's only a seemingly forsake.  Jesus, however experienced real forsakening.  God really did turn from Jesus for a season.   

We have moments of shadow and darkness but there again - it's from circumstance and consequence of this world - but stay sure - God has NEVER forsaken you.  Consider a true forsakinging for Jesus on the cross - the pain and anguish must have been so hard to bear!!!!  He endured - for you and  for me.

 

Revelation 3:15

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16 NIV)

Devin challenged us this morning!  Where are we in our walk with Christ?  Have we grown up at all since the day we meet him?  Unfortunately,  some of us are satisfied with it, we are okay with lukewarm. Right where we are.  God is not!  In fact, he says "I will spit you out of my mouth!"  Yikes!  Think maybe we should pay attention?  Halt!  Heads up!   Hear what our God is saying!!!!! 

Warning - "Christian" friends - let us take our Faith seriously and  live for HIM fully!!

 

Gal.5:22,23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

Yesterday Tim preached a sermon on marriage.  Resurrection of our marriages. The challenge was so strong and so clear that it's not about the "other person" and what they are doing wrong but what are YOU doing?  Or not doing? Dying to self. Living a spirit-led life.  

I have also listened to a CD of a teaching on the fruit of the spirit and it was confirming this message of  yielding to the Holy Spirit that lives within us and understanding we can't "will" to be good, it's only by the Spirit that anything good and right come from us. 

Living a Spirit-led life today- how about you!?

Romans 8

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34 NIV)

A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our lord. We must leave room and margin in our lives for intercessory prayer. Are we praying for people around us or are we too consumed with busyness.  Even good work , "Gods work" can get in the way of true heart living for Christ.  Yikes.  

Are you living in a place of worship no matter what or are you bouncing around in emotion!?