Do you ever feel like you just aren't doing anything real big for God? Just the monotonous activities that fill your schedule...one day spilling over into the next?
Sometimes it's easy to look at what others are doing to impact God's kingdom in big ways and walk away wondering, "what am I really doing?" We can look at the nationally known speakers, the oversea missionaries and the individual who had a vision for building an orphanage in another country and is now serving there. The list goes on and on. And while all of these things are part of God's great big plan, we must be careful to not lose sight of our possibilities that we have right here where our two feet are planted.
Steven Furtick, author of Sun Stand Still, says, "Miracles happen when ordinary people do ordinary things with extraordinary passion for the glory of God. No act of service is insignificant when done for the most significant purpose in the universe: proclaiming the gospel of Jesus."
We are called to be marketplace missionaries right where we are. When we live our lives in our workplace, our homes, at the ballpark or anywhere we go, we are the image of God within our sphere of influence.
Whether we are serving at a local soup kitchen, listening to a hurting friend, helping coach a little league team, taking a meal to a neighbor who just lost their elderly parent....no ordinary thing is just ordinary when we do it with passion and purpose. Our passion and purpose is to be a light for Him, sharing His love in this dark and needy world.
My 6 year old daughter is thrilled to start volunteering at a nursing home. She's going to help me polish elderly women's nails and read books to them. It's not ordinary...when it's done with passion. A passion to show love...time...and compassion.
Wherever God has you right now...purpose in your heart to share the love of Jesus and His truth as a marketplace missionary.
Stephanie
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Good morning girls! Sorry it's been a while since I've stopped in to say "hello" and write. I've been missing it but life has been so full of sport camps, vacation, baseball, 4 H and all of the other great summer treats!
I recently read this devotional from a women's magazine I receive and just knew I had to share with all. It was such a great reminder for me....and knew you'd all enjoy and be challenged yourselves!
"Here in Colorado the meteorologists really earn their pay. Ours may be the only state where you use the heater and the air conditioner in the same day--or even in the same hour. Colorado's weather can change faster than a menopausal woman's emotions. Which gets me to my thought for today . . .
As women, we have more impact on the emotional temperature of our homes than anyone else. After all, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Our challenge is to take on the role of thermostat, not thermometer. A thermometer merely reflects the temperature in the room. It may be emotionally chilly because two family members are disagreeing. It may show temperatures rising when one explodes in anger against another. A thermometer is a passive instrument of measurement. It doesn't change the environment--it reveals it.
A thermostat, on the other hand, is an active tool. If it's too warm in the room, lower the thermostat. If it's too chilly, raise the thermostat. The thermostat changes the environment of the home.
As wives and mothers, we have the ability, if we choose to accept it, to regulate the emotional temperature in our homes, with God's help. Let's step up to that proactive role today, asking Him for the grace to be thermostats, not thermometers." (Marcia Washburn)
So, after reading that, where do you see yourself lately? Are you being a thermostat or a thermometer?
The amazing truth about this devotional is that we see that we can choose our way of regulating it! We don't just have to let our emotions and feelings rule us.
Galations 6:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." Our sinful nature is going to tend to become impatient, unkind and unlovely during those real challenging times! We can't change on our own. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every minute of our days. When we feel our thermometer rising...pause, take a deep breath and ask God to send his stregnth, patience and wisdom. We have the choice to choose the temperature-what are you going to choose today?
Love,
Stephanie
I recently read this devotional from a women's magazine I receive and just knew I had to share with all. It was such a great reminder for me....and knew you'd all enjoy and be challenged yourselves!
"Here in Colorado the meteorologists really earn their pay. Ours may be the only state where you use the heater and the air conditioner in the same day--or even in the same hour. Colorado's weather can change faster than a menopausal woman's emotions. Which gets me to my thought for today . . .
As women, we have more impact on the emotional temperature of our homes than anyone else. After all, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Our challenge is to take on the role of thermostat, not thermometer. A thermometer merely reflects the temperature in the room. It may be emotionally chilly because two family members are disagreeing. It may show temperatures rising when one explodes in anger against another. A thermometer is a passive instrument of measurement. It doesn't change the environment--it reveals it.
A thermostat, on the other hand, is an active tool. If it's too warm in the room, lower the thermostat. If it's too chilly, raise the thermostat. The thermostat changes the environment of the home.
As wives and mothers, we have the ability, if we choose to accept it, to regulate the emotional temperature in our homes, with God's help. Let's step up to that proactive role today, asking Him for the grace to be thermostats, not thermometers." (Marcia Washburn)
So, after reading that, where do you see yourself lately? Are you being a thermostat or a thermometer?
The amazing truth about this devotional is that we see that we can choose our way of regulating it! We don't just have to let our emotions and feelings rule us.
Galations 6:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." Our sinful nature is going to tend to become impatient, unkind and unlovely during those real challenging times! We can't change on our own. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every minute of our days. When we feel our thermometer rising...pause, take a deep breath and ask God to send his stregnth, patience and wisdom. We have the choice to choose the temperature-what are you going to choose today?
Love,
Stephanie
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Today is the day that my family has been praying for and hoping for some time now. My sister-in-law is getting her kidney transplant. She was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease that caused her kidneys to fail last year. Since then, she has been undergoing dialysis three days a week, while being a mom to three young girls. It’s been a very tough, trying and testing year. My other sister-in-law went through extensive testing and is able to donate her kidney. So, as I write, they are undergoing the surgery. Praise God! When the date was set for the surgery, we all laughed that it was St. Patrick’s day or ‘lucky day’ as some call it. But, as we talked about it, we said, “Isn’t it great that we don’t have to ‘hope we get lucky?” Isn’t it great to know that we don’t have to hope we find some three leaf clover or superstitiously go about today thinking, “This is our lucky day.” No, this is the day that the Lord has planned long ago!
As Christians, we don’t have to hope for luck, we can put our trust in an Almighty God. He directs our days. He is in control of our lives. Maybe you are facing something today that you could be thinking, “I could use some major luck today!” :) And instead, what you really desire is for God’s blessings of peace, strength and hope. A verse from the Bible that has spoken to my heart so many times is this:
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
While living on this earth, we must learn to live by sight and the certainty that comes through faith in God. We must learn to see with the eyes of faith as we follow Jesus, while keeping our mindset on eternity.
Would you say your eyes are set on the temporal or eternal things?
When people approached Jesus to tell him about their circumstances, he’d often say something like, “You’re looking for a drink of water, but look past your circumstances because I’m the living water. I can quench your thirst for eternity, not just in this moment. Can you see it?” Or, “You want to see bread right now, but I want you to see that I am the living bread. I can feed you for this one meal, but-look!-I can feed you for all eternity. Can you see it?”
In some of the difficult seasons of our lives, when our faith is challenged and tested to grow, Jesus says we should see the unseen. How do we practically do that? The way to do that is to stay intimate with him and let the Holy Spirit direct our sight, both our physical eyes and our spiritual eyes. Jesus knows all of the answers to the questions that we ask ourselves. He knows which answers are “yes” and which ones are “no”. He knows when and where to reveal to us our next step. Our part is simply to take the next step of obedience and keep our eyes on him every step of the way. Many times in our lives, it appears God is answering “no” but they are really stepping stones to His amazing “yes”. When we learn to step out in obedience and trust, blessing is down the path. And when times in our journey hold pain, it’s then that we learn to choose trust and obedience over worry, fear and doubt.
Would you say that your mindset is on eternity or are you plagued with fear of what your circumstances look like presently?
“Trusting God completely means having faith that God knows what is best for your life. You expect him to keep his promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary.”
Rick Warren
As you go about today, trust and know that God is in control of all things. Rest in His plans for you, knowing that you don’t have to ‘get lucky’, God’s in control!
Romans 8 tell us that “nothing shall separate us from the love of God”-revel in that today!
In His love,
Stephanie
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faith
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"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
This morning my devotional time with my kids was about having an attitude of gratitude. It wasn’t even because they weren’t being grateful or anything; quite honestly it was just the next topic in the character building book we are going through. :) Isn’t it easy to sometimes lose that attitude?
I mean, it’s not that we don’t want to be grateful...I think it’s that we many times lose the right perspective. What I mean is…do you see the glass half full or half empty? Is it partly sunny or partly cloudy? Perspective can and certainly makes all the difference.
Even for strong Christians who are grounded in their faith, discouragement can easily sneak its way into hearts and minds as life deals us chaos. As we struggle with the challenges and difficulties of everyday life, or things that happened to us that were unfair or unwarranted, it is easy to get pulled into a habitual mindset of negativity. Just like that old song from the ‘80s says, we may find ourselves asking God, "What have you done for me lately?"
Our answer to that question will depend entirely upon our perspective. God does more for us each and every day than we deserve, but it 's so easy to lose sight of the good, because we can be caught up in the reality of the bad. How do we combat this perfectly human attitude and direct it over to an attitude of gratitude?
Prayer.
Resolve to have an attitude like Christ.
Take inventory of our every blessing.
Life. Your every breath. Your every heart beat. A spouse or loved one. Children. Clothes that need to be washed because God gave you clothes to wear, and a way to wash those clothes. Good health to help those whose health is failing. Trusted and educated doctors to treat you when you are facing health challenges. A house that needs cleaning. A car to drive. The ability to purchase gas for the car. A job to go to. The ability to be a stay at home mom or wife. Healthy kids who can play music or sports. Friends. Family. Freedom. Jesus. Eternal life.
What is on your inventory list today? If you were honest with yourself, would you say you have been looking for the positive aspects of the situations in your life? Are you considering how God could be using those things to draw you closer to Him? Or have you been primarily focused on the negative?
During times of negativity, we actually become our own enemy. We wage a battle in our mind because we look at our situation from our own perspective, instead of what God may be doing through our situation. So in order to change our minds, we have to choose to change the way we think – our perspective. Attitude is a choice.
I have heard it takes 21 days of doing something for it to become a new habit. The more you practice challenging your thought patterns, the more automatic it will become. Changes may not take place immediately, but over time, the challenge gets easier, and optimism becomes the norm instead of the exception.
Are you willing to take the challenge to become an optimist today? The rewards of looking for God's goodness in every situation will be a healthier and happier heart.
Dear Lord, forgive us for a lack of gratitude we all have at times. Thank You for your patience with us as we strive to grow to be more like you. Guide our hearts to recognize You at work, instead of seeing things from an earthly perspective. Lead me into a closer relationship with You by helping me remember to count my blessings every day. I n Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
There may be nothing more intentional that scripture asks us to do than to guard our hearts. That word guard according to the dictionary means: to protect somebody or something against danger or loss by being vigilant and taking defensive measures, or to watch over and control passage through an entrance or across a boundary. Even though I had seen this scripture many times before in Proverbs 4 and the call to guard our hearts was very clear, for me the question still remained; from what? Finally it came to me. Guard our hearts from anything toxic.
That word toxic just means anything that contains poisonous material that can cause sickness or death. I can’t help but notice in today’s age how hard people are trying to keep their homes and bodies toxic free. You can now buy non toxic cleaning materials, hair care products, nail polishes, paints for your home, and the list goes on. So much effort and work put into living a toxic free life physically speaking, but no one thinks about all the toxic things surrounding our spiritual lives. If you and I are going to be able to be diligent in guarding our hearts we are going to have to be more aware of the toxic things we are allowing in. Allow me to point out just a few for you.
1. Toxic Thoughts
Part of guarding our hearts is to replace our toxic thoughts with God’s truth. Thoughts that are negative, fearful, critical and discontent need to be guarded against. In fact throughout scripture many times the word heart is used interchangeably with the word thoughts. The same is true for Proverbs 4:23. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 we are to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Sounds like guarding to me. So begin to think about what you are thinking about. Be vigilant to watch over and control the thoughts you allow to linger about in your heart and mind. Whatever you do remove the toxic ones and replace them with whatever is noble, true, right, pure, excellent, and praiseworthy.
2. Toxic Influences
From the movies we watch, to the music we listen to, even to the sites we surf on the web you may not find anything more toxic to our hearts than these influences. We have gotten a little lazy at monitoring the influences we are allowing to shape and mold our lives. If you are a mom you know how hard you may work to control the media and cultural influences your children are partaking in, but what about you? What are you doing to safeguard against the toxic influences surrounding your own life? A few things to ask yourself would be: Is What I am watching/reading displeasing to God? Am I being entertained somehow by sin? Is this luring me away from Christ? If you answer yes to any of those questions you need to flee from that type of entertainment. Don’t be lazy when it comes to guarding against toxic influences. They really will determine the course of your life.
3. Toxic Relationships
The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33 to not be misled, that bad company really does corrupt good character. Toxic company can be anyone that is chronically negative and critical, anyone that is a controller, and especially anyone that is a tempter. If you have any one of these types of company in your world you need to beware and guard your heart. That toxic company can work against your good character. As women we can be so timid to cut off toxic relationships even though we know how much they are poisoning our own walk with God. Be brave to take measures against the toxic company in your life. Set up healthy boundaries and be bold to cut ties where God leads you.
4. Toxic Words
Scripture tells us that the tongue holds the power of life and death and that is so true. Words have the unmatched ability to shape and mold a person’s belief system and self image. Whether its words spoken to you or words spoken by you, you need to guard against toxic words. Any words that don’t line up with God’s words are toxic. Begin to evaluate the words you are allowing to be spoken over your life by others and be quick to discredit them if they don’t line up with what God says about you. Be even quicker to evaluate the words you are allowing to come out of your own mouth. If they aren’t words that edify and build up those around you, don’t even speak them. Remember toxic and poisonous words have the power to bring sickness, but if you guard your heart and speak life you will bring healing all around you.
Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of toxic things for us to be guarding our hearts from, but it is a great start. I have learned in my own life that what I allow into my heart and mind really will determine the course of my life just as Proverbs 4 teaches. As for me and my family I want the course of my life to be one that pleases and glorifies my God. That’s why I am determined to always guard my heart.
xoxo
Justeina
There may be nothing more intentional that scripture asks us to do than to guard our hearts. That word guard according to the dictionary means: to protect somebody or something against danger or loss by being vigilant and taking defensive measures, or to watch over and control passage through an entrance or across a boundary. Even though I had seen this scripture many times before in Proverbs 4 and the call to guard our hearts was very clear, for me the question still remained; from what? Finally it came to me. Guard our hearts from anything toxic.
That word toxic just means anything that contains poisonous material that can cause sickness or death. I can’t help but notice in today’s age how hard people are trying to keep their homes and bodies toxic free. You can now buy non toxic cleaning materials, hair care products, nail polishes, paints for your home, and the list goes on. So much effort and work put into living a toxic free life physically speaking, but no one thinks about all the toxic things surrounding our spiritual lives. If you and I are going to be able to be diligent in guarding our hearts we are going to have to be more aware of the toxic things we are allowing in. Allow me to point out just a few for you.
1. Toxic Thoughts
Part of guarding our hearts is to replace our toxic thoughts with God’s truth. Thoughts that are negative, fearful, critical and discontent need to be guarded against. In fact throughout scripture many times the word heart is used interchangeably with the word thoughts. The same is true for Proverbs 4:23. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 we are to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Sounds like guarding to me. So begin to think about what you are thinking about. Be vigilant to watch over and control the thoughts you allow to linger about in your heart and mind. Whatever you do remove the toxic ones and replace them with whatever is noble, true, right, pure, excellent, and praiseworthy.
2. Toxic Influences
From the movies we watch, to the music we listen to, even to the sites we surf on the web you may not find anything more toxic to our hearts than these influences. We have gotten a little lazy at monitoring the influences we are allowing to shape and mold our lives. If you are a mom you know how hard you may work to control the media and cultural influences your children are partaking in, but what about you? What are you doing to safeguard against the toxic influences surrounding your own life? A few things to ask yourself would be: Is What I am watching/reading displeasing to God? Am I being entertained somehow by sin? Is this luring me away from Christ? If you answer yes to any of those questions you need to flee from that type of entertainment. Don’t be lazy when it comes to guarding against toxic influences. They really will determine the course of your life.
3. Toxic Relationships
The bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33 to not be misled, that bad company really does corrupt good character. Toxic company can be anyone that is chronically negative and critical, anyone that is a controller, and especially anyone that is a tempter. If you have any one of these types of company in your world you need to beware and guard your heart. That toxic company can work against your good character. As women we can be so timid to cut off toxic relationships even though we know how much they are poisoning our own walk with God. Be brave to take measures against the toxic company in your life. Set up healthy boundaries and be bold to cut ties where God leads you.
4. Toxic Words
Scripture tells us that the tongue holds the power of life and death and that is so true. Words have the unmatched ability to shape and mold a person’s belief system and self image. Whether its words spoken to you or words spoken by you, you need to guard against toxic words. Any words that don’t line up with God’s words are toxic. Begin to evaluate the words you are allowing to be spoken over your life by others and be quick to discredit them if they don’t line up with what God says about you. Be even quicker to evaluate the words you are allowing to come out of your own mouth. If they aren’t words that edify and build up those around you, don’t even speak them. Remember toxic and poisonous words have the power to bring sickness, but if you guard your heart and speak life you will bring healing all around you.
Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of toxic things for us to be guarding our hearts from, but it is a great start. I have learned in my own life that what I allow into my heart and mind really will determine the course of my life just as Proverbs 4 teaches. As for me and my family I want the course of my life to be one that pleases and glorifies my God. That’s why I am determined to always guard my heart.
xoxo
Justeina
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encouragement
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Fasting, a word that most people don’t like to hear, let alone actually do. I still remember when my pastor announced right before the New Year that our church would be participating in a corporate fast. He asked the entire church to spend time in fasting and prayer the first week of January dedicating the whole next year to God. My pastor was going to do a three day fast of only water and some juice and he had encouraged those who physically could, to do the same. I remember thinking there was no way I could actually go three days without eating. The thought scared me to death frankly! I really wanted my food, but I realized I really wanted to seek God more. So I decided to go for it. This three day fast would be a turning point in my life and in my walk with God. Seven years later I’m still fasting at the beginning of every year and throughout. When I am on a fast I find myself in some of the most intimate and treasured times with God that I have ever experienced. Fasting helps move other distractions out of the way so that you can really focus on seeking God and his will for you and your family’s life. Not to mention it does wonders for your physical health.
Don’t get me wrong…fasting is certainly not easy. You do get hungry, feel sick, have headaches; all the
physical symptoms you would expect of going without food. It’s certainly not a walk in the park, but in this physical state you realize how much you really do need God. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 58 what a true and acceptable fast will bring into our lives. God really does respond to our sacrificing food for the purpose of seeking him. Please understand that just going without food for a period of time doesn’t constitute a real biblical fast. Fasting involves us spending the extra time in prayer and study. Also understand that fasting in not just for leaders and “super Christians”. Scripture encourages everyone to fast as a spiritual discipline. Many miracles happened in scripture while God’s people were fasting. God has been so faithful to meet me every time I fast. It was on a fast that I was called into ministry, found my husband, had physical healing in my body, broke off bad habits and addictions, True Identity Ministries was born, and most of all fell head over heels forever in true love with Jesus. I have learned to never make a big decision in my life without first spending time in fasting and prayer.
Although the physical part of fasting can be a challenge I desperately look forward to the precious times with God each time I fast. There is such a clear feeling of his presence and his voice. I would encourage you this year to do a fast of your own. Whether you are looking for a deeper intimacy with God, needing an answered prayer, looking for direction, or you just want to dedicate the coming year to God; take the time at the beginning of this year to fast and pray. Just do whatever God leads you to do. It could be fasting a meal, a day, three days, or more. You could also fast certain foods or activities. But make sure it’s what God has laid on your heart. He may call you to do something that you would think is impossible, but he will help you. The results will astound you and you will never be the same again. Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with blessing. May He greatly bless you as you fast!
Scriptures on fasting:
Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke 18:9-14, Isaiah 58
xoxo
Justeina
Don’t get me wrong…fasting is certainly not easy. You do get hungry, feel sick, have headaches; all the
physical symptoms you would expect of going without food. It’s certainly not a walk in the park, but in this physical state you realize how much you really do need God. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 58 what a true and acceptable fast will bring into our lives. God really does respond to our sacrificing food for the purpose of seeking him. Please understand that just going without food for a period of time doesn’t constitute a real biblical fast. Fasting involves us spending the extra time in prayer and study. Also understand that fasting in not just for leaders and “super Christians”. Scripture encourages everyone to fast as a spiritual discipline. Many miracles happened in scripture while God’s people were fasting. God has been so faithful to meet me every time I fast. It was on a fast that I was called into ministry, found my husband, had physical healing in my body, broke off bad habits and addictions, True Identity Ministries was born, and most of all fell head over heels forever in true love with Jesus. I have learned to never make a big decision in my life without first spending time in fasting and prayer.
Although the physical part of fasting can be a challenge I desperately look forward to the precious times with God each time I fast. There is such a clear feeling of his presence and his voice. I would encourage you this year to do a fast of your own. Whether you are looking for a deeper intimacy with God, needing an answered prayer, looking for direction, or you just want to dedicate the coming year to God; take the time at the beginning of this year to fast and pray. Just do whatever God leads you to do. It could be fasting a meal, a day, three days, or more. You could also fast certain foods or activities. But make sure it’s what God has laid on your heart. He may call you to do something that you would think is impossible, but he will help you. The results will astound you and you will never be the same again. Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with blessing. May He greatly bless you as you fast!
Scriptures on fasting:
Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke 18:9-14, Isaiah 58
xoxo
Justeina
Category:
challenge,
encouragement,
fasting
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Today we will discuss one final attitude we need to take on to guard our finances before we begin discussing practical tips. If you and I are going to be able to have an attitude of steward and make sure that our treasure is not in worldly wealth, we are going to have to become content right where we are. We want to have an attitude of contentment. You might be gasping right now, thinking you could never be content with the financial state that you are in right at this very moment. My answer to you is if you have debt then you shouldn’t be content. You should be ready to do whatever you need to do to get that debt paid off in a hurry. That is the biblical way. What we are talking about is being content with what we have and with where we are on the way to where we are going. Could you say that you are content with your circumstances? Let’s examine our hearts today and allow God to shine a light upon our world, revealing to us what it means to be content.
Luke 3:14 says, “…John replied, ‘Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” Let me be clear that this verse isn’t saying we shouldn’t be excited and accepting when God gives us promotion or an increase in pay. I’m only making the point that you shouldn’t allow discontentment to consume you. Don’t become so discontent with your income that it steals your joy and peace. If you and I are always wishing we could have more and more, it can lead our hearts right back to treasures on earth and not heaven. Which as we learned last week, can cause us to fall into temptation and destruction.
All throughout scripture we see it tell us to be content in all things, and that if we have food and clothing we should be content with that. It also warns us to stay free from the love of money and to be content with what we have because God will never leave us nor forsake us. Many of us can probably think back to a time that we have had a critical and judgmental attitude towards someone else simply because we weren’t content with what we had ourselves. This isn’t God’s will for our lives. The reason he tells us over and over in his word to be content is because he knows the danger and destruction of us being discontent. Proverbs 15:16 shows us that it is better to have little as it relates to wealth and possessions but still have the fear of the Lord, than it is to have much and find ourselves in turmoil and without God. 1 Timothy 6:6 shows us that godliness with contentment is great gain. God and God alone is where you and I need to find our satisfaction. When we find our satisfaction in him, we find nothing but gain for our lives.
I want to tell you about a circumstance that I watched someone walk through recently that reminds me of this topic of finding security in our money. A very wealthy man and his wife had one daughter. This daughter was having problems with severe depression and had gotten to the point that she was repeatedly trying to commit suicide. In the past they had always been able to use their money to fix their circumstances. They had used it to buy for this young girl the very best of everything all through her life, yet she still found herself lacking any hope or joy. Now they were using their money to try and buy all of the best medicines, doctors, and treatments to help their daughter. They made a very profound comment in the midst of this traumatic time. They said “We have the nicest homes, many cars, and an abundance of money. None of it is helping us to find joy, hope, or healing for our daughter.” They had looked to their money and cried out to it “save us!” Then when it did not, they finally came to the point that they were able to say “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” I don’t know how their story ended, but I pray that it was with finding Jesus. This is what God’s word is trying to show us. Our culture tries to convince us that the more we have the safer we are from ever losing hope. God’s word tells us quite the opposite. It tells us that true contentment, hope, and satisfaction can only be found in Jesus.
In Philippians 4:10-13 Paul tells us that he learned to be content. He knew what it was to have plenty and he knew what it was to be in need, but either way he could be content. He gives us a clue to the secret of being content in verse 13. He says “I can do everything through him that gives me strength.” Christ is the secret. When you and I stay connected to Christ we are going to have the strength to be content in any circumstance. Apart from Christ we have nothing and will find our hearts searching after the things of this world. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are, you too can learn to be content through him that gives you strength. As you do it is sure to help you guard your finances through the holidays.
Xoxo
Justeina
Luke 3:14 says, “…John replied, ‘Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” Let me be clear that this verse isn’t saying we shouldn’t be excited and accepting when God gives us promotion or an increase in pay. I’m only making the point that you shouldn’t allow discontentment to consume you. Don’t become so discontent with your income that it steals your joy and peace. If you and I are always wishing we could have more and more, it can lead our hearts right back to treasures on earth and not heaven. Which as we learned last week, can cause us to fall into temptation and destruction.
All throughout scripture we see it tell us to be content in all things, and that if we have food and clothing we should be content with that. It also warns us to stay free from the love of money and to be content with what we have because God will never leave us nor forsake us. Many of us can probably think back to a time that we have had a critical and judgmental attitude towards someone else simply because we weren’t content with what we had ourselves. This isn’t God’s will for our lives. The reason he tells us over and over in his word to be content is because he knows the danger and destruction of us being discontent. Proverbs 15:16 shows us that it is better to have little as it relates to wealth and possessions but still have the fear of the Lord, than it is to have much and find ourselves in turmoil and without God. 1 Timothy 6:6 shows us that godliness with contentment is great gain. God and God alone is where you and I need to find our satisfaction. When we find our satisfaction in him, we find nothing but gain for our lives.
I want to tell you about a circumstance that I watched someone walk through recently that reminds me of this topic of finding security in our money. A very wealthy man and his wife had one daughter. This daughter was having problems with severe depression and had gotten to the point that she was repeatedly trying to commit suicide. In the past they had always been able to use their money to fix their circumstances. They had used it to buy for this young girl the very best of everything all through her life, yet she still found herself lacking any hope or joy. Now they were using their money to try and buy all of the best medicines, doctors, and treatments to help their daughter. They made a very profound comment in the midst of this traumatic time. They said “We have the nicest homes, many cars, and an abundance of money. None of it is helping us to find joy, hope, or healing for our daughter.” They had looked to their money and cried out to it “save us!” Then when it did not, they finally came to the point that they were able to say “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” I don’t know how their story ended, but I pray that it was with finding Jesus. This is what God’s word is trying to show us. Our culture tries to convince us that the more we have the safer we are from ever losing hope. God’s word tells us quite the opposite. It tells us that true contentment, hope, and satisfaction can only be found in Jesus.
In Philippians 4:10-13 Paul tells us that he learned to be content. He knew what it was to have plenty and he knew what it was to be in need, but either way he could be content. He gives us a clue to the secret of being content in verse 13. He says “I can do everything through him that gives me strength.” Christ is the secret. When you and I stay connected to Christ we are going to have the strength to be content in any circumstance. Apart from Christ we have nothing and will find our hearts searching after the things of this world. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are, you too can learn to be content through him that gives you strength. As you do it is sure to help you guard your finances through the holidays.
Xoxo
Justeina
As we work our way through our holiday blog series called Guarding Our Finances we have been talking about the attitudes we hold toward our money and possessions. Last week we looked at having the attitude of steward and not owner. Today let’s see where your treasure is.
Matthew 6:24 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This is a caution to us to not allow the things we can see and touch become a treasure to us, because when they do, they will steal all of our thoughts, time, and devotion. Let it not be what you and I work to store up. These things are only temporary. They are capable of being robbed, damaged, or lost in an instant. We cannot put our hope and trust in these things, they will fail us. We cannot find our satisfaction in these things, they will leave us empty. We cannot build our lives on top of them, they are just sinking sand.
The culture we live in does not help us out with this one AT ALL! The culture says that you just haven’t arrived unless you have a prestigious job, a large income, the top cars and the largest homes (one is not enough), wearing the top brands and the flashiest jewelry, and of course the up most education. I am not saying that it is right or wrong to have these things, but I am saying they are only temporary and they shouldn’t be where your heart is found. They shouldn’t be your treasure.
Allowing worldly possessions to become our treasure can have so many devastating consequences. One of them is mentioned in Matthew 6:24. It says that we can’t serve two masters. We will love the one and hate the other. We will be devoted to one and despise the other; we cannot serve both God and money. The word for money here is mammon, and it means gain. It is talking about anything in the world we use for gain. Placing too much value in money, possessions, prestige, and people’s opinions can steal away our devotion to God. If we are constantly looking to gain in the world, it can take our focus off of kingdom things. Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the kingdom.
That is to be our first priority, not an abundance of things from the world. Colossians 3:2 reminds us to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things. Girls we have to do a heart check. We have to be honest with where our treasure is. I need to tell you that how much money you have currently has nothing to do with where your treasure is. You could have an abundance of wealth and not have allowed it to become your treasure. You could just as easily not have a penny to your name, but have allowed the desire to gain wealth become your treasure. This is a very dangerous place to be.
I don’t know about you, but I find myself people watching all the time. Sometimes I have to be very careful to guard my heart as I do. Our motives aren’t always pure in checking out those around us. Could it be that we want to know if they have something we don’t? Could it be that we end up being consumed with wishing that we had what they have? That we looked like them…Wore their size…Could sing like them…Had their job…Had their car…Had their home…Had their title? Are we really busy trying to keep up with the Jones’s?
We can walk around with our green tented glasses on, envying all those around us and it is keeping us in bondage. In Luke 12 it reminds us that, “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” You are not defined by how much you have. You’re identity is not found in the value of your dress size, job, home, car, or bank accounts. You’re identity is found in Christ and Christ alone. He is your treasure and your very great reward. So be on guard this Christmas when you begin your holiday shopping. Evaluate where your real treasure is, and begin to teach your children that the real treasure of Christmas is not all the gifts, but Jesus himself.
xoxo
Justeina
Matthew 6:24 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This is a caution to us to not allow the things we can see and touch become a treasure to us, because when they do, they will steal all of our thoughts, time, and devotion. Let it not be what you and I work to store up. These things are only temporary. They are capable of being robbed, damaged, or lost in an instant. We cannot put our hope and trust in these things, they will fail us. We cannot find our satisfaction in these things, they will leave us empty. We cannot build our lives on top of them, they are just sinking sand.
The culture we live in does not help us out with this one AT ALL! The culture says that you just haven’t arrived unless you have a prestigious job, a large income, the top cars and the largest homes (one is not enough), wearing the top brands and the flashiest jewelry, and of course the up most education. I am not saying that it is right or wrong to have these things, but I am saying they are only temporary and they shouldn’t be where your heart is found. They shouldn’t be your treasure.
Allowing worldly possessions to become our treasure can have so many devastating consequences. One of them is mentioned in Matthew 6:24. It says that we can’t serve two masters. We will love the one and hate the other. We will be devoted to one and despise the other; we cannot serve both God and money. The word for money here is mammon, and it means gain. It is talking about anything in the world we use for gain. Placing too much value in money, possessions, prestige, and people’s opinions can steal away our devotion to God. If we are constantly looking to gain in the world, it can take our focus off of kingdom things. Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the kingdom.
That is to be our first priority, not an abundance of things from the world. Colossians 3:2 reminds us to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things. Girls we have to do a heart check. We have to be honest with where our treasure is. I need to tell you that how much money you have currently has nothing to do with where your treasure is. You could have an abundance of wealth and not have allowed it to become your treasure. You could just as easily not have a penny to your name, but have allowed the desire to gain wealth become your treasure. This is a very dangerous place to be.
I don’t know about you, but I find myself people watching all the time. Sometimes I have to be very careful to guard my heart as I do. Our motives aren’t always pure in checking out those around us. Could it be that we want to know if they have something we don’t? Could it be that we end up being consumed with wishing that we had what they have? That we looked like them…Wore their size…Could sing like them…Had their job…Had their car…Had their home…Had their title? Are we really busy trying to keep up with the Jones’s?
We can walk around with our green tented glasses on, envying all those around us and it is keeping us in bondage. In Luke 12 it reminds us that, “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” You are not defined by how much you have. You’re identity is not found in the value of your dress size, job, home, car, or bank accounts. You’re identity is found in Christ and Christ alone. He is your treasure and your very great reward. So be on guard this Christmas when you begin your holiday shopping. Evaluate where your real treasure is, and begin to teach your children that the real treasure of Christmas is not all the gifts, but Jesus himself.
xoxo
Justeina
My three year old has just recently entered into a new season of his life-separation anxiety. :) Any time that Mommy is getting ready to leave, he starts to tense up a bit. I may only be dropping him off at Grandma and Grandpa’s house (which he loves to go to) or to the kid’s church class for an hour, but in his little mind, he is feeling like it’s going to be forever. He starts off by telling me good-bye about ten times, blows me twenty kisses, tilts his head and winks his eye at me about ten times….and then this process repeats itself. Lately, I’ve had to try a little Mommy tactic, to help him focus his mind on something else besides me leaving him. So, being the ‘expert’ Mommy that I am, :)…I tell him, “Josiah, if you are a real big boy and don’t cry, I have a pack of M&M’s in my purse for you when I pick you up.” Work’s every time!
Last week after I dropped him off at Grandpa’s house, and after we had gone through the whole process, I had to chuckle as I drove down the road. It’s pretty cute seeing my son’s little chubby cheeks and big brown eyes as he tilts his head and winks at me, another way of him saying, “I love you so much.” I know this separation anxiety season will only be temporary. My three older children had gone through it too. Now, they’ve quickly outgrown it and I laugh when I drop them off somewhere because I may not even get a “good-bye”; as they so excitedly run off for some fun time!
I was thinking about this whole separation anxiety thing and thought, “I want my relationship with Jesus to be like this.” Not anxiety of course, but where I just can’t seem to get enough time with Him. If I am apart from Him too long, it really bothers me. If I feel separated from Him, it’s not a ‘comfortable’ feeling, but one where I just can’t wait to be back with Him. It’s easy as adults to sometimes resemble my older children. We can go about our days, running off for our to-do lists and the things that are appealing in our eyes. Maybe we’re not forgetting to say, “good-bye”, but we are not even starting off with a “good morning”. I want it to feel so uncomfortable if I attempt to live out one day without His presence!
Six times in the Old testament we are told that David “inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19, 23) He knew he was nothing apart from God-that He could not even make it one day without the Lord. In fact, the first thing he did every morning-before turning to the business of the day-was to turn his heart toward the Lord in prayer:
Psalm 5:3 (Amplified Bible)
“In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].”
Psalm 119:147 (NLT)
“I rise early, before the sun is up;I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.”
Apart from the presence, wisdom, and grace of God, we cannot do anything of true worth. If we humbly realize this and take the steps to keep ourselves connected with our loving God, we will be walking our days in His grace-His divine enabling to carry us through each day.
Are you feeling separated from Him today? How can you reconnect? Practically, do you need to start off your day in prayer? What about an encouraging devotional that will inspire you to get into the Word? What about Bible memorization? (I know this is one I am personally working on.) All of these things will keep us continually feeling close to our Heavenly Father. My challenge for you and me today is this…take intentional steps today to keep yourself from feeling separated from God. And once in a while, give Him a wink! ;)
Stephanie
Last week after I dropped him off at Grandpa’s house, and after we had gone through the whole process, I had to chuckle as I drove down the road. It’s pretty cute seeing my son’s little chubby cheeks and big brown eyes as he tilts his head and winks at me, another way of him saying, “I love you so much.” I know this separation anxiety season will only be temporary. My three older children had gone through it too. Now, they’ve quickly outgrown it and I laugh when I drop them off somewhere because I may not even get a “good-bye”; as they so excitedly run off for some fun time!
I was thinking about this whole separation anxiety thing and thought, “I want my relationship with Jesus to be like this.” Not anxiety of course, but where I just can’t seem to get enough time with Him. If I am apart from Him too long, it really bothers me. If I feel separated from Him, it’s not a ‘comfortable’ feeling, but one where I just can’t wait to be back with Him. It’s easy as adults to sometimes resemble my older children. We can go about our days, running off for our to-do lists and the things that are appealing in our eyes. Maybe we’re not forgetting to say, “good-bye”, but we are not even starting off with a “good morning”. I want it to feel so uncomfortable if I attempt to live out one day without His presence!
Six times in the Old testament we are told that David “inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19, 23) He knew he was nothing apart from God-that He could not even make it one day without the Lord. In fact, the first thing he did every morning-before turning to the business of the day-was to turn his heart toward the Lord in prayer:
Psalm 5:3 (Amplified Bible)
“In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].”
Psalm 119:147 (NLT)
“I rise early, before the sun is up;I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.”
Apart from the presence, wisdom, and grace of God, we cannot do anything of true worth. If we humbly realize this and take the steps to keep ourselves connected with our loving God, we will be walking our days in His grace-His divine enabling to carry us through each day.
Are you feeling separated from Him today? How can you reconnect? Practically, do you need to start off your day in prayer? What about an encouraging devotional that will inspire you to get into the Word? What about Bible memorization? (I know this is one I am personally working on.) All of these things will keep us continually feeling close to our Heavenly Father. My challenge for you and me today is this…take intentional steps today to keep yourself from feeling separated from God. And once in a while, give Him a wink! ;)
Stephanie
Category:
challenge
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The first step for you and me in this process of guarding our finances this holiday season is realizing that we are just stewards, not owners. If you and I are going to manage our resources according to the bible we have to get it straight within our hearts who the true owner of those resources is. We are only stewards. Only the manager over the things entrusted to us. If you and I try to take over and claim ownership of our money, time, and resources it will lead us astray every time and many times bring destruction and defeat. Psalm 24:1 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.”
A steward is just a manager of someone else’s property. They manage the property according to the owner’s wishes. An owner holds all rights to that thing. They are the legal titleholder and proprietor. What about you? Do you seem to fall into the mindset that you are the one that holds all rights to your money, time, and resources? Do you claim yourself as owner? Owner of your home, car, children, and business? Owner of your gifts and talents? We have to be very careful and very clear that we are only stewards, only managers. God is the true owner of everything you and I have. He is the one that should get the final say on how it should be managed. And trust me he has lots of advice for us on how to manage money in his word.
Think about the overwhelming mindset of the culture in which we live. “I worked hard for it and it’s mine!” The mindset that says it was my talent and hard work that earned this wealth and I should be able to do with it what I want to. Mine, Mine, Mine. This is the resounding word we see everywhere we look. You and I can also fall into this same seductive “mine” mentality. Scripture tells us to remember the Lord our God, for it is he that gives us the ability to produce wealth. Romans 14:12 says, “So then we will all give an account of ourselves to God.” We will certainly have to give an account to our “my money is my money” attitude if we have one. As we take on this attitude we begin to live beyond our means, confuse desires with needs, and rely on credit cards to sustain our “my money” lifestyle. Being a steward is adopting an attitude that says I have been made manager over these resources and I need to manage them wisely.
I really want to challenge you to think how different you would manage your money and resources if you truly did believe that God is owner and giver? As we close today’s study allow God to do an assessment over your life. Allow him to show you the areas that you are still trying to hold onto as owner instead of steward. It could be over your money, your home, your job, your children, or your gifts and talents. As long as you and I continue hold our grip on our resources as owner we will never be able to manage them as the steward that God expects us to be. When we take the appropriate role of steward, it is sure to bring God glory, and will certainly help you better guard your finances throughout the holidays.
xoxo
Justeina
A steward is just a manager of someone else’s property. They manage the property according to the owner’s wishes. An owner holds all rights to that thing. They are the legal titleholder and proprietor. What about you? Do you seem to fall into the mindset that you are the one that holds all rights to your money, time, and resources? Do you claim yourself as owner? Owner of your home, car, children, and business? Owner of your gifts and talents? We have to be very careful and very clear that we are only stewards, only managers. God is the true owner of everything you and I have. He is the one that should get the final say on how it should be managed. And trust me he has lots of advice for us on how to manage money in his word.
Think about the overwhelming mindset of the culture in which we live. “I worked hard for it and it’s mine!” The mindset that says it was my talent and hard work that earned this wealth and I should be able to do with it what I want to. Mine, Mine, Mine. This is the resounding word we see everywhere we look. You and I can also fall into this same seductive “mine” mentality. Scripture tells us to remember the Lord our God, for it is he that gives us the ability to produce wealth. Romans 14:12 says, “So then we will all give an account of ourselves to God.” We will certainly have to give an account to our “my money is my money” attitude if we have one. As we take on this attitude we begin to live beyond our means, confuse desires with needs, and rely on credit cards to sustain our “my money” lifestyle. Being a steward is adopting an attitude that says I have been made manager over these resources and I need to manage them wisely.
I really want to challenge you to think how different you would manage your money and resources if you truly did believe that God is owner and giver? As we close today’s study allow God to do an assessment over your life. Allow him to show you the areas that you are still trying to hold onto as owner instead of steward. It could be over your money, your home, your job, your children, or your gifts and talents. As long as you and I continue hold our grip on our resources as owner we will never be able to manage them as the steward that God expects us to be. When we take the appropriate role of steward, it is sure to bring God glory, and will certainly help you better guard your finances throughout the holidays.
xoxo
Justeina
Christmas is coming! You can see it and smell it everywhere you turn. The stores are all full of Santa Clauses, pine trees, colorful lights, pumpkin pies and spiced cider. With the Holidays approaching quickly, we need to make sure we have a healthy mindset of the joy of giving while also being honest about our financial ability to give. So often families find themselves with a whopping credit card bill after Christmas that follows them around for months to come. All the stress and strain added to a marriage and family all for just one day of giving glee. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing feeling to be able to give generously to the ones you love. But when you really think about it, today’s culture leads us to believe that we not only have to give generously to the ones we love, but even the ones we hardly like! (what? you didn't think i'd say that?)
We start to feel obligated and before we know it we are giving to our neighbors, teachers, coworkers, our third cousin we hardly know, all our children’s classmates, and we even keep a few extra gifts handy…just in case someone we don’t expect gives us one. We fall into this vicious cycle all the while causing our financial status to plummet further and further into chaos.
I want to spend the next few weeks talking about the balance between giving generously and being content to refuse to give under compulsion. What would change for you this year if you really did throw off that feeling of obligation to buy things beyond your means for the ones in your world? Would the end result of your holiday shopping sprees be different this year if you chose to use wisdom from God’s word rather than following the cultures standard? I imagine your answer is that it would be. What a freeing thing it would be to not spend all next year paying off what you couldn’t afford, but had to have this year. Just like you I could use a few reminders myself about the true meaning of Christmas. With a little direction from God and a lot of heart checks by us, we can have a holiday of giving without finding ourselves in bondage to the bills that follow. So be sure to check the blog every Monday over the next few weeks for our series called: Guarding Our Finances Through the Holidays. Until then just be praying and asking God to direct your steps and open your eyes to HIS plan for this year’s Christmas holiday!
xoxo
Justeina
We start to feel obligated and before we know it we are giving to our neighbors, teachers, coworkers, our third cousin we hardly know, all our children’s classmates, and we even keep a few extra gifts handy…just in case someone we don’t expect gives us one. We fall into this vicious cycle all the while causing our financial status to plummet further and further into chaos.
I want to spend the next few weeks talking about the balance between giving generously and being content to refuse to give under compulsion. What would change for you this year if you really did throw off that feeling of obligation to buy things beyond your means for the ones in your world? Would the end result of your holiday shopping sprees be different this year if you chose to use wisdom from God’s word rather than following the cultures standard? I imagine your answer is that it would be. What a freeing thing it would be to not spend all next year paying off what you couldn’t afford, but had to have this year. Just like you I could use a few reminders myself about the true meaning of Christmas. With a little direction from God and a lot of heart checks by us, we can have a holiday of giving without finding ourselves in bondage to the bills that follow. So be sure to check the blog every Monday over the next few weeks for our series called: Guarding Our Finances Through the Holidays. Until then just be praying and asking God to direct your steps and open your eyes to HIS plan for this year’s Christmas holiday!
xoxo
Justeina
Reflection Questions:
1. Looking at how circumstances affect you, would you say you have been a victim or victor?
2. After reading Romans 8:38-39, how does this make you feel about God's love for us, even amidst suffering?
3. When you have gone through areas of suffering in your own life, have you personally seen God use them into a greater intimacy with Him?
Challenge Questions:
1. We have seen that without our priorities in place, we will NOT complete the tasks that God gives us. In what areas do your priorities need realigned today?
2. Are you caught in the captivity of activity? What are some things you need to scrape off your plate, so you are truly available to obey God's leading for you?
3. What are some practical ways you can start having a consistent time in your Word and prayer?
Homework: Read Chapter nine, Lies Women Believe...About Circumstances
WHY IS ENTHUSIASM SO IMPORTANT?
Enthusiasm is able to energize you. One of the greatest obstacles keeping us from finding out what God has designed us for and keeping us from going forward with that plan is just a lack of energy. Let’s face it, by the end of the day we have no energy, no motivation, and nothing pushing us forward. When we become enthusiastic we will be strengthened, invigorated, and empowered to keep going forward. In my own life I can remember when God began to open up doors for me to teach a bible study at my church. I had a huge desire to write and teach tugging at my heart. Even so, I wondered how in the world I would have the energy to teach a bible study after working all day long. The answer was my enthusiasm for teaching the word of God. I was so excited about teaching and devoted to it that even when I began to feel weary, that enthusiasm would begin to recharge me and drive me forward. It is what kept me coming back each week to teach. That doesn’t mean I didn’t feel tired, it only means that my enthusiasm for the women I was teaching made me diligent to keep coming back to meet with them. So many people will burn out when it comes to living out God’s purpose for their lives whether it is ministry, raising a family, a career, a big dream, simply because they have lost their enthusiasm and zeal for that cause and they become weary and burdened by the task. Regain your enthusiasm and you will regain your energy!
Enthusiasm and zeal will also inspire and stir you to live beyond yourself. When we begin to get enthusiastic about living life for God it will cause you to be inspired to step out in ways that seem beyond you. It will force you to take action. That word zeal comes from a Greek word that means “to boil”. When we become filled with enthusiasm over something it is eventually going to boil over into us taking action. That desire to teach was boiling up in me until I finally took the first step of going to my church and asking to start a bible study. I could have waited until someone came to me and asked me to help lead, but that may have never happened. No one else knew this enthusiasm for teaching was in me until it grew so great that it inspired and stirred me to start a class. Had I not had that zeal boiling on the inside of me, I would have never been inspired to step out beyond my comfort zone into the unknown. And as a result, so many lives besides my own may have gone untouched. The unique thing about the class I stepped out to teach is that God used my enthusiasm for His word and combined it with my enthusiasm for fitness and health and it created a weight loss bible study that was able to transform lives! And eventually turned into a book.
Along the journey of finding out what God has designed you for, you are sure to hit roadblocks. Problems are going to rise and things won’t always be smooth. There are going to be times that could cause you to doubt you are headed in the right direction. Of course in those times you do need to seek God to be sure you are heading in the right direction, but if the answer is yes, your enthusiasm for what God has called you to can help you to overcome problems. That excitement and devotion will push you toward seeking God for solutions to the problems rather than just throwing in the towel and giving up.
You will also find that your enthusiasm is contagious. Your enthusiasm will entice others to become involved too. If you have ever been around someone that was full of enthusiasm you will know exactly what I mean. I have a dear friend that sells kitchen supplies similar to pampered chef products. She is so enthusiastic about what she does that it almost convinced me to not only buy the products, but to start selling them for myself. Then I was reminded that I can’t cook, nor do I enjoy cooking so I probably wouldn’t have the same enthusiasm as she and would never be able to convince others to buy the product from me! But her enthusiasm was contagious. You will find that your can be too. God will use your enthusiasm to encourage others to want to get involved. I pray that you allow your enthusiasm to push you forward into all that God has planned for your sweet life. Dare to Dream sweet sisters!!!
xoxo
Justeina
Enthusiasm is able to energize you. One of the greatest obstacles keeping us from finding out what God has designed us for and keeping us from going forward with that plan is just a lack of energy. Let’s face it, by the end of the day we have no energy, no motivation, and nothing pushing us forward. When we become enthusiastic we will be strengthened, invigorated, and empowered to keep going forward. In my own life I can remember when God began to open up doors for me to teach a bible study at my church. I had a huge desire to write and teach tugging at my heart. Even so, I wondered how in the world I would have the energy to teach a bible study after working all day long. The answer was my enthusiasm for teaching the word of God. I was so excited about teaching and devoted to it that even when I began to feel weary, that enthusiasm would begin to recharge me and drive me forward. It is what kept me coming back each week to teach. That doesn’t mean I didn’t feel tired, it only means that my enthusiasm for the women I was teaching made me diligent to keep coming back to meet with them. So many people will burn out when it comes to living out God’s purpose for their lives whether it is ministry, raising a family, a career, a big dream, simply because they have lost their enthusiasm and zeal for that cause and they become weary and burdened by the task. Regain your enthusiasm and you will regain your energy!
Enthusiasm and zeal will also inspire and stir you to live beyond yourself. When we begin to get enthusiastic about living life for God it will cause you to be inspired to step out in ways that seem beyond you. It will force you to take action. That word zeal comes from a Greek word that means “to boil”. When we become filled with enthusiasm over something it is eventually going to boil over into us taking action. That desire to teach was boiling up in me until I finally took the first step of going to my church and asking to start a bible study. I could have waited until someone came to me and asked me to help lead, but that may have never happened. No one else knew this enthusiasm for teaching was in me until it grew so great that it inspired and stirred me to start a class. Had I not had that zeal boiling on the inside of me, I would have never been inspired to step out beyond my comfort zone into the unknown. And as a result, so many lives besides my own may have gone untouched. The unique thing about the class I stepped out to teach is that God used my enthusiasm for His word and combined it with my enthusiasm for fitness and health and it created a weight loss bible study that was able to transform lives! And eventually turned into a book.
Along the journey of finding out what God has designed you for, you are sure to hit roadblocks. Problems are going to rise and things won’t always be smooth. There are going to be times that could cause you to doubt you are headed in the right direction. Of course in those times you do need to seek God to be sure you are heading in the right direction, but if the answer is yes, your enthusiasm for what God has called you to can help you to overcome problems. That excitement and devotion will push you toward seeking God for solutions to the problems rather than just throwing in the towel and giving up.
You will also find that your enthusiasm is contagious. Your enthusiasm will entice others to become involved too. If you have ever been around someone that was full of enthusiasm you will know exactly what I mean. I have a dear friend that sells kitchen supplies similar to pampered chef products. She is so enthusiastic about what she does that it almost convinced me to not only buy the products, but to start selling them for myself. Then I was reminded that I can’t cook, nor do I enjoy cooking so I probably wouldn’t have the same enthusiasm as she and would never be able to convince others to buy the product from me! But her enthusiasm was contagious. You will find that your can be too. God will use your enthusiasm to encourage others to want to get involved. I pray that you allow your enthusiasm to push you forward into all that God has planned for your sweet life. Dare to Dream sweet sisters!!!
xoxo
Justeina
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challenge,
encouragement
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One of the first steps to living out your purpose and getting out what God has placed in you is to find out what excites you. The word enthusiasm according to the American Heritage Dictionary means: Great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause. Compare that to a similar word zeal which means: Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance; synonym: passion. So what are you enthusiastic about? What do you feel passionate about? What are you willing to work in tireless diligence for? Scripture makes it clear that we are to be enthusiastic and full of zeal in life. Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Ephesians 6:7 says, “Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” So as you and I talk about enthusiasm and zeal we are talking about an excitement, devotion, and diligence towards something. We really do need to strive to have enthusiasm and zeal in our lives. John Maxwell quoted:
“One of the greatest things you can do is to get excited about your life and start to live enthusiastically day after day after day; your whole world will improve. If you wait to get excited until some lucky outer event happens - guess what? If you wait, what does life do? It waits. And if you hold back until a more appropriate time to get excited what does life do? It holds back. If you’re going to hold back on enthusiasm, develop lots of patience, because you’re going to wait a long time for an exciting life.”
This quote described my life to a tee. I was waiting for something to change in my life before I chose to be excited or enthusiastic. I thought, “ If something could just change I am sure I would be filled with enthusiasm and zeal!” But for awhile nothing did change and so neither did my enthusiasm. In the meantime, I waited and so did my life! Before we are really able to seek out God’s purpose for our lives we have to begin to live out life with enthusiasm. Something very important to remember about enthusiasm is that it isn’t a by-product, it’s cultivated! So I want to ask you today...what are you excited about? Next week I will share with you what will happen in your life once you do apply zeal. This week I challenge you to begin to ask yourself what it is that you are passionate about, what excites you and what you are willing to give all diligence to in your life.
xoxo,
Justeina
“One of the greatest things you can do is to get excited about your life and start to live enthusiastically day after day after day; your whole world will improve. If you wait to get excited until some lucky outer event happens - guess what? If you wait, what does life do? It waits. And if you hold back until a more appropriate time to get excited what does life do? It holds back. If you’re going to hold back on enthusiasm, develop lots of patience, because you’re going to wait a long time for an exciting life.”
This quote described my life to a tee. I was waiting for something to change in my life before I chose to be excited or enthusiastic. I thought, “ If something could just change I am sure I would be filled with enthusiasm and zeal!” But for awhile nothing did change and so neither did my enthusiasm. In the meantime, I waited and so did my life! Before we are really able to seek out God’s purpose for our lives we have to begin to live out life with enthusiasm. Something very important to remember about enthusiasm is that it isn’t a by-product, it’s cultivated! So I want to ask you today...what are you excited about? Next week I will share with you what will happen in your life once you do apply zeal. This week I challenge you to begin to ask yourself what it is that you are passionate about, what excites you and what you are willing to give all diligence to in your life.
xoxo,
Justeina
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
1 comments
Study Questions:
1.After reading Romans 6, what are some practical steps you can take today to experience freedom from sin’s hold?
2.By humbling ourselves before a loving and forgiving Father, what will He then do for us? (James 4:6, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”)
Daily Challenge:
Quiet yourself in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you any sin problems you need to confess. Then enjoy the spiritual vitality that you'll experience afterwards!
Homework:
Read chapter 5, Lies women believe… about Priorities
It’s almost a laughable question isn’t it: Is Facebook ruining my life? Unless you have experienced the dangers of facebook as millions of people already have. In the culture of social networking you would be hard pressed to find someone without a social account such as facebook. Many studies have ranked Facebook as the most used social network by worldwide monthly active users, followed by MySpace. Listen to some of the statistics that can be found on facebook’s own website. They have More than 500 million active users and 50% of the active users log on to Facebook in any given day. The average user has 130 friends and all combined, people spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook. There are over 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages) on facebook and the average user is connected to at least 80 community pages, groups and events. The average user creates 90 pieces of content each month and there are more than 30 billion pieces of combined content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each month. With those types of statistics you and I would have to agree that there is definitely room for disaster and danger within our facebook frenzy.
I can’t tell you how many stories I have heard from people that have seen betrayal, discouragement, and very painful life changing experiences come into their life through the world of facebook. Now most of us are aware of some of the common sense dangers that we can find on facebook and any other social network. Things like identity theft, information that leads to burglaries, and open doors to sexual predators. But what about those hidden dangers? The ones you may have never paid much attention to? The ones that in the end have the potential to ruin your life. My hope is that as we expose those things today, you will be able to approach the facebook world with greater wisdom and prevent a facebook façade.
As I researched for this article I reached out to my facebook friends for help (I didn’t say facebook doesn’t also have its advantages!) and asked them to share with me some of the potential dangers facebook would hold for a Christian. Over and over they mentioned facebook and gossip. Let’s face it; facebook is another form of a social circle, and in any social circle there is the danger and likeliness of gossip. I honestly believe even more so for online networking. We tend to be a bit braver when we are sitting alone at home typing away at the keys than we would be with a face to face conversation. Don’t misunderstand what all fits into the category for gossip. Gossip is any information that is made spacious or wide whether it’s true or not. So anytime you and I take information about someone else and make it spread wide we are involved in gossip. God’s word says about gossip in Proverbs 11:13 in the Message bible that, “A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.” We need to be very careful about the information we spread around on facebook. Gossip will be sure to destroy relationships of all types.
Another danger I have seen on facebook comes with our status updates. Have you ever noticed how many people enjoy venting through their status update? It’s quite hysterical, but very dangerous. Especially when you consider that many times people are venting about their job, their marriage, or other relationships. It’s just not professional or honoring. Be very cautious about what you are putting in your status update. Wisdom will likely lead you towards keeping those updates very light hearted. Never use that feature to vent out your frustrations with your employers, employees, or your family members. Even if you leave them unnamed, trust me someone out there will know exactly what you are referring to. It will not only put your own career in jeopardy, but can also cause a relational blow up! Learn to trust God with those frustrations, he can handle them.
We also need to be very careful to not use those status updates as a form of incoming affirmation. Think about how many times you have posted something and then you wait to hear comments from all your friends. As my close friend put it, “we post things and expect for people to comment back because we think what we had to say was so very important that everyone should leave comments.” It is so true. Not only do we wait to hear everyone’s comments back to us, but we also start to base our “facebook” value off of those comments back. If no one comments we feel a little less valuable. It becomes a source of affirmation to us.
One of the most dangerous places of all that we can find ourselves in on facebook is in an emotional relationship outside of our marriage. Too many times I watch as married friends link up with men and women from past relationships and become facebook friends. In the beginning it seems so innocent. But a natural curiosity takes over and they begin to visit that person’s wall and look through their pictures or maybe even begin to make comments back and forth. Before they know it they are sending daily messages to one another. And so the emotional bond begins, and it won’t likely stay only emotional. It doesn’t have to be an ex or past relationship. It can be anyone of the opposite sex. We need to use wisdom with the friends we choose on facebook. Remember, it’s not a contest to see who can get the most friends. It is meant to be a way to keep in touch with the people you care about the most. Don’t wait until you are already in the middle of an ongoing “facebook” relationship to see the danger it poses to your marriage. Prevent it now by choosing your friends very carefully and steering clear from any hint of emotional bond to someone of the opposite sex.
Finally I have to mention the danger facebook poses as a time thief. How many of us can admit how much of our time facebook can consume. You log on for a quick check in the morning and before you know it you are still checking an hour later. So often we can become consumed with facebook world. We give it priority often over our marriages, our job, sometimes our children and most frequently it robs us of our own quite time with God. Do a self evaluation and see just how much of your time you are giving to the facebook frenzy. Is it the first thing you do each morning? The last thing you do before bed? Do you have facebook on your mobile so that you can stay connected at all times? There is another word for that…and it’s called an idol. God warns us about idols in scripture. Anytime we put something else in priority over Him we have ourselves an idol. Don’t allow facebook to continue to be a time thief in your world.
Although there are many undercover dangers with facebook, it can also be an amazing networking and connecting tool. If we apply a little wisdom to our social networking it really can be a blessing. But if we don’t heed the warning signs we could be left telling our own story of how facebook ruined our life.
xoxo
Justeina
I can’t tell you how many stories I have heard from people that have seen betrayal, discouragement, and very painful life changing experiences come into their life through the world of facebook. Now most of us are aware of some of the common sense dangers that we can find on facebook and any other social network. Things like identity theft, information that leads to burglaries, and open doors to sexual predators. But what about those hidden dangers? The ones you may have never paid much attention to? The ones that in the end have the potential to ruin your life. My hope is that as we expose those things today, you will be able to approach the facebook world with greater wisdom and prevent a facebook façade.
As I researched for this article I reached out to my facebook friends for help (I didn’t say facebook doesn’t also have its advantages!) and asked them to share with me some of the potential dangers facebook would hold for a Christian. Over and over they mentioned facebook and gossip. Let’s face it; facebook is another form of a social circle, and in any social circle there is the danger and likeliness of gossip. I honestly believe even more so for online networking. We tend to be a bit braver when we are sitting alone at home typing away at the keys than we would be with a face to face conversation. Don’t misunderstand what all fits into the category for gossip. Gossip is any information that is made spacious or wide whether it’s true or not. So anytime you and I take information about someone else and make it spread wide we are involved in gossip. God’s word says about gossip in Proverbs 11:13 in the Message bible that, “A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.” We need to be very careful about the information we spread around on facebook. Gossip will be sure to destroy relationships of all types.
Another danger I have seen on facebook comes with our status updates. Have you ever noticed how many people enjoy venting through their status update? It’s quite hysterical, but very dangerous. Especially when you consider that many times people are venting about their job, their marriage, or other relationships. It’s just not professional or honoring. Be very cautious about what you are putting in your status update. Wisdom will likely lead you towards keeping those updates very light hearted. Never use that feature to vent out your frustrations with your employers, employees, or your family members. Even if you leave them unnamed, trust me someone out there will know exactly what you are referring to. It will not only put your own career in jeopardy, but can also cause a relational blow up! Learn to trust God with those frustrations, he can handle them.
We also need to be very careful to not use those status updates as a form of incoming affirmation. Think about how many times you have posted something and then you wait to hear comments from all your friends. As my close friend put it, “we post things and expect for people to comment back because we think what we had to say was so very important that everyone should leave comments.” It is so true. Not only do we wait to hear everyone’s comments back to us, but we also start to base our “facebook” value off of those comments back. If no one comments we feel a little less valuable. It becomes a source of affirmation to us.
One of the most dangerous places of all that we can find ourselves in on facebook is in an emotional relationship outside of our marriage. Too many times I watch as married friends link up with men and women from past relationships and become facebook friends. In the beginning it seems so innocent. But a natural curiosity takes over and they begin to visit that person’s wall and look through their pictures or maybe even begin to make comments back and forth. Before they know it they are sending daily messages to one another. And so the emotional bond begins, and it won’t likely stay only emotional. It doesn’t have to be an ex or past relationship. It can be anyone of the opposite sex. We need to use wisdom with the friends we choose on facebook. Remember, it’s not a contest to see who can get the most friends. It is meant to be a way to keep in touch with the people you care about the most. Don’t wait until you are already in the middle of an ongoing “facebook” relationship to see the danger it poses to your marriage. Prevent it now by choosing your friends very carefully and steering clear from any hint of emotional bond to someone of the opposite sex.
Finally I have to mention the danger facebook poses as a time thief. How many of us can admit how much of our time facebook can consume. You log on for a quick check in the morning and before you know it you are still checking an hour later. So often we can become consumed with facebook world. We give it priority often over our marriages, our job, sometimes our children and most frequently it robs us of our own quite time with God. Do a self evaluation and see just how much of your time you are giving to the facebook frenzy. Is it the first thing you do each morning? The last thing you do before bed? Do you have facebook on your mobile so that you can stay connected at all times? There is another word for that…and it’s called an idol. God warns us about idols in scripture. Anytime we put something else in priority over Him we have ourselves an idol. Don’t allow facebook to continue to be a time thief in your world.
Although there are many undercover dangers with facebook, it can also be an amazing networking and connecting tool. If we apply a little wisdom to our social networking it really can be a blessing. But if we don’t heed the warning signs we could be left telling our own story of how facebook ruined our life.
xoxo
Justeina
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
3
comments
Acts 20:24
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”
I love these words from the Apostle Paul. When I read this Bible verse a few years ago, I had to post it all over my house. Paul’s primary ambition was to faithfully finish the task that God had given him to do. I want to do the same. I want to be accomplishing the daily things that He has for me. Paul felt no responsibility to complete the task Christ had given to Peter, or Barnabas, or Timothy. He believed and taught that God has specific plans for each believer. He expressed this in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God has a task for each one of us-one he planned a long time ago. There is just this little problem that often gets in the way of us accomplishing the tasks. The problem is lack of priorities. You see, without priorities in place, we will NOT complete the task that the Lord has for each of us. While we are all too familiar with the word priorities and may even know that they are very important to have in order, it is easy to have them fall out of the right order. One common reason our priorities get all jumbled up, is distractions.
Nothing is more discouraging than getting pulled away from our priorities because of distractions. Isn’t it amazing how distracted we can become?
1 Peter 5:8 says,“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
This verse shows us how active satan is in our world. His very name means, “One who separates.” His chief purpose is to separate us from God however he can. He wants us to chase after other things-even good things-so we miss God’s best. He wants to keep us busy. Have you heard the quote, “If satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy!” Busyness is a major distraction. Isn’t this so true? How many of you have hustled and bustled around all day, and at the end of the day, your thinking to yourself, “what did I do all day?”
Let’s take a quick look at the story of Mary and Martha.
Luke 10:38-42, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Now ladies, let’s put ourselves in this story. I’ve been there before, preparing to have guest over; making a meal, cleaning like a mad-woman, and by the time my guests arrive, I’m ready to go sit in a warm bath with a cup of tea. I miss out on the special time that God had opened up for us, just the same way Martha missed out with Jesus. Oh, it’s easy to read her story and think, “yea, right, if that was me, I wouldn’t have missed out sitting with Jesus.” But, sadly we all can probably relate to her more than we would like to admit. We say that God is our first priority, yet many times all of the distractions/preparations pull us away from having some quiet time with him.
As we sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to help us realign our priorities, he whispers the things he wants us to focus on that day. Maybe it’s sending an encouraging card to someone, visiting the elderly in the nursing home, investing into your marriage, having some fun with our kids, taking care of yourself by getting some exercise. Whatever it is, He will help us. When our priorities are where they need to be and we are accomplishing the task God gives us, we will have full access to the abundant life that He intended us to have. Our lives will be a sweet aroma to others.
Blessings to you today, as we sit at the feet of Jesus.
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”
I love these words from the Apostle Paul. When I read this Bible verse a few years ago, I had to post it all over my house. Paul’s primary ambition was to faithfully finish the task that God had given him to do. I want to do the same. I want to be accomplishing the daily things that He has for me. Paul felt no responsibility to complete the task Christ had given to Peter, or Barnabas, or Timothy. He believed and taught that God has specific plans for each believer. He expressed this in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God has a task for each one of us-one he planned a long time ago. There is just this little problem that often gets in the way of us accomplishing the tasks. The problem is lack of priorities. You see, without priorities in place, we will NOT complete the task that the Lord has for each of us. While we are all too familiar with the word priorities and may even know that they are very important to have in order, it is easy to have them fall out of the right order. One common reason our priorities get all jumbled up, is distractions.
Nothing is more discouraging than getting pulled away from our priorities because of distractions. Isn’t it amazing how distracted we can become?
1 Peter 5:8 says,“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
This verse shows us how active satan is in our world. His very name means, “One who separates.” His chief purpose is to separate us from God however he can. He wants us to chase after other things-even good things-so we miss God’s best. He wants to keep us busy. Have you heard the quote, “If satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy!” Busyness is a major distraction. Isn’t this so true? How many of you have hustled and bustled around all day, and at the end of the day, your thinking to yourself, “what did I do all day?”
Let’s take a quick look at the story of Mary and Martha.
Luke 10:38-42, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Now ladies, let’s put ourselves in this story. I’ve been there before, preparing to have guest over; making a meal, cleaning like a mad-woman, and by the time my guests arrive, I’m ready to go sit in a warm bath with a cup of tea. I miss out on the special time that God had opened up for us, just the same way Martha missed out with Jesus. Oh, it’s easy to read her story and think, “yea, right, if that was me, I wouldn’t have missed out sitting with Jesus.” But, sadly we all can probably relate to her more than we would like to admit. We say that God is our first priority, yet many times all of the distractions/preparations pull us away from having some quiet time with him.
As we sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to help us realign our priorities, he whispers the things he wants us to focus on that day. Maybe it’s sending an encouraging card to someone, visiting the elderly in the nursing home, investing into your marriage, having some fun with our kids, taking care of yourself by getting some exercise. Whatever it is, He will help us. When our priorities are where they need to be and we are accomplishing the task God gives us, we will have full access to the abundant life that He intended us to have. Our lives will be a sweet aroma to others.
Blessings to you today, as we sit at the feet of Jesus.
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
0
comments
(This is an excert from the book, What Happens When women say Yes to God, by Lysa TerKeurst) I wanted to share the following few pages from this book that challenged and encouraged me in the area of radical obedience. I know you will be blessed!
He (Jesus) saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:2-4)
Did you notice that there were two boats on the shore that day, and Jesus specifically chose Simon Peter’s boat? Why? Because Jesus knew that Simon Peter had a radically obedient heart and would be willing to do what He asked him-even when it made no sense. I like Peter’s response to Jesus request: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets”(vs. 5) Do you hear what Peter is saying? “Though I ‘m tired from working all night, though I don’t think You know much about fishing, Jesus, though it makes no sense at all in human terms…because you say so, I will do it.”
How many times have I found myself in Peter’s position and not responded in obedience the way he did? It saddens my heart to remember the occasions I’ve ignored Jesus’ call for radical obedience because I was tired, or because I didn’t really believe Jesus would work miraculously in a particular situation, or mostly because the Lord’s request made no sense in human terms.
I often wonder now at the blessings I’ve missed because of my lack of obedience. Look at what happened to Peter because of his obedience:
When they had (let the nets down), they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. (Luke 5:6-10)
But Simon Peter’s blessing that day didn’t end with a huge catch of fish. His radical obedience to Jesus’ simple request ultimately resulted in him discovering the calling on his life.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10-11)
We have to remember that Simon Peter didn’t know that something as mundane as lowering his net into the water would change his life-but it did! And that’s how it can be for us. Our calling is revealed as we walk in daily obedience to Christ in the little things.
That’s what’s remarkable about radical obedience. You don’t know where it will lead. You don’t know how God will use it. That’s what I love about Peter’s story. It shows us so much about the radically obedient life.
First, as Peter discovered, our call to obedience may challenge our pride. God hates a prideful attitude (James 4:6). Many times the little steps leading to the bigger steps in our calling will be tests that help whittle the pride out of our heart. Peter, for instance, could have easily questioned Jesus’ fishing knowledge…after all, Peter was a professional fisherman and Jesus was a carpenter. But Peter chose to swallow his pride and take the small step of obedience.
Second, God uses our experiences to equip us for our calling. God doesn’t waste our experiences in life. I know in my own life God has been able to weave everything together to form a tapestry of good experiences, bad experiences, hurtful things, joyous things, professional jobs, ministry jobs, and everything else to prepare me for the work He is in the process of revealing to me. The same was true for Simon Peter. Yesterday he was fishing for fish; today he would be fishing for men.
Third, our obedience may inspire others to respond. What a radical blessing! As we respond in obedience, others will catch the vision and respond to God’s calling on their own loves. Think of it. It wasn’t just Peter’s life that changed that day. The lives of his fishing partners, James and John, were never the same either. And it started with Peter saying yes to Jesus.
One caution at this point. We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that our blessings for radical obediences will profit our accounts and fill our pockets. Yes, Peter got a boatload of fish as a result of his obedience, but notice what he did: “So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11). They didn’t celebrate their banner fishing day. They didn’t consider the fish a just reward for all their hard work. They didn’t sell the fish and use the money to buy more boats and hang out a new shingle announcing their expanded fishing fleet. No, they were only thinking of the person who allowed it to happen-and they left it all behind and followed Him.
Where We Focus Our Vision
Now contrast Peter’s story with another incident we find recorded in Luke:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots (Luke 23:34).
It’s hard to imagine anyone playing games in the shadow of the cross while the savior of the world looked on in excruciating pain. He was dying for their sins, and they were dying fro one good roll of the dice. They didn’t even hear His cry for God to forgive them. They missed His offer of eternal significance because they were too distracted by earthly rags. They had no vision beyond the moment. Max Lucado writes of this scene:
“It makes me think of us…I’m thinking that we are not so unlike those soldiers. We, too, play games at the foot of the cross. We compete for members. We scramble for members. We scramble for status. We deal out judgements and condemnations. Competition. Selfishness. Personal gain. It’s all there…so close to the timber yet so far from the blood.”
Are we like Peter? Or are we like these soldiers at the foot of the cross? Our life will follow where we choose to focus our vision. If we are serious about radical obedience, about having a vision that’s God inspired, then we mush keep our focus on Christ. When Christ speaks, we must listen. When He directs us to act, we must act. When He compels us to give, we must do so freely. When He reminds us to get past trivial matters, we must let our pride fall away. When He invites us to leave the world behind, we must follow Him.
He (Jesus) saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:2-4)
Did you notice that there were two boats on the shore that day, and Jesus specifically chose Simon Peter’s boat? Why? Because Jesus knew that Simon Peter had a radically obedient heart and would be willing to do what He asked him-even when it made no sense. I like Peter’s response to Jesus request: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets”(vs. 5) Do you hear what Peter is saying? “Though I ‘m tired from working all night, though I don’t think You know much about fishing, Jesus, though it makes no sense at all in human terms…because you say so, I will do it.”
How many times have I found myself in Peter’s position and not responded in obedience the way he did? It saddens my heart to remember the occasions I’ve ignored Jesus’ call for radical obedience because I was tired, or because I didn’t really believe Jesus would work miraculously in a particular situation, or mostly because the Lord’s request made no sense in human terms.
I often wonder now at the blessings I’ve missed because of my lack of obedience. Look at what happened to Peter because of his obedience:
When they had (let the nets down), they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. (Luke 5:6-10)
But Simon Peter’s blessing that day didn’t end with a huge catch of fish. His radical obedience to Jesus’ simple request ultimately resulted in him discovering the calling on his life.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10-11)
We have to remember that Simon Peter didn’t know that something as mundane as lowering his net into the water would change his life-but it did! And that’s how it can be for us. Our calling is revealed as we walk in daily obedience to Christ in the little things.
That’s what’s remarkable about radical obedience. You don’t know where it will lead. You don’t know how God will use it. That’s what I love about Peter’s story. It shows us so much about the radically obedient life.
First, as Peter discovered, our call to obedience may challenge our pride. God hates a prideful attitude (James 4:6). Many times the little steps leading to the bigger steps in our calling will be tests that help whittle the pride out of our heart. Peter, for instance, could have easily questioned Jesus’ fishing knowledge…after all, Peter was a professional fisherman and Jesus was a carpenter. But Peter chose to swallow his pride and take the small step of obedience.
Second, God uses our experiences to equip us for our calling. God doesn’t waste our experiences in life. I know in my own life God has been able to weave everything together to form a tapestry of good experiences, bad experiences, hurtful things, joyous things, professional jobs, ministry jobs, and everything else to prepare me for the work He is in the process of revealing to me. The same was true for Simon Peter. Yesterday he was fishing for fish; today he would be fishing for men.
Third, our obedience may inspire others to respond. What a radical blessing! As we respond in obedience, others will catch the vision and respond to God’s calling on their own loves. Think of it. It wasn’t just Peter’s life that changed that day. The lives of his fishing partners, James and John, were never the same either. And it started with Peter saying yes to Jesus.
One caution at this point. We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that our blessings for radical obediences will profit our accounts and fill our pockets. Yes, Peter got a boatload of fish as a result of his obedience, but notice what he did: “So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11). They didn’t celebrate their banner fishing day. They didn’t consider the fish a just reward for all their hard work. They didn’t sell the fish and use the money to buy more boats and hang out a new shingle announcing their expanded fishing fleet. No, they were only thinking of the person who allowed it to happen-and they left it all behind and followed Him.
Where We Focus Our Vision
Now contrast Peter’s story with another incident we find recorded in Luke:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots (Luke 23:34).
It’s hard to imagine anyone playing games in the shadow of the cross while the savior of the world looked on in excruciating pain. He was dying for their sins, and they were dying fro one good roll of the dice. They didn’t even hear His cry for God to forgive them. They missed His offer of eternal significance because they were too distracted by earthly rags. They had no vision beyond the moment. Max Lucado writes of this scene:
“It makes me think of us…I’m thinking that we are not so unlike those soldiers. We, too, play games at the foot of the cross. We compete for members. We scramble for members. We scramble for status. We deal out judgements and condemnations. Competition. Selfishness. Personal gain. It’s all there…so close to the timber yet so far from the blood.”
Are we like Peter? Or are we like these soldiers at the foot of the cross? Our life will follow where we choose to focus our vision. If we are serious about radical obedience, about having a vision that’s God inspired, then we mush keep our focus on Christ. When Christ speaks, we must listen. When He directs us to act, we must act. When He compels us to give, we must do so freely. When He reminds us to get past trivial matters, we must let our pride fall away. When He invites us to leave the world behind, we must follow Him.
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
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Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as
brothers, be compassionate and humble.
-- 1 Peter 3:8
No matter where we live, work or play, we are to live in harmony. No matter our upbringing, ex family, current family, childhood friends and current friends, we are to be sympathetic. No matter what denomination or religious belief we have or do not have, we are to love as brothers and sisters. This takes compassion and what I’ve been taught the most -humility!
In the ESV in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 it says:
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
I know God is wholeheartedly trying to get His “body” to understand the importance of their role on earth. We are not here to be judgmental. We are not here to place blame. We are all chosen and placed here on earth to serve one purpose, Him! We are to serve our Heavenly Father with the talent He has given us. No matter the denomination, no matter the past, no matter the future. We are to support His children at all times. If any person is hurting and in need, we should hurt like He hurts. If one has gone astray, we are to help guide them back to His Kingdom. Let’s make a commitment to serve, as He served.
“Father God, we pray you will feed our hearts, minds and mouths with your compassion. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Give us direction and a peace of mind as we venture out into your Kingdom each day. Lord, draw us near to those in need. Allow us the privilege to pour your love out to those who are confused, led astray, bewildered and in pain. I pray we will be strong students and learn to be the body of believers that serve the world the way you taught us to do so. Thank you for such an awesome example you gave to us in Jesus Christ! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen!"
Love,
Maranda Huntley
brothers, be compassionate and humble.
-- 1 Peter 3:8
No matter where we live, work or play, we are to live in harmony. No matter our upbringing, ex family, current family, childhood friends and current friends, we are to be sympathetic. No matter what denomination or religious belief we have or do not have, we are to love as brothers and sisters. This takes compassion and what I’ve been taught the most -humility!
In the ESV in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 it says:
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
I know God is wholeheartedly trying to get His “body” to understand the importance of their role on earth. We are not here to be judgmental. We are not here to place blame. We are all chosen and placed here on earth to serve one purpose, Him! We are to serve our Heavenly Father with the talent He has given us. No matter the denomination, no matter the past, no matter the future. We are to support His children at all times. If any person is hurting and in need, we should hurt like He hurts. If one has gone astray, we are to help guide them back to His Kingdom. Let’s make a commitment to serve, as He served.
“Father God, we pray you will feed our hearts, minds and mouths with your compassion. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Give us direction and a peace of mind as we venture out into your Kingdom each day. Lord, draw us near to those in need. Allow us the privilege to pour your love out to those who are confused, led astray, bewildered and in pain. I pray we will be strong students and learn to be the body of believers that serve the world the way you taught us to do so. Thank you for such an awesome example you gave to us in Jesus Christ! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen!"
Love,
Maranda Huntley
Category:
challenge,
encouragement
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