We give Santa a list of what to provide under our tree.
God is JEHOVAH JIREH, Hebrew for 'The Lord provides'.
Matthew 6:32 tells us that our God knows what we need even before we do...and verse 30 tells us that if God takes care of the fields, He will surely take care of us !
Our... problem is we get 'needs' and 'greeds' mixed up !!
What is on your list this year?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Everywhere...
Santa can visit every house on planet earth in one night.
God is omnipresent. He is in every place at all times. He does not come to visit a believer, He comes to remain.
God is YAHWEH SHAMMAH...Hebrew for 'The Lord is there'.
And yes, He is real.
God is omnipresent. He is in every place at all times. He does not come to visit a believer, He comes to remain.
God is YAHWEH SHAMMAH...Hebrew for 'The Lord is there'.
And yes, He is real.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sees...
We sing a song this time of year..."He sees you when you're sleeping...."
Santa sees if you're sleeping and he knows if you're awake.
Well, God is not a Santa. He does, however, see.
He is El Roi....Hebrew for 'the God who sees me."
Psalm 33 tells us that He looks down from heaven to see all humankind. He observes all our deeds.
You think Santa is watching? I can assure you that our God is....
"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping ...watch on the wicked and the good." Proverbs 15:3
Santa sees if you're sleeping and he knows if you're awake.
Well, God is not a Santa. He does, however, see.
He is El Roi....Hebrew for 'the God who sees me."
Psalm 33 tells us that He looks down from heaven to see all humankind. He observes all our deeds.
You think Santa is watching? I can assure you that our God is....
"The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping ...watch on the wicked and the good." Proverbs 15:3
Santa...
Santa... That sweet man with the big soft tummy and big soft heart, love for everyone, gifts to share, joy to bring...
I wonder if some people don't think of our God like they think of Santa. The Sacred Santa of heaven, the One Who loves everybody, wants to fill our every need, fill us with happiness and joy.
Oh, and He does!! But not in the way we expect it. Often what we expect is warped from the disease of sin that we all share. Often our image of God is just that...an image of OURS. A wrong image.
I was never guilty of thinking of God as Santa-like. For me it was opposite, my image was a frowning unhappy old guy with a giant flyswat raised in waiting...waiting to swat me when I messed up. That too was a wrong image.
No, God is not a Santa. But He is the one who decides.
What is 'naughty and nice' is determined by HIS Word...by What HE says.
He is Shopet...Hebrew for judge.
He judges, He decides, He governs.
"Rise up, O Judge of the earth.." Psalm 94:2
"You have come to God, the judge of all men...."Hebrews 12:23
But there is a list.
A very important list. Just one.
And it is written in what scripture calls the Book of Life.
And 'if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life' (Rev 20:15, that person will not see 'the city that does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light...' (Rev.21:23) "Nothing impure will ever enter there, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.' (Rev. 21:27)
Forget Santa's list. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Written in red.
Thank You Jesus.
I wonder if some people don't think of our God like they think of Santa. The Sacred Santa of heaven, the One Who loves everybody, wants to fill our every need, fill us with happiness and joy.
Oh, and He does!! But not in the way we expect it. Often what we expect is warped from the disease of sin that we all share. Often our image of God is just that...an image of OURS. A wrong image.
I was never guilty of thinking of God as Santa-like. For me it was opposite, my image was a frowning unhappy old guy with a giant flyswat raised in waiting...waiting to swat me when I messed up. That too was a wrong image.
No, God is not a Santa. But He is the one who decides.
What is 'naughty and nice' is determined by HIS Word...by What HE says.
He is Shopet...Hebrew for judge.
He judges, He decides, He governs.
"Rise up, O Judge of the earth.." Psalm 94:2
"You have come to God, the judge of all men...."Hebrews 12:23
But there is a list.
A very important list. Just one.
And it is written in what scripture calls the Book of Life.
And 'if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life' (Rev 20:15, that person will not see 'the city that does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light...' (Rev.21:23) "Nothing impure will ever enter there, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.' (Rev. 21:27)
Forget Santa's list. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Written in red.
Thank You Jesus.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Options....
I am thankful for options. Well....sometimes
God gave me options. We refer to it as 'free will'. It stinks sometimes. At least in my experience.
Sometimes I find myself praying to Him to change my options, and to change what I find myself opting for !! Often my desire is for something I know I should not have the desire FOR in the first place!
Often when I am faced with a choice, I hear His Spirit whispering to me....'....might ought to rethink your options Connie, that one is not best...don't fall for a lie again...you do have an enemy, he is the father of lies and a deciever...trust Me on this...'
So many times, I have been slow to learn.
There are many times when I wish I didn't have to choose....I wish I didn't have to be responsible for choosing the right option. Man, it gets really hard sometimes.
But....if God had not created as He did, if He had not given us that 'free will', we would not be capable of loving Him...only required to serve Him. We would not have a gift to give Him, He would control us completely without any other option for us.
What good would that be? Love is not love at all if it is not given.
My husband loves me, and I am not always very lovable. He stays in our marriage NOT because he doesn't have another option. He comes home every day, he loves me even when I'm grouchy....even when I'm sad, even when I'm angry. He opts to do that. (Thank God!! and thank you sweetheart....)
"Find your delight in the Lord. THEN He will give you the desires of your heart...Commit your life to Him..." (Ps.37:4)
God asks us to commit ourselves to Him, entrusting every decision to His authority. He gives me information in scripture, revealing to me His character. I can not trust Him if I don't KNOW Him.
And as I continue to get to know Him, my trust grows, my surrender becomes more and more complete. My security becomes more and more unshakeable in the waiting.
I have learned from my options. I've chosen poorly often. And I've learned that God is faithful to act, even though He must often wait until I've used up all my other options before coming to Him in full surrender, opting for His guidance.
God gave me options. We refer to it as 'free will'. It stinks sometimes. At least in my experience.
Sometimes I find myself praying to Him to change my options, and to change what I find myself opting for !! Often my desire is for something I know I should not have the desire FOR in the first place!
Often when I am faced with a choice, I hear His Spirit whispering to me....'....might ought to rethink your options Connie, that one is not best...don't fall for a lie again...you do have an enemy, he is the father of lies and a deciever...trust Me on this...'
So many times, I have been slow to learn.
There are many times when I wish I didn't have to choose....I wish I didn't have to be responsible for choosing the right option. Man, it gets really hard sometimes.
But....if God had not created as He did, if He had not given us that 'free will', we would not be capable of loving Him...only required to serve Him. We would not have a gift to give Him, He would control us completely without any other option for us.
What good would that be? Love is not love at all if it is not given.
My husband loves me, and I am not always very lovable. He stays in our marriage NOT because he doesn't have another option. He comes home every day, he loves me even when I'm grouchy....even when I'm sad, even when I'm angry. He opts to do that. (Thank God!! and thank you sweetheart....)
"Find your delight in the Lord. THEN He will give you the desires of your heart...Commit your life to Him..." (Ps.37:4)
God asks us to commit ourselves to Him, entrusting every decision to His authority. He gives me information in scripture, revealing to me His character. I can not trust Him if I don't KNOW Him.
And as I continue to get to know Him, my trust grows, my surrender becomes more and more complete. My security becomes more and more unshakeable in the waiting.
I have learned from my options. I've chosen poorly often. And I've learned that God is faithful to act, even though He must often wait until I've used up all my other options before coming to Him in full surrender, opting for His guidance.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Whispers...
Whisper… I’m thankful I can still hear a whisper.
This morning, I heard a whispered ‘bye’ from my husband as he left for work. I roused from deep sleep to hear it, and I wonder now how many whispered goodbyes I’ve not heard from him as he quietly leaves me snuggled down to sleep until my own alarm rings.
A few days ago, an old classmate friend voiced a thankfulness for the whispers of his grand-daughter, and a thankfulness that God empowers him to understand this special child. I pray he understands every one of her whispers.
I wonder how many whispers I don’t hear. I wonder how many I ignore, brush aside… how many are whispered amidst the stormy situations of my day only to be missed because I am listening only to the rage of the storm.
I am thankful that God speaks in powerful ways, in miraculous ways. But oh how I love hearing His whispers! How precious it is to hear that still small voice speak to my spirit, calming my fears, reassuring and rescuing me.
“…then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came…..a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood….then a voice said to him…….” (1 Kings 19:11ff)
Thank you Father for the whispers.
This morning, I heard a whispered ‘bye’ from my husband as he left for work. I roused from deep sleep to hear it, and I wonder now how many whispered goodbyes I’ve not heard from him as he quietly leaves me snuggled down to sleep until my own alarm rings.
A few days ago, an old classmate friend voiced a thankfulness for the whispers of his grand-daughter, and a thankfulness that God empowers him to understand this special child. I pray he understands every one of her whispers.
I wonder how many whispers I don’t hear. I wonder how many I ignore, brush aside… how many are whispered amidst the stormy situations of my day only to be missed because I am listening only to the rage of the storm.
I am thankful that God speaks in powerful ways, in miraculous ways. But oh how I love hearing His whispers! How precious it is to hear that still small voice speak to my spirit, calming my fears, reassuring and rescuing me.
“…then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came…..a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood….then a voice said to him…….” (1 Kings 19:11ff)
Thank you Father for the whispers.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Overwhelmed....
Overwhelmed… I’m thankful that even though I sometimes am, The Great I Am is not….
Even when I feel like the battle is being lost, even when I am ‘overwhelmed with dread….God IS present….’ (Ps. 14:5)
“In my distress I call to the Lord, I call out to my God. From His temple He hears my voice..” (2 Sam. 22:5)
Today I am again thankful to Him that He is THE Almighty. He is ALL Powerful. Even when I am under His rod of discipline, over and over He has promised “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake You.” (Deut. 31:6. Josh. 1:5, 1 Ch. 28:20)
I am often overwhelmed. The older I get, the more I realize how powerless I am. The longer I live, the more opportunities I have to experience my utter helplessness. And I am thankful that He has revealed to me the truth about my weakness.
As His child, I am not left to my own resources, for they are so insufficient.
“His grace is sufficient for me, for HIS power is made perfect in MY weakness..” (2Cor. 12:9 personalized by me)
It has always been when I am utterly overwhelmed that I feel His Presence most profoundly. When the opposition looks beyond overcoming, in His perfect time, His Hand moves, and mountains crumble.
In heavenly armor we enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord
The power of darkness comes in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He's raised up a standard, the power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord
When your enemy presses in hard do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord
We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
Thank You Father that in all things, we can be more than conquerors (Rom.8:37), through You…. You Who loves us perfectly…
Even when I feel like the battle is being lost, even when I am ‘overwhelmed with dread….God IS present….’ (Ps. 14:5)
“In my distress I call to the Lord, I call out to my God. From His temple He hears my voice..” (2 Sam. 22:5)
Today I am again thankful to Him that He is THE Almighty. He is ALL Powerful. Even when I am under His rod of discipline, over and over He has promised “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake You.” (Deut. 31:6. Josh. 1:5, 1 Ch. 28:20)
I am often overwhelmed. The older I get, the more I realize how powerless I am. The longer I live, the more opportunities I have to experience my utter helplessness. And I am thankful that He has revealed to me the truth about my weakness.
As His child, I am not left to my own resources, for they are so insufficient.
“His grace is sufficient for me, for HIS power is made perfect in MY weakness..” (2Cor. 12:9 personalized by me)
It has always been when I am utterly overwhelmed that I feel His Presence most profoundly. When the opposition looks beyond overcoming, in His perfect time, His Hand moves, and mountains crumble.
In heavenly armor we enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord
The power of darkness comes in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He's raised up a standard, the power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord
When your enemy presses in hard do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord
We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
Thank You Father that in all things, we can be more than conquerors (Rom.8:37), through You…. You Who loves us perfectly…
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