Bittersweet… I use a bittersweet chocolate in baking. It looks yummy, but by itself, it’s really pretty yucky. Bitter.
A square of that chocolate mixed with appropriate amounts of other ingredients will produce a perfectly delightful dessert. Sweet.
The dessert can’t taste as it does without that bitter ingredient.
Life is certainly like that.
The delightful is often gained by having some bitter experiences in the mix. But no matter how bitter, God is able to sweeten. “Though I …see trouble…many and bitter, You will restore…You will bring me up…You will increase..and comfort..” (Ps. 71:20)
It takes all the ingredients for my recipe. It takes that bitter chocolate…else the whole thing is a failure.
Life is certainly like that.
“Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered….” (Isaiah 38:17)
In every struggle, I want to expect the benefit.
I want to recognize every sweet thing that comes from the bitter.
I want to praise Him….before, during, and after.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Do it.....
Do it… Nike says just ‘do it’. Ever had someone ask you how you ‘do it’? ….
Ever wonder how someone can get thru what they get thru? Ever wonder if they will?
Is it a matter of putting your ears back, your head down, and just pushing thru?
Perhaps sometimes it is. More often than not, it is a matter of calling on a Power greater than self.
As I was thinking and praying about the coming days and the obligations I have, I began wondering how I was going to ‘do it’. Then as I was interceding for someone who has a burden of sorrow I’ve never experienced, I wondered how she would ‘do it’.
I asked God to ‘show out’ thru her circumstances, to be so actively evident in her life, helping her to cope, enabling her to go on….it is an opportunity to show Your stuff Lord. Just ‘do it’ for her. And everyone will see that she has extra-ordinary, super-natural ways of dealing with this burden.
That’s when He whispered to me….I will ‘do it’ for you Connie. But only if you allow me. You can insist on ‘doing it’ yourself. But you can’t sit down and quit when you run out of your own resources….you have to stay on the field even then, and allow me to ‘do it’ even and especially when you can not.
I have been hearing the accuser. (Rev. 12:10) And I’m so relieved to identify that fact. Satan can no longer accuse me before God. I am washed in the Blood of The Lamb. But he still accuses me. He still lies. He still twists truth. He is a devil. His purposes will NOT be accomplished thru me….Lord, please make my eyes and heart to see his lies and activities.
What may be accomplished thru ‘me’ and ‘my’ obligations, will be accomplished thru the extra-ordinary, super-natural Power of the Holy Spirit of God.
It is not for my glory. No longer will I retreat because of that accusation from the enemy.
What is it that God wants to accomplish thru you that you draw back from? Are you retreating because of fear of failure, or fear of fame? Either one is a tactic of the enemy to hide the glory of God.
And to keep us in bondage.
God forbid.
Ever wonder how someone can get thru what they get thru? Ever wonder if they will?
Is it a matter of putting your ears back, your head down, and just pushing thru?
Perhaps sometimes it is. More often than not, it is a matter of calling on a Power greater than self.
As I was thinking and praying about the coming days and the obligations I have, I began wondering how I was going to ‘do it’. Then as I was interceding for someone who has a burden of sorrow I’ve never experienced, I wondered how she would ‘do it’.
I asked God to ‘show out’ thru her circumstances, to be so actively evident in her life, helping her to cope, enabling her to go on….it is an opportunity to show Your stuff Lord. Just ‘do it’ for her. And everyone will see that she has extra-ordinary, super-natural ways of dealing with this burden.
That’s when He whispered to me….I will ‘do it’ for you Connie. But only if you allow me. You can insist on ‘doing it’ yourself. But you can’t sit down and quit when you run out of your own resources….you have to stay on the field even then, and allow me to ‘do it’ even and especially when you can not.
I have been hearing the accuser. (Rev. 12:10) And I’m so relieved to identify that fact. Satan can no longer accuse me before God. I am washed in the Blood of The Lamb. But he still accuses me. He still lies. He still twists truth. He is a devil. His purposes will NOT be accomplished thru me….Lord, please make my eyes and heart to see his lies and activities.
What may be accomplished thru ‘me’ and ‘my’ obligations, will be accomplished thru the extra-ordinary, super-natural Power of the Holy Spirit of God.
It is not for my glory. No longer will I retreat because of that accusation from the enemy.
What is it that God wants to accomplish thru you that you draw back from? Are you retreating because of fear of failure, or fear of fame? Either one is a tactic of the enemy to hide the glory of God.
And to keep us in bondage.
God forbid.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Discovery...
Discovery… Webster says it’s making known, bringing to light, to find something, first sight…
Columbus is said to have ‘discovered’ America. This continent was already here, Columbus didn’t create it. This continent had people on it, it wasn’t a ‘discovery’ to them. Just to Columbus.
Have you ever discovered anything?
Earlier this week I heard the word used to describe what happens when we study scripture for ourselves. We discover.
We can learn by listening to preachers. But that’s hearing what they have ‘discovered’.
We can learn by reading books and commentaries. Again, that is hearing what someone else has ‘discovered’.
The best preacher is the Holy Spirit of God.
“..The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said….”(John 14:26)
“The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit, just as it has taught you…remain in Him… Continue in Him….”(1John 2:27)
Coupled with an open Bible and open heart, He turns us into a walking, talking, living, breathing commentary.
Teachers are great. Research material is great. But without the power of the Holy Spirit of God, it will be lifeless, powerless information.
There is absolutely nothing like discovering Him for yourself. And when you do, you can’t help but tell it.
What have you discovered about Him, for yourself, that you can relate to someone else? Open your bible, open your heart, and go to the throne of God in prayer…ask Him to teach you. He will.
“When the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is..” (John 16:13 The Message)
“I turned my mind to understand, to investigate, and to search out….” (Ecc. 7:25)
“..the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you…”(1Ch. 28:9)
Columbus is said to have ‘discovered’ America. This continent was already here, Columbus didn’t create it. This continent had people on it, it wasn’t a ‘discovery’ to them. Just to Columbus.
Have you ever discovered anything?
Earlier this week I heard the word used to describe what happens when we study scripture for ourselves. We discover.
We can learn by listening to preachers. But that’s hearing what they have ‘discovered’.
We can learn by reading books and commentaries. Again, that is hearing what someone else has ‘discovered’.
The best preacher is the Holy Spirit of God.
“..The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said….”(John 14:26)
“The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit, just as it has taught you…remain in Him… Continue in Him….”(1John 2:27)
Coupled with an open Bible and open heart, He turns us into a walking, talking, living, breathing commentary.
Teachers are great. Research material is great. But without the power of the Holy Spirit of God, it will be lifeless, powerless information.
There is absolutely nothing like discovering Him for yourself. And when you do, you can’t help but tell it.
What have you discovered about Him, for yourself, that you can relate to someone else? Open your bible, open your heart, and go to the throne of God in prayer…ask Him to teach you. He will.
“When the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is..” (John 16:13 The Message)
“I turned my mind to understand, to investigate, and to search out….” (Ecc. 7:25)
“..the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you…”(1Ch. 28:9)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Goal....
Goal… It is that time of year again, time for the competition to begin over goals. Who will make more trips across the goal line….
I’m not a football fan. But I do understand goal lines. I have battled against opposition trying to reach goals. It is often a struggle to gain any ground.
This morning I am beginning preparations for a Bible study that will continue until spring. And I ask myself what my goal is.
Is it to gain information? Learn facts? Figure out end-times? (..this year the study is Isaiah)
I want my goal to be a more vibrant relationship with my Lord. I want to be filled and re-filled with HIS joy, even when it gets difficult. I want the facts and information to come to life, to apply to my situations and my circumstances, to jump off the pages and into my face and heart.
There has already been opposition. There has been interference when I turned my eyes and thoughts to the matter. There is a very real enemy who will try to steal away my purposes. He has a different goal, in the opposite direction.
So, what is your goal? Do you have one? Is there a definite purpose for your being alive this day? Will you accomplish any purpose, any eternal value in that purpose?
I’ll do a lot of hair today. But God willing, that will be the least of it. May today be a day that He uses me to gain ground on some spiritual field…perhaps even reaching a goal.
May my desire be to play my position and play it well…whether it’s blocking the opposition, or stepping across the goal line….my part is important.
I’m not a football fan. But I do understand goal lines. I have battled against opposition trying to reach goals. It is often a struggle to gain any ground.
This morning I am beginning preparations for a Bible study that will continue until spring. And I ask myself what my goal is.
Is it to gain information? Learn facts? Figure out end-times? (..this year the study is Isaiah)
I want my goal to be a more vibrant relationship with my Lord. I want to be filled and re-filled with HIS joy, even when it gets difficult. I want the facts and information to come to life, to apply to my situations and my circumstances, to jump off the pages and into my face and heart.
There has already been opposition. There has been interference when I turned my eyes and thoughts to the matter. There is a very real enemy who will try to steal away my purposes. He has a different goal, in the opposite direction.
So, what is your goal? Do you have one? Is there a definite purpose for your being alive this day? Will you accomplish any purpose, any eternal value in that purpose?
I’ll do a lot of hair today. But God willing, that will be the least of it. May today be a day that He uses me to gain ground on some spiritual field…perhaps even reaching a goal.
May my desire be to play my position and play it well…whether it’s blocking the opposition, or stepping across the goal line….my part is important.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Concealer...
Concealer… We girls use them often….to hide some flaw that our foundation won’t cover.
I’ve never had a lot of problems with my skin, even as a teenager. But…every now and then my skin decides to gift me with a zit. And, the area under my eyes seems to get darker and darker, not to mention baggier. So…concealer is my friend.
We can hide a lot of imperfections….and not just with cosmetics. We all have our methods of covering them up. We often are quite good at putting on the mask, hiding….pretending. It’s an old strategy, it began in The Garden with a fig-leaf. (Gen.3:7)
The hiding is such a waste of energy. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.”(Heb. 4:13) We are much better off to embrace the truth, respond to the guilty feeling by running TO Him instead of away.
Besides, “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts…”, anyway. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed..” (Matt. 10:26)
We are believing a lie to think we can conceal any little thing from Him. Oh….we can conceal it from others. But there is absolutely no advantage in it. It changes nothing for the better, in fact, it may lead to our own heart believing the lie of the enemy and even becoming calloused, even worse…hiding God’s Face from us.
“…your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden His Face from you..”(Isa.59:2) “There’s nothing wrong with God, the wrong is in you. Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God. Your sins got between you so that He doesn’t hear.” (same passage, The Message)
Here is my goal…I want to get rid of the concealer. I want to feel no need to hide.
“Keep your servant from willful sins, may they not rule over me”(Ps. 19:12)
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Ps. 19:14)
It’s a work in progress….a daily, moment by moment choice….throwing away the urge to conceal, embracing truth, even when it’s ugly….
…and running TO the One Who “..restores the joy of salvation…and grants me a willing spirit..”(Ps. 51:12)
I’ve never had a lot of problems with my skin, even as a teenager. But…every now and then my skin decides to gift me with a zit. And, the area under my eyes seems to get darker and darker, not to mention baggier. So…concealer is my friend.
We can hide a lot of imperfections….and not just with cosmetics. We all have our methods of covering them up. We often are quite good at putting on the mask, hiding….pretending. It’s an old strategy, it began in The Garden with a fig-leaf. (Gen.3:7)
The hiding is such a waste of energy. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.”(Heb. 4:13) We are much better off to embrace the truth, respond to the guilty feeling by running TO Him instead of away.
Besides, “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts…”, anyway. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed..” (Matt. 10:26)
We are believing a lie to think we can conceal any little thing from Him. Oh….we can conceal it from others. But there is absolutely no advantage in it. It changes nothing for the better, in fact, it may lead to our own heart believing the lie of the enemy and even becoming calloused, even worse…hiding God’s Face from us.
“…your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden His Face from you..”(Isa.59:2) “There’s nothing wrong with God, the wrong is in you. Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God. Your sins got between you so that He doesn’t hear.” (same passage, The Message)
Here is my goal…I want to get rid of the concealer. I want to feel no need to hide.
“Keep your servant from willful sins, may they not rule over me”(Ps. 19:12)
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Ps. 19:14)
It’s a work in progress….a daily, moment by moment choice….throwing away the urge to conceal, embracing truth, even when it’s ugly….
…and running TO the One Who “..restores the joy of salvation…and grants me a willing spirit..”(Ps. 51:12)
Friday, August 27, 2010
Older...
Older… We count the years. We expect. We dread.
We expect our children to roll over, then crawl, then walk… on and on the list goes as our babies get older. Then we dread the day they leave, even though we expect it…even pray for it.
We dread the years piling up on us, dread the aches and pains, the health issues, the wrinkles. Even though we expect to get old, even want to live to be very old, we dread.
We expect to take care of our children. We expect to take care of ourselves. But do we really do either?
In reality, without what God provides, we are utterly helpless.
“Listen to Me…you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He Who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare me or count me equal?” (Isa. 46:3-5)
We are deceived by Satan’s lies that we have any power at all. The only thing we have is choice.
And with that choice, we choose so poorly sometimes. We choose to ‘pour out gold …hire someone…make a god and lift it up on our shoulders and carry it…set it up where it stands and can’t move from that spot. Though we might cry out to it, it does not answer and can not save from any trouble.’ (vs. 6-7 my version)
I never want my trust to be in money. I don’t want to pour it out in any way, trying to buy what only God can really provide. There is no security outside of Him.
I never want my trust to be in any thing or any system. We set up all these ‘things’ that supposedly make us secure, or even things that supposedly make us ‘righteous’ or ‘saved’. Then we must sustain it, we must carry it as it gets heavier and heavier. No thing and no system can make one iota of difference in an eternal way. There is no security outside of Him.
As I get older I want to pray regularly with David… “O God, You have taught me from my youth….now when I am old and gray headed, Oh God, forsake me not until I have shown Your strength to this generation and Your power to every one that is to come….” (Ps. 71: 7-8)
I’m older than I was. But I am not as old as I want to be.
And I want to be more and more useful as I grow older. Not less.
I long to watch and count as my children grow older. And I expect to see God do mighty things in their lives and expect Him to work through them as they too grow older.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3John 1:4)
We expect our children to roll over, then crawl, then walk… on and on the list goes as our babies get older. Then we dread the day they leave, even though we expect it…even pray for it.
We dread the years piling up on us, dread the aches and pains, the health issues, the wrinkles. Even though we expect to get old, even want to live to be very old, we dread.
We expect to take care of our children. We expect to take care of ourselves. But do we really do either?
In reality, without what God provides, we are utterly helpless.
“Listen to Me…you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He Who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare me or count me equal?” (Isa. 46:3-5)
We are deceived by Satan’s lies that we have any power at all. The only thing we have is choice.
And with that choice, we choose so poorly sometimes. We choose to ‘pour out gold …hire someone…make a god and lift it up on our shoulders and carry it…set it up where it stands and can’t move from that spot. Though we might cry out to it, it does not answer and can not save from any trouble.’ (vs. 6-7 my version)
I never want my trust to be in money. I don’t want to pour it out in any way, trying to buy what only God can really provide. There is no security outside of Him.
I never want my trust to be in any thing or any system. We set up all these ‘things’ that supposedly make us secure, or even things that supposedly make us ‘righteous’ or ‘saved’. Then we must sustain it, we must carry it as it gets heavier and heavier. No thing and no system can make one iota of difference in an eternal way. There is no security outside of Him.
As I get older I want to pray regularly with David… “O God, You have taught me from my youth….now when I am old and gray headed, Oh God, forsake me not until I have shown Your strength to this generation and Your power to every one that is to come….” (Ps. 71: 7-8)
I’m older than I was. But I am not as old as I want to be.
And I want to be more and more useful as I grow older. Not less.
I long to watch and count as my children grow older. And I expect to see God do mighty things in their lives and expect Him to work through them as they too grow older.
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3John 1:4)
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Glory...
Glory… is it an ego trip?
Scripture has a lot to say about glory, especially about the glory of God. I once thought God had a really big ego that needed fed. Why else would He have so much to say in His Word about bringing Him glory?
I’m faced often with hard situations and difficult choices. Most of them would be so easy to make were I not a follower of Jesus Christ.
Every time I make a decision and follow through with actions in line with what Jesus would do, I bring Him glory…. (..remember WWJD?..)
In those difficult times I have opportunity to display the Character of God….IF (big if..) ….If my choice is made from His Truth, if I am doing it because it is right, if it is because He has called me to do it, and if I recognize that it is thru the power of His Holy Spirit that I am enabled and empowered to do it.
If you ever see any fruit of righteousness in me, you can be sure that it is because thru Jesus Christ, my love has abounded, my knowledge and depth of insight has abounded, if I am able to discern what is best, it comes thru Jesus Christ….and you need to be attracted to God because of what He might show you thru my life…. (Php. 1:9-11 my personalized version and Paul’s prayer for us )
There are many times I’d sure like to be Jonah. Run the other way. Pass my judgment and hold back God’s love and mercy from somebody else. Yep, some days my name is Jo-netta.
Sigh….
God doesn’t need glory. We need to see it.
God’s doesn’t need glory. I need to reflect it.…..because my glory at it’s best is still not attractive….only ‘filthy rags’. (Isa. 64:6)
“Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of Your Name. Deliver us and forgive our sins for Your Name’s sake.” (Ps. 79:9)
“I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.” (Php. 4:13)
Scripture has a lot to say about glory, especially about the glory of God. I once thought God had a really big ego that needed fed. Why else would He have so much to say in His Word about bringing Him glory?
I’m faced often with hard situations and difficult choices. Most of them would be so easy to make were I not a follower of Jesus Christ.
Every time I make a decision and follow through with actions in line with what Jesus would do, I bring Him glory…. (..remember WWJD?..)
In those difficult times I have opportunity to display the Character of God….IF (big if..) ….If my choice is made from His Truth, if I am doing it because it is right, if it is because He has called me to do it, and if I recognize that it is thru the power of His Holy Spirit that I am enabled and empowered to do it.
If you ever see any fruit of righteousness in me, you can be sure that it is because thru Jesus Christ, my love has abounded, my knowledge and depth of insight has abounded, if I am able to discern what is best, it comes thru Jesus Christ….and you need to be attracted to God because of what He might show you thru my life…. (Php. 1:9-11 my personalized version and Paul’s prayer for us )
There are many times I’d sure like to be Jonah. Run the other way. Pass my judgment and hold back God’s love and mercy from somebody else. Yep, some days my name is Jo-netta.
Sigh….
God doesn’t need glory. We need to see it.
God’s doesn’t need glory. I need to reflect it.…..because my glory at it’s best is still not attractive….only ‘filthy rags’. (Isa. 64:6)
“Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of Your Name. Deliver us and forgive our sins for Your Name’s sake.” (Ps. 79:9)
“I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.” (Php. 4:13)
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