And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Genesis 2:16-17
We know from the next chapter in Genesis that Adam did eat from the tree, and that death entered the world. And people have spent their lives ever since trying to outrun death. I did a little search and found out that "fountain of youth" stories have abounded in many cultures around the world for thousands of years. And these days, exercise and healthy eating are touted as the proverbial fountain. But the fact of the matter is that we sin, and we will die.
However, as I prepared the devotion for my Christmas play kiddos last week, I was so encouraged by Hebrews 2.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Hebrews 2:14-15
I was just struck by the phrase "those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery". It appears that our fear of the result of sin actually drives us toward sin. But our great Savior "tasted death" so that he could free us from the power of sin and the fear of death! Because as believers in Christ, we have the hope of resurrection.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Just a Guy
During the summer, my Crew watched quite a bit of TV. Topping the list were "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2". I memorize the lines of the movies the kids watch because they are in the background so much when I'm in another room-- and I ponder... =)
Late in the summer as the girls were watching, I heard this conversation snippet between a couple of the characters:
Troy Bolton: Dad, detention was my fault. Not hers.
Jack Bolton: You haven't missed a practice in three years. That girl shows up...
Troy Bolton: [interrupts] That girl is named Gabriella. And she's very nice.
Jack Bolton: Well, helping you miss practice doesn't make her very nice. Not in my book, or your team's. Troy Bolton: Dad, she's not a problem. She's just a girl.
Jack Bolton: But you're not just a guy, Troy. You're the team leader. What you do affects not only this team, but the entire school.
That line about Troy not being "just a guy" really stood out to me. It seems like there is something intrinsic in us that screams for responsibility. Our actions impact others. And the more authority you have, the MORE your actions impact others. Or, the more of a platform of influence you have, the more you impact others. Professing faith in Christ gives us an ENORMOUS platform. And so the question is, will I act like just a nobody, or like an ambassador of the King???
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Late in the summer as the girls were watching, I heard this conversation snippet between a couple of the characters:
Troy Bolton: Dad, detention was my fault. Not hers.
Jack Bolton: You haven't missed a practice in three years. That girl shows up...
Troy Bolton: [interrupts] That girl is named Gabriella. And she's very nice.
Jack Bolton: Well, helping you miss practice doesn't make her very nice. Not in my book, or your team's. Troy Bolton: Dad, she's not a problem. She's just a girl.
Jack Bolton: But you're not just a guy, Troy. You're the team leader. What you do affects not only this team, but the entire school.
That line about Troy not being "just a guy" really stood out to me. It seems like there is something intrinsic in us that screams for responsibility. Our actions impact others. And the more authority you have, the MORE your actions impact others. Or, the more of a platform of influence you have, the more you impact others. Professing faith in Christ gives us an ENORMOUS platform. And so the question is, will I act like just a nobody, or like an ambassador of the King???
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Friday, November 1, 2013
Love does not insist on its own way
It's Friday!!! Which means LOTS of cleaning! =) With six mess makers in our space, there is ALWAYS plenty to do. One of the things that I try to do on Thursday or Friday is change everyone's sheets. This requires that I spend several minutes in the kids' rooms. Most of the time I peek in their rooms, or at the most, am in there for a couple of minutes. Today as I was in their rooms, I had to battle with myself over the way that they have been doing some things. I have spent time teaching them how to do their chores, like making beds or organizing their toys. But as they are getting bigger, it is hard for me to let them find their own ways of doing things instead of insisting on my own way. And then I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 13. As long as their way meets a certain level of cleanliness, I need to not insist on MY way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Rip It Out
Guess what I found under the carpet in my hallway and bedrooms??? FINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORS!!! So, guess what I did on Friday afternoon? I ripped out the carpet in the hallway. =)
I've started cleaning the walls (finally), but I just thought that if the majority of the odor is in the carpet, it did little good to spend a lot of time and energy on the walls. While I ripped up carpet, I was chewing on these verses:
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30
At first I didn't want to rip out the carpet, because I didn't want the echo down the hallway. Even though it was stinky (and sometimes sticky), I was kind of attached to it. But with a little nudge from my Crew and my Shorty, I became convinced that hardwood with an echo was better than stinky, sticky carpet. And I thought about how sin sometimes looks appealing, more appealing than righteousness. And how I am reluctant to endure the pain of ripping it out. But with a little nudge (or sometimes a really big shove) I can be compelled to battle my sin-- and even try to rip it out! =)
I've started cleaning the walls (finally), but I just thought that if the majority of the odor is in the carpet, it did little good to spend a lot of time and energy on the walls. While I ripped up carpet, I was chewing on these verses:
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30
At first I didn't want to rip out the carpet, because I didn't want the echo down the hallway. Even though it was stinky (and sometimes sticky), I was kind of attached to it. But with a little nudge from my Crew and my Shorty, I became convinced that hardwood with an echo was better than stinky, sticky carpet. And I thought about how sin sometimes looks appealing, more appealing than righteousness. And how I am reluctant to endure the pain of ripping it out. But with a little nudge (or sometimes a really big shove) I can be compelled to battle my sin-- and even try to rip it out! =)
Friday, October 25, 2013
Countdown
It is the time of year when everyone begins to count down toward (or maybe gear up for...) Christmas. I know that many of the children in my life are making Christmas requests. Now, you may not be thinking Christmas just yet, but I've been involved in directing our church Christmas play for many of the last 10 years. So many, in fact, that I'm kind of known as the Christmas play lady! =)
And because I am directing the play, my thoughts are partially set on Advent. I love Christmas! I love the Christmas story, the Christmas carols, the various traditions that have been and are still being built into my life! Most of all, I love the Savior, whose birth we are celebrating! Especially during this season I have an opportunity to chew on who Christ IS!!!
Have you ever tried wrapping your brain around the fact that He is FULLY God and FULLY man in one person? I can't do it! Or what about Christ's sinlessness? Or WHY He would leave the comfort and glory and fellowship of heaven, to walk this fallen earth like me-- only so that He could spend the next couple of thousand years (or more...) dealing with the rebellious, unthankful people He died to save? Because He is love. And because He is glorified in the sanctification of sinners. So I encourage you to think great thoughts of Christ this season!
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20
And because I am directing the play, my thoughts are partially set on Advent. I love Christmas! I love the Christmas story, the Christmas carols, the various traditions that have been and are still being built into my life! Most of all, I love the Savior, whose birth we are celebrating! Especially during this season I have an opportunity to chew on who Christ IS!!!
Have you ever tried wrapping your brain around the fact that He is FULLY God and FULLY man in one person? I can't do it! Or what about Christ's sinlessness? Or WHY He would leave the comfort and glory and fellowship of heaven, to walk this fallen earth like me-- only so that He could spend the next couple of thousand years (or more...) dealing with the rebellious, unthankful people He died to save? Because He is love. And because He is glorified in the sanctification of sinners. So I encourage you to think great thoughts of Christ this season!
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
A Breath of Fresh Air
I am loving the temperatures this fall! We have had our windows open for the better part of the last two weeks, and it is WONDERFUL!!! =) If you've been reading my blog, you know that I have spent most of the summer battling the odors in my "new to me" house. And since it was summer, we kept the house closed so that the air inside would be cooler than the air outside. ;) (I know, pretty standard stuff for Texas.) But the thing that happens when a house is closed-- even when you are using an air conditioner-- is that the air gets stale, and thick, and just generally yucky. ESPECIALLY if the house isn't clean when you close it up. So opening the windows up has been LITERALLY a "breath of fresh air"! =)
As I've been breathing the fresh air (and attacking the dirt in my house with renewed vigor) I've been thinking about the analogy with my spiritual life. Reading the Bible is kind of like a breath of fresh air for my soul. If I'm not in the Word, I'm less likely to interact on a deeper level with my church family. I'm not seeing my sin through the lens of Scripture-- in fact, I may not be seeing my sin at all. And my soul gets "stale" and yucky. But when I am in the Word, the Spirit is stirring things up, and driving me toward fellowship with my brothers and sisters.
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job 33:4
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
As I've been breathing the fresh air (and attacking the dirt in my house with renewed vigor) I've been thinking about the analogy with my spiritual life. Reading the Bible is kind of like a breath of fresh air for my soul. If I'm not in the Word, I'm less likely to interact on a deeper level with my church family. I'm not seeing my sin through the lens of Scripture-- in fact, I may not be seeing my sin at all. And my soul gets "stale" and yucky. But when I am in the Word, the Spirit is stirring things up, and driving me toward fellowship with my brothers and sisters.
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Job 33:4
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Saturday, October 19, 2013
MORE than Doubly Blessed
I was blessed to have very involved parents who loved me and trained me to seek the Lord. I am still blessed by their involvement in my life and the lives of my children. But I am more than doubly blessed, because I have many "mothers" in faith. Last night we had one of the lil' bit older couples from our church family over for dinner. They are so much fun! But more than fun, they are an encouragement to Shorty's and my faith.
It had been "one of those days" for me where it felt like everything went wrong. (Even the things that went RIGHT!-- and there were quite a few!) And I was feeling more than a bit overwhelmed! But as I talked with my "mother" last night, she encouraged me that there are important things that I am doing well. And she challenged me to keep trucking in the difficult, but important, things.
And then I marveled at how God uses His people to build one another up, because our lives are somewhat similar, but VERY different! I realized that the reason that she was able to speak such helpful words into my life is because we have shared priorities, and she loves me!
Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Titus 2:3-5
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:37-40
It had been "one of those days" for me where it felt like everything went wrong. (Even the things that went RIGHT!-- and there were quite a few!) And I was feeling more than a bit overwhelmed! But as I talked with my "mother" last night, she encouraged me that there are important things that I am doing well. And she challenged me to keep trucking in the difficult, but important, things.
And then I marveled at how God uses His people to build one another up, because our lives are somewhat similar, but VERY different! I realized that the reason that she was able to speak such helpful words into my life is because we have shared priorities, and she loves me!
Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Titus 2:3-5
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:37-40
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)