"He reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with him." Daniel 2:22 (NIV)
Everyone has pain in their lives, some more than others. There are many kinds of pain. Physical pain can come and go but emotional pain seems to hang on forever. It can be so personal, will consume your life and permeate every thing you do. Getting rid of pain is not easy and often demands a long arduous journey of years. Dealing with pain can be especially difficult if someone in your past robbed you of your trust, your joy or the innocence of childhood.
Many people are in the habit of carrying around the pain from their past. They walk, not in the light of the promises of God, but in the shadows of a dark room where reflections are scary and the light eludes them. I was one of those people for many years. I lived with a "snake" in my life. One I hated. Instead of turning the light on to find the snake and kill it, I was constantly running as fast as I could, trying to stay in front of it. I knew in my heart that God was big enough to handle the snake but I seemed to have forged an unhealthy friendship with it that I was not willing to give up.
In searching for a way to rid myself of the snake, I learned some things. First, there is no simple or magical cure for resolving past hurts, but there is a pathway toward restoration. Forgiving and forgetting is a great thing to do - if you can - but not always the answer. Remembering and choosing to forgive will always bring honor, maturity and a certain peace to your life. Pain from the past will always find a way to creep into daily life. We have to find a way to deal with it.
We should raise our wounded spirit up to the Father. He will hear our cry.
Too many times, we condemn ourselves by thinking "A spiritual person should not feel that way." We back away from God instead of running toward him. Then we don't understand that the hurts of the past are blocking a vital fellowship with God. Problems do not just go away if we ignore them. They soon consume our lives. Constantly raise your prayers to the "keeper" of promises. As the old Gospel song says, "Have a little talk with Jesus and tell him all about your troubles".
We need to seek help in repairing any broken or shattered relationships. God commands us to do so.
Repair is a descriptive word meaning to "walk in or around, to close up, hedge or enclose." When we are wounded, we need to have a hedge about us and be sheltered or nurtured within a protective environment. It's like cleaning a wound and then putting a bandage on it for protection. We can find that hedge by seeking godly counsel and surrounding ourselves with Christian friends who care about us. Sometimes the wound is closed on the outside but infection remains on the inside. It will always bother us, just like a snake in a dark room, until we examine the problem, put it on the table and take a close look at it. The truth will free us from the problem. Circumstances may not change but our attitude will.
We can have restoration. Restoration means to rescue, retrieve or to bring back home.
When we are badly hurt, we are badly in need of restoration. We must be brought home again. But our wounds keep us bound and immobilized. We can be restored again if we return to the One who is able to restore and heal from the inside out.
If you have a snake in your life, consider your needs carefully and make yourself available to the Holy Spirit for his restorative work. Raise your problems to God by falling on your knees. Ask the Holy Spirit to build a hedge of protection around you to do a healing work in your life. Then be open to the restoration.
Ask for God's enlightenment to penetrate the dark areas of your hurt. It is only through this exposure that you can truly begin to face what has happened in your past and move on through the healing process. The key to restoration is you. Will you allow the "snake" to run rampant in your life, or will you step out in healing faith.
My Prayer for Today:
Father, please help us begin to expose those troubling areas of our lives. Shine your light on them and please show us our part in killing the snakes in our lives. Open our hearts and minds as we give you permission and time to work. Amen.
Application Steps:
If you are serious about release and peace, you must first recognize the fact that you have a problem. Then raise it up to God - find a way to repair the hurt caused by others - giving it all to God. Trust him to repair the hurt and restore you to a free and loving relationship with Him. He is waiting on you to come.
Power Verses:
"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NLT)
"Keep me, as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me." Psalm 17:8 (NIV)
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Don't Settle for a Mediocre Life
As people travel through life, teachers might label them "average." Family members might limit their dreams. Bosses might stifle them. All too often, people respond by simply settling into a boring, mediocre life. That is one thing my life has never been!
But that's not the kind of life God wants for anyone. Don't settle for it! If you refuse to be satisfied by a life of mediocrity, you'll be free to pursue excellence. In the process, your life will become the unique adventure God has planned for you - and you'll fulfill your highest potential.
Here are some ways you can rise above mediocrity to excellence:
Excel at being who you are.
Embrace your uniqueness by accepting God's unconditional love for you. Know that you are today who you have decided to become, you can be more than you are right now, and you should be the best you can be as an act of worship to God. Understand that your worth is based on who you are - God's beloved child - rather than what you do. Forget who other people think you are; express yourself and become who you really are. Be real. Don't pose, posture, or pretend to gain anything.
Instead, trust God to provide it. Remember that He is on your side and He is all you'll ever really need. Respect yourself by living a life consistent with the real you. Be honest, humble, and willing to help others. Don't keep secrets or hold grudges. Focus your energy on preparing to do something great with your life. Remember that your past and current circumstances don't have to limit your future; nothing is impossible with God. Counter our culture of slick deals and shortcuts by committing to go the extra mile in all you do. Use your God-given talents. Find things you love to do and do well. Then do them the best way you can, for as long as you can.
Give everything you've got to everything you do. Know your business and develop the skills to perform it well. Be enthusiastic. Take the initiative. Make wise decisions. Be reliable. Work smart by balancing work well into your life as a whole. Make a habit of doing more than you're paid to do. Demonstrate a positive attitude. Don't listen to those who try to convince you to compromise your commitment to excellence, or your faith and morals.
Excel at being where you are.
Seize opportunities. Stop waiting for a better time or better conditions. Rely on God's power to take advantage of the opportunities He gives you. Ask yourself what problems you're facing right now, and how those problems present possibilities for you to grow. Be available for God to use whenever and however He wants. Be on the lookout for divine appointments. Conquer your fears. Ask God to give you the confidence to believe that something He has called you to will take place even when you can't yet see it.
Trust in God's wisdom even when you don't understand what He's doing in your life. Obey God even when doing so doesn't seem reasonable or won't make you popular with others. Ask God to give you the perspective to see matters over the long haul and trust Him when you can't control the outcome. Live courageously in the face of danger or difficulty. Get out of your comfort zone and take risks God calls you to take. Stick to your convictions even when they fly in the face of popular opinion. Or get you fired! Center your life on God rather than yourself. Ask God to give you the wisdom to do the right thing for the right reason, in the right way at the right time. Remember that God is faithful to keep all of His promises.
Excel with what you have.
Serve a noble cause. Let love motivate you, and let freedom be your mission. Reject apathy. Employ your passions in the service of others as God leads you. Trade mildness for wildness. Be adventurous, constantly seeking to discover more about God and act on the ideas He gives you. Spend regular time in prayer. Write out your thoughts in a journal. Think while you exercise (while your body is in motion, your brain is free to work on a subconscious level). With your character and competencies in mind, identify your calling in life. Clarify what kind of contribution you'd like to make to the world, and make decisions about how to spend your time and energy around that goal. Take the right risks. Initiate change. Eliminate as many distractions as you can.
Never quit; ask God to help you persevere. Be willing to ask for help as you do your work. Find people who will model something you need to know, but can't learn on your own. Establish relationships with a few mentors who will teach you specific skills. Build friendships with people who will motivate you. Look for people whose personalities are compatible with yours; who will respect confidentiality in your relationship; and who will be loyal, honest, merciful, and tenacious. Always turn to God - your ultimate friend - for help as well.
Excel while you can.
Realize that your time is a part of your life that you can never get back once you've spent it. Guard your time at least as carefully as you do your money. Know that wasting your time is wasting your life. Don't waste it by worrying, gossiping, nursing grudges, trying to please everyone, or living from one crisis to the next. Remember that you will have to account to God at the end of your life for how you used your time.
Think and pray about what your priorities should be, and plan your schedule around that. Focus on more than just be efficient; strive to be effective. Develop a sustainable pace in life, where you have patience and stamina. Surrender to God's motives, trust His methods, and accept His timing. Take a regular inventory of your blessings and thank God for them. Strive to finish the race of life well.
Never let go of hope, even when the future looks bleak. Pursue meaningful work and lifelong learning. Take time to rest and recharge. But never stop living life to its fullest and contributing to the world. Keep in mind the legacy that you would like to leave. Trust God to do great things in your life! I truly do.
Sincerely,
Mrs.P
But that's not the kind of life God wants for anyone. Don't settle for it! If you refuse to be satisfied by a life of mediocrity, you'll be free to pursue excellence. In the process, your life will become the unique adventure God has planned for you - and you'll fulfill your highest potential.
Here are some ways you can rise above mediocrity to excellence:
Excel at being who you are.
Embrace your uniqueness by accepting God's unconditional love for you. Know that you are today who you have decided to become, you can be more than you are right now, and you should be the best you can be as an act of worship to God. Understand that your worth is based on who you are - God's beloved child - rather than what you do. Forget who other people think you are; express yourself and become who you really are. Be real. Don't pose, posture, or pretend to gain anything.
Instead, trust God to provide it. Remember that He is on your side and He is all you'll ever really need. Respect yourself by living a life consistent with the real you. Be honest, humble, and willing to help others. Don't keep secrets or hold grudges. Focus your energy on preparing to do something great with your life. Remember that your past and current circumstances don't have to limit your future; nothing is impossible with God. Counter our culture of slick deals and shortcuts by committing to go the extra mile in all you do. Use your God-given talents. Find things you love to do and do well. Then do them the best way you can, for as long as you can.
Give everything you've got to everything you do. Know your business and develop the skills to perform it well. Be enthusiastic. Take the initiative. Make wise decisions. Be reliable. Work smart by balancing work well into your life as a whole. Make a habit of doing more than you're paid to do. Demonstrate a positive attitude. Don't listen to those who try to convince you to compromise your commitment to excellence, or your faith and morals.
Excel at being where you are.
Seize opportunities. Stop waiting for a better time or better conditions. Rely on God's power to take advantage of the opportunities He gives you. Ask yourself what problems you're facing right now, and how those problems present possibilities for you to grow. Be available for God to use whenever and however He wants. Be on the lookout for divine appointments. Conquer your fears. Ask God to give you the confidence to believe that something He has called you to will take place even when you can't yet see it.
Trust in God's wisdom even when you don't understand what He's doing in your life. Obey God even when doing so doesn't seem reasonable or won't make you popular with others. Ask God to give you the perspective to see matters over the long haul and trust Him when you can't control the outcome. Live courageously in the face of danger or difficulty. Get out of your comfort zone and take risks God calls you to take. Stick to your convictions even when they fly in the face of popular opinion. Or get you fired! Center your life on God rather than yourself. Ask God to give you the wisdom to do the right thing for the right reason, in the right way at the right time. Remember that God is faithful to keep all of His promises.
Excel with what you have.
Serve a noble cause. Let love motivate you, and let freedom be your mission. Reject apathy. Employ your passions in the service of others as God leads you. Trade mildness for wildness. Be adventurous, constantly seeking to discover more about God and act on the ideas He gives you. Spend regular time in prayer. Write out your thoughts in a journal. Think while you exercise (while your body is in motion, your brain is free to work on a subconscious level). With your character and competencies in mind, identify your calling in life. Clarify what kind of contribution you'd like to make to the world, and make decisions about how to spend your time and energy around that goal. Take the right risks. Initiate change. Eliminate as many distractions as you can.
Never quit; ask God to help you persevere. Be willing to ask for help as you do your work. Find people who will model something you need to know, but can't learn on your own. Establish relationships with a few mentors who will teach you specific skills. Build friendships with people who will motivate you. Look for people whose personalities are compatible with yours; who will respect confidentiality in your relationship; and who will be loyal, honest, merciful, and tenacious. Always turn to God - your ultimate friend - for help as well.
Excel while you can.
Realize that your time is a part of your life that you can never get back once you've spent it. Guard your time at least as carefully as you do your money. Know that wasting your time is wasting your life. Don't waste it by worrying, gossiping, nursing grudges, trying to please everyone, or living from one crisis to the next. Remember that you will have to account to God at the end of your life for how you used your time.
Think and pray about what your priorities should be, and plan your schedule around that. Focus on more than just be efficient; strive to be effective. Develop a sustainable pace in life, where you have patience and stamina. Surrender to God's motives, trust His methods, and accept His timing. Take a regular inventory of your blessings and thank God for them. Strive to finish the race of life well.
Never let go of hope, even when the future looks bleak. Pursue meaningful work and lifelong learning. Take time to rest and recharge. But never stop living life to its fullest and contributing to the world. Keep in mind the legacy that you would like to leave. Trust God to do great things in your life! I truly do.
Sincerely,
Mrs.P
The Power Within Us
Ephesians 3:14-21
Whatever we are facing in life, we as believers have a great advantage because the Holy Spirit is living within us. That doesn't mean we are always going to be successful in a worldly way, but it does mean that God gives us strength to accomplish the things He calls us to do.
The world's idea of success is more prosperity, more prominence, more position, and more power. But success in the eyes of God is discovering and pursuing His will through the power of His Spirit.
The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds so that we can think the way God thinks and understand more about Him. The Spirit also energizes our physical bodies. We all have faced situations where our human strength was exhausted, but inner strength kept us going so that we didn't even feel weary. That is the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is the Spirit of God who quickens our emotions so that we can experience love for difficult people or peace in hard circumstances. The third member of the Trinity also works in the life of the believer by enabling our will. When we have to make decisions, we can rely on Him to illumine our mind and make it possible for us to make the best choices.
The Holy Spirit releases His supernatural power in the direction that is needed at the moment - mind, body, emotion, or will. This is not a power that we can muster up, nor is it even the result of years of obeying God. The power of the Holy Spirit is God's gift to every believer.
For greater is He that is in you than is in the world!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Whatever we are facing in life, we as believers have a great advantage because the Holy Spirit is living within us. That doesn't mean we are always going to be successful in a worldly way, but it does mean that God gives us strength to accomplish the things He calls us to do.
The world's idea of success is more prosperity, more prominence, more position, and more power. But success in the eyes of God is discovering and pursuing His will through the power of His Spirit.
The Holy Spirit illuminates our minds so that we can think the way God thinks and understand more about Him. The Spirit also energizes our physical bodies. We all have faced situations where our human strength was exhausted, but inner strength kept us going so that we didn't even feel weary. That is the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is the Spirit of God who quickens our emotions so that we can experience love for difficult people or peace in hard circumstances. The third member of the Trinity also works in the life of the believer by enabling our will. When we have to make decisions, we can rely on Him to illumine our mind and make it possible for us to make the best choices.
The Holy Spirit releases His supernatural power in the direction that is needed at the moment - mind, body, emotion, or will. This is not a power that we can muster up, nor is it even the result of years of obeying God. The power of the Holy Spirit is God's gift to every believer.
For greater is He that is in you than is in the world!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Watching God Work
Ephesians 3:14-21
We have the privilege of serving a God who does abundantly more than we can imagine. Most believers go through their daily life with no real awareness that the Lord is at work. However, He is active all the time orchestrating circumstances, listening to our prayers, and working through us to serve others. You are God's creation, and He is at work in your life so that you will bring Him glory and honor.
We must learn to see God at work. To do that, we first need to observe how He worked in the lives of men and women in Scripture. It is also important to listen to what He says to our hearts. If we think God has never spoken to us, then we either have not been listening or we do not really expect an answer at all.
To listen and learn, we must have a right relationship with the Lord, confessing our sins and choosing to serve Him. We cannot see God at work if we are not prayerful people. Prayer centers our attention on Him. That focus opens us to the fact that we are loved enough to receive direction from our Father.
Often, though, we do not receive guidance according to our schedule. God often works over long periods of time, so we must practice patience. A human parent needs at least 18 years to teach a child how to function appropriately in the world. How much longer must it take God to achieve His goal of making us into whom He wants us to become?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
We have the privilege of serving a God who does abundantly more than we can imagine. Most believers go through their daily life with no real awareness that the Lord is at work. However, He is active all the time orchestrating circumstances, listening to our prayers, and working through us to serve others. You are God's creation, and He is at work in your life so that you will bring Him glory and honor.
We must learn to see God at work. To do that, we first need to observe how He worked in the lives of men and women in Scripture. It is also important to listen to what He says to our hearts. If we think God has never spoken to us, then we either have not been listening or we do not really expect an answer at all.
To listen and learn, we must have a right relationship with the Lord, confessing our sins and choosing to serve Him. We cannot see God at work if we are not prayerful people. Prayer centers our attention on Him. That focus opens us to the fact that we are loved enough to receive direction from our Father.
Often, though, we do not receive guidance according to our schedule. God often works over long periods of time, so we must practice patience. A human parent needs at least 18 years to teach a child how to function appropriately in the world. How much longer must it take God to achieve His goal of making us into whom He wants us to become?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
The Message in the Storm
Psalm 62:1-8
One of the most difficult things we are to do as believers is to "wait silently for God only." We think of waiting as passively sitting back until something happens. However, in the midst of a stormy life event, we don't want to wait. Our instinct is to react quickly and force things to change. Or we want to try and fix things ourselves immediately.
But this word "wait" means something different here - it means "pause for further instructions." Instead of passivity, we choose to stop our actions and listen for God's directive. Sometimes God is silent for a season, but He always has a purpose. He has a perfect time for us to act, and until that moment, we must wait. More strength and character are required to be still in the midst of a storm than to frantically seek our own solution. I will be giving you a perfect real life example of God's perfect timing and purpose in the form of a personal testimony this week.
I can tell you that I sometimes wait impatiently. I am nervous and question God. Or I complain. But those reactions do not fit who we are as believers. Paul tells us plainly to "be anxious for nothing" but to pray to God who offers peace. So we are to wait in silence without complaining, which means we must have patience. In order to be patient, we must trust God's wisdom, love, power, and timing. We cannot go wrong when we trust Him.
The key to peace in the storm is waiting for God only. When we refuse to wait on Him, we make bad decisions. He hears our every prayer, but we must be willing to wait in silence and listen for His reply. This is easier said than done but well worth the effort.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
One of the most difficult things we are to do as believers is to "wait silently for God only." We think of waiting as passively sitting back until something happens. However, in the midst of a stormy life event, we don't want to wait. Our instinct is to react quickly and force things to change. Or we want to try and fix things ourselves immediately.
But this word "wait" means something different here - it means "pause for further instructions." Instead of passivity, we choose to stop our actions and listen for God's directive. Sometimes God is silent for a season, but He always has a purpose. He has a perfect time for us to act, and until that moment, we must wait. More strength and character are required to be still in the midst of a storm than to frantically seek our own solution. I will be giving you a perfect real life example of God's perfect timing and purpose in the form of a personal testimony this week.
I can tell you that I sometimes wait impatiently. I am nervous and question God. Or I complain. But those reactions do not fit who we are as believers. Paul tells us plainly to "be anxious for nothing" but to pray to God who offers peace. So we are to wait in silence without complaining, which means we must have patience. In order to be patient, we must trust God's wisdom, love, power, and timing. We cannot go wrong when we trust Him.
The key to peace in the storm is waiting for God only. When we refuse to wait on Him, we make bad decisions. He hears our every prayer, but we must be willing to wait in silence and listen for His reply. This is easier said than done but well worth the effort.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
What is Worldliness?
There is no simple answer to the question: What is worldliness? But I am going to let James give what I think is his very definitive answer. What is worldliness? James says that worldliness is strife and envy. We need to go back to chapter 3 to pick up his thoughts. In James 3:13 we read, “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” Faith is the major in James' university, and all elective courses are related to faith. Works of faith bring meekness. Then we read, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle” (James 3:17). There is meekness or humility, and humility means submission.
In James 3:16 we read, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” That is worldliness. And worldliness in the church has produced all the cults, denominations, factions, divisions, and cliques which have arisen and abound in the church today. There is a spirit of rivalry and jealousy in the church. In the previous verse, James describes this as “earthly”-that is, it is confined to the earth. It is “sensual”-that is, psychological. And then it's “devilish” or demonic, which is something quite terrible, my friend.
What do envy and strife produce in this world? They produce “confusion and every evil work.” With this as background, we can recognize what James is saying now in chapter 4-
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (James 4:1)
“Wars” have to do with the wars of nations. “Fightings” have to do with little skirmishes-that little fight you had in the church-you remember?
“Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” You wanted to have your own way. “Lusts that war in your members” are actually sensual pleasures. Strife and turmoil are created by conflicts and the overweening demands of the members of the body for satisfaction.
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (James 4:2)
Selfish desires, James makes it very clear, lead to war. This spirit of strife is worldliness, and it is not the true beleivers approach. These are the things which represent the old nature. A man must be regenerated by faith and be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
What James describes here is the spirit of the world. When the spirit of the world gets into the church, you have a worldly church. My friend, do you think it is bad out on the battlefield? Did you think it was bad in Vietnam? Well, it was, but inside some churches and inside the hearts of some individuals it is just as bad. In the business world there is dog-eat-dog competition-that is worldliness. Political parties split, and one group becomes pitted against another. As capital and labor meet around the conference table, there is a battle going on. In the social world there are climbers on the social ladder who are stepping on the hands of others as they go up. In your neighborhood and mine one family does not speak to another family. Within families there are quarrels, brother against brother. Then that spirit gets into the church. That, my friend, is worldliness.
Think about for a while. Food for thought?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
In James 3:16 we read, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” That is worldliness. And worldliness in the church has produced all the cults, denominations, factions, divisions, and cliques which have arisen and abound in the church today. There is a spirit of rivalry and jealousy in the church. In the previous verse, James describes this as “earthly”-that is, it is confined to the earth. It is “sensual”-that is, psychological. And then it's “devilish” or demonic, which is something quite terrible, my friend.
What do envy and strife produce in this world? They produce “confusion and every evil work.” With this as background, we can recognize what James is saying now in chapter 4-
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (James 4:1)
“Wars” have to do with the wars of nations. “Fightings” have to do with little skirmishes-that little fight you had in the church-you remember?
“Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” You wanted to have your own way. “Lusts that war in your members” are actually sensual pleasures. Strife and turmoil are created by conflicts and the overweening demands of the members of the body for satisfaction.
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (James 4:2)
Selfish desires, James makes it very clear, lead to war. This spirit of strife is worldliness, and it is not the true beleivers approach. These are the things which represent the old nature. A man must be regenerated by faith and be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
What James describes here is the spirit of the world. When the spirit of the world gets into the church, you have a worldly church. My friend, do you think it is bad out on the battlefield? Did you think it was bad in Vietnam? Well, it was, but inside some churches and inside the hearts of some individuals it is just as bad. In the business world there is dog-eat-dog competition-that is worldliness. Political parties split, and one group becomes pitted against another. As capital and labor meet around the conference table, there is a battle going on. In the social world there are climbers on the social ladder who are stepping on the hands of others as they go up. In your neighborhood and mine one family does not speak to another family. Within families there are quarrels, brother against brother. Then that spirit gets into the church. That, my friend, is worldliness.
Think about for a while. Food for thought?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Faith Through Wins and Losses
Thou didst gird me with strength for the battle. . . . — II Samuel 22:40 (RSV)
God bless my seventh-grade history teacher, Mr. Black, for turning the dollar-bill figure of George Washington into flesh and blood for us. He walked him into our lives with descriptive tidbits told with dramatic flair.
We knew, for instance, that Washington had red hair covered with a powdered wig; that he had false teeth that gave him fits; that his face was scarred from smallpox; that he was a farmer ahead of his time in rotating crops; that in the French and Indian War he had two horses shot out from under him; that he was shy but learned to be sociable; that he wrestled a bad temper; that during the crushing winter of Valley Forge he knelt in the snow to pray.
And we knew that when, in the throes of victory over the British, the people were ready to crown him king—King George—he penned a hasty reply from his Mount Vernon home: “Banish the thought from your minds!” Instead, he submitted to the Constitution, and with Congress launched a republic, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
On this day, Washington is rightly honored as the father of our country, a larger-than-life figure. But, as Mr. Black would tell you, he was also a person with foibles and faults like all of us, whose virtues are not just to be admired; they’re to be imitated.
Lord, help me to have faith in You and stay the course through wins and losses.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
God bless my seventh-grade history teacher, Mr. Black, for turning the dollar-bill figure of George Washington into flesh and blood for us. He walked him into our lives with descriptive tidbits told with dramatic flair.
We knew, for instance, that Washington had red hair covered with a powdered wig; that he had false teeth that gave him fits; that his face was scarred from smallpox; that he was a farmer ahead of his time in rotating crops; that in the French and Indian War he had two horses shot out from under him; that he was shy but learned to be sociable; that he wrestled a bad temper; that during the crushing winter of Valley Forge he knelt in the snow to pray.
And we knew that when, in the throes of victory over the British, the people were ready to crown him king—King George—he penned a hasty reply from his Mount Vernon home: “Banish the thought from your minds!” Instead, he submitted to the Constitution, and with Congress launched a republic, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
On this day, Washington is rightly honored as the father of our country, a larger-than-life figure. But, as Mr. Black would tell you, he was also a person with foibles and faults like all of us, whose virtues are not just to be admired; they’re to be imitated.
Lord, help me to have faith in You and stay the course through wins and losses.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
The Obstacle to Humility
Proverbs 6:16-19
Humility is a healthy, godly sense of our merits, talents, and achievements. In the life of the believer, one thing stands as an obstacle to humility - pride. To think of oneself above others is the exact opposite of the lowliness of mind that God calls us to demonstrate. Pride is deceitful in that we might not recognize it in our own heart. Even more dangerous is the person who can be proud on the inside and yet appear humble to others. But we cannot fool God.
Our heavenly Father hates pride because He understands its destructive power. When we are proud, what we're really saying is that we know better than God. He places pride - "haughty eyes" - at the top of the list of seven abominations. That doesn't mean that He hates the person who is prideful. God loves all of us; consequently, He despises anything that will harm us.
Pride blocks communication with God. When Jesus stood before King Herod, who had a reputation for being prideful, the Lord refused to answer the king's questions. (Luke 23:9) Likewise, we cannot come to God in pride and expect our prayers to answered. Our worthiness is not God's basis for considering our prayer requests; the fact of the matter is that we are not worthy. God instead responds to our need.
When we try to live in our own strength, we can expect God to ridicule our schemes (Psalms 2:1-5), ruin our successes (2 Chronicles 26), and remove our status (Daniel 5). He wants us to renounce our pride before we are destroyed by it.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Humility is a healthy, godly sense of our merits, talents, and achievements. In the life of the believer, one thing stands as an obstacle to humility - pride. To think of oneself above others is the exact opposite of the lowliness of mind that God calls us to demonstrate. Pride is deceitful in that we might not recognize it in our own heart. Even more dangerous is the person who can be proud on the inside and yet appear humble to others. But we cannot fool God.
Our heavenly Father hates pride because He understands its destructive power. When we are proud, what we're really saying is that we know better than God. He places pride - "haughty eyes" - at the top of the list of seven abominations. That doesn't mean that He hates the person who is prideful. God loves all of us; consequently, He despises anything that will harm us.
Pride blocks communication with God. When Jesus stood before King Herod, who had a reputation for being prideful, the Lord refused to answer the king's questions. (Luke 23:9) Likewise, we cannot come to God in pride and expect our prayers to answered. Our worthiness is not God's basis for considering our prayer requests; the fact of the matter is that we are not worthy. God instead responds to our need.
When we try to live in our own strength, we can expect God to ridicule our schemes (Psalms 2:1-5), ruin our successes (2 Chronicles 26), and remove our status (Daniel 5). He wants us to renounce our pride before we are destroyed by it.
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Humility in the Life of the Believer
Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus lived his earthly days with a humble spirit, and He taught us to demonstrate humility as well. In the kingdom of God, those who become like little children are honored (Matthew 18:4); the one who wants to be first must take last place (Mark 9:35); and servanthood is a mark of prominence in God's eyes. (Matthew 23:11) With His teachings, Jesus turned the world's definition of greatness upside down. In heaven, meekness is an attribute of great honor.
Humility does not automatically come to those who have few material belongings or to those who give their possessions away. The rich can be unassuming people, just as the poor can be proud. Success does not have to lead to pride, nor does defeat automatically mean humbleness. What determines humility is attitude. Jesus promises that those who humble themselves on earth will be exalted by their heavenly Father. However, He warns that those who put themselves first will find themselves opposed by God. (James 4:6)
As we recognize that we can do nothing of value apart from the Lord, we will have started on the road to meekness. When we lay down all our plans and instead accept God's, we will be leaving behind our proud selves. If we are misunderstood or treated unfairly, but stay where we are until God tells us to speak or move, then we will have begun to live the humble life.
Certain individuals have asked me why I stayed in places where I was mistreated and unappreciated. I have thought a lot about this question in recent weeks since my separation from my most recent employer. And I believe that God told me to speak when I stood up for what I believed was right with them. As a result He enabled me to move on. Yes, God does indeed work in mysterious ways. It was not pleasant the way things happened, but it truly was a blessing in disguise. So to answer this question I would have to say that I stayed where I was until God told me to speak and move. During that working year I prayed for that family and business day and night. At times I even shared my written daily messages with them. Some of which I know the Lord inspired for them.
The Lord offers to be our Master Teacher so we might learn the godly lessons of humility. Will you let Him serve you in this way?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
Jesus lived his earthly days with a humble spirit, and He taught us to demonstrate humility as well. In the kingdom of God, those who become like little children are honored (Matthew 18:4); the one who wants to be first must take last place (Mark 9:35); and servanthood is a mark of prominence in God's eyes. (Matthew 23:11) With His teachings, Jesus turned the world's definition of greatness upside down. In heaven, meekness is an attribute of great honor.
Humility does not automatically come to those who have few material belongings or to those who give their possessions away. The rich can be unassuming people, just as the poor can be proud. Success does not have to lead to pride, nor does defeat automatically mean humbleness. What determines humility is attitude. Jesus promises that those who humble themselves on earth will be exalted by their heavenly Father. However, He warns that those who put themselves first will find themselves opposed by God. (James 4:6)
As we recognize that we can do nothing of value apart from the Lord, we will have started on the road to meekness. When we lay down all our plans and instead accept God's, we will be leaving behind our proud selves. If we are misunderstood or treated unfairly, but stay where we are until God tells us to speak or move, then we will have begun to live the humble life.
Certain individuals have asked me why I stayed in places where I was mistreated and unappreciated. I have thought a lot about this question in recent weeks since my separation from my most recent employer. And I believe that God told me to speak when I stood up for what I believed was right with them. As a result He enabled me to move on. Yes, God does indeed work in mysterious ways. It was not pleasant the way things happened, but it truly was a blessing in disguise. So to answer this question I would have to say that I stayed where I was until God told me to speak and move. During that working year I prayed for that family and business day and night. At times I even shared my written daily messages with them. Some of which I know the Lord inspired for them.
The Lord offers to be our Master Teacher so we might learn the godly lessons of humility. Will you let Him serve you in this way?
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
God's Motives
2 Samuel 22:20
He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Questioning someone's motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling out of God's will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.
God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"? No limitations? A large, grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus. Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.
The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him.
Thank you God that you rescued me from my past failures and brought me into victory in next level of faith in You!
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Questioning someone's motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling out of God's will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.
God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"? No limitations? A large, grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus. Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.
The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him.
Thank you God that you rescued me from my past failures and brought me into victory in next level of faith in You!
Sincerely,
Mrs. P
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