February 14, 2010- Point of View

Scripture to read today:
Leviticus 23; Leviticus 24; Psalm 24; Acts 21

Scripture that spoke to me:
Acts 21:27-28
When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place.

Observation:
The Jews are having a hard time accepting that their God could be God to the Gentiles, too. They are angry at Paul for spreading the word and attempt to kill him.

Application:
This sounds horrible when I read it, but then I realize this still goes on today. One denomination thinks they’re better than another. Yes, there are differences, but we are all God’s children. Until we understand how that includes everyone, there will be religious persecution among Christians. And this is really sad to witness. I had a so-called Christian get mad at me today because I watched a video she posted but I didn’t comment. This is someone who doesn’t comment on most of my posts. I commented back to her that I didn’t like leaving trite comments. If I didn’t have something meaningful to say I’d rather not say something silly. Apparently, that would have satisfied her. I see her as a sister in Christ and am sad that she feels this way. But I have to remember that we all don’t see things the same way and allow for her opinion.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to be inclusive among Your children and not always think that my way is best. Help me try to see things from others’ points of view and grant that they may have merit. Amen.

12 Days of Grace- Day 5- A Life of Piety

“That which lives in the darkness will be exposed to light.”

A life of piety means living all of one’s life in relationship with God. We should have nothing to hide from Him, but have a genuine openness. Our relationship with God influences all other relationships, much like food coloring in water colors everything.

What we receive from our relationship with God is proportional to what we put into it. We must willingly receive the relationship, and then live like it! This is the hard part, because there will be highs and lows to go through.

Characteristics of a Relationship with God:
1- Attention- God deserves out undivided attention
2- Time- even Jesus went off alone to spend time with God.
3- Honesty- that we are truthful and honest in our communication with Him
4- Deep Commitment- we must be willing to give deeply of ourselves by making our relationship with God a priority
5- Sharing- we need to spend time in friendship.

In John 15:5, Jesus says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Our relationship with God is enhanced by Spiritual practices:
1- Prayer- the communication language of the soul
2- Reading the Bible- here’s where we find the heart, mind, and soul of God
3- Meditation- fovusing our attention on God. Center our heart and mind and listen for God’s voice.
4- Worship- this is our expression of love and praise to God. It is here that we confess our sin, hear the Truth, and respond with commitment.
5- Holy Communion- reminds us of the love of God- where we receive the gift of Christ.
6- Spiritual direction- spiritual friendship

Qualities of a life of piety:
1- Awareness- we are aware of ourselves, of others, of creation, and of God
2- Desire for God-
Psalm 42:1-2 – As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3- Action- test of the relationship- actions should reflect a life of piety
4- Direction- comes from living in relationship with God
5- Naturalness- a Life of piety keeps in touch with the real world- where you and others are
6- Courage- a life of Piety exhibits security, free from fear, as we live for His love despite the cost.
7- Joy- a life of piety can provide inner joy that transcends outward circumstances. We experience joy in our relationship with God. It is also easier to serve God our of joy than from a sense of duty.

When we accept God, our world is colored and filtered through our relationship with Him. The more we commit our time- in prayer, Bible study, worship, and communion with Him- the more joy, desire, and courage we receive. We go to a hospital because we’re physically sick; we go to church because we’re spiritually sick.

12 Days of Grace- Day 4- Justifying Grace

Robert Munsch wrote a book called “Love you Forever” based on this verse:
I”ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”

There has never been a time that God has not loved us.

In the Old Testament, God invited people into a covenant relationship with Him. He used the prophets to call the people back to Him.

In the New Testament, God sent Jesus. He was a gift- a servant to the people, who fed the hungry, raised the dead, healed the sick. He said “Come, follow me.” And He died for us- why? Because that was God’s way of saying “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as you can imagine, my child you’ll be.”

God pursues us, loves us, woos us, and waits for us to say yes.

GOD LOVES JANEEN! (And you can put your name in there, too!)

Justifying grace allows us to say “yes” to God and accept the loving relationship He offers.

In legal terms, justification means “to be made right.” We receive God’s justifying grace the moment we accept the relationship God offers.

We need to be made right- sin has made us a mess!

Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We can’t fix it alone, but with God, we are not alone.

Remember the phrase “but God”-
We have ….. but God loves us.
We have …. but God wants us.

Justification is all about God. He cleans up the mess we have made of our lives.

Justifying grace grants us pardon for all our sins; past, present, and future. (That’s why it’s so amazing!) It is all about what God does for us in our lives, that we are saved by grace through faith. Salvation is an act of God, not of men. It isn’t our action- our action is faith. Justification comes by grace alone.

Ephesians 2:8-9: Saving is all God’s idea, all His work- all we do is trust Him enough to do it. (The Message)

Justification is like a conversion. It is when we accept the free gift of grace that God has been offering our entire lives. But get this- conversion doesn’t happen at any one moment or at any one stage of life. It is almost a daily choice, one we make in prayer, in study, in fellowship. All of these things help us to choose God every day. They help us stay grounded in God’s grace.

God offers us His agape love. He reached out to you before birth and He reaches out to you now- unconditionally. If you want more proof of His love, think about this- Christ died for us while we were still sinners. That proved that we can’t earn it, don’t deserve it, but He loves us enough to offer it anyway.

December 13, 2009- Encourage Each Other

Scripture to read today:
Hebrews 9; Hebrews 10; Hebrews 11

Scripture that spoke to me:
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Observation:
Encouraging each other- seems to be a new concept. The world lives by “every man for himself” and “the strong survive.” But Christians shouldn’t. We should help each other. This includes communal worship. I’ve heard several people who say they are Christians, but believe that they don’t need to go to church.

Application:
I was reading on Jimmie’s note today where people think that Jesus is good but His workers aren’t. That’s a shame. There are too many “Christians” who hold themselves so high above others that they exclude them- even in worship! And forget help. “Why can’t he help himself? He’s capable!” That isn’t our call to make. We are called to help each other, not help those we like, or help those who are like us… just help.

Prayer:
Lord, help me not to judge or stereotype people who need my help. Let me remember that I am their sister and they need my help. Because I may need their help one day. Thank you for sending us all to be here for each other. Amen.

September 29, 2009- Division Problems

Scripture to read today:

Zechariah 4; Zechariah 5; Zechariah 6; Luke 12

Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 12:51-52
Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

Observation:
This is so different from most of the teachings of Jesus- acceptance, love, brotherhood…. but what he is saying is that some will believe in Him and others won’t. That’s just the way it is. He came to separate the “wheat from the chaff” and that’s not dividing by family, race, economic status, popularity, but dividing by those who believe and those who don’t. This was a very different method of division for the Jews and it is still for us today.

Application:
We’re taught to bind our families together- the only way to do that is to have a family where everyone believes in Jesus. I still believe that is the basis for the failure of my marriage- I grew in my love for the Lord and he didn’t. Maybe it isn’t as simple as that, but as my walk got closer to God, he got more resentful of the time I put into it, and pulled back even further. My brother, the athiest, doesn’t join us on some family events. We invite him but don’t push him to- by not accepting the Lord he has alienated himself from certain parts of our lives. It is a shame, but that’s where the division comes.

Prayer:
Lord, teach me how to either accept division or correct it. I want to show people Your way and how to get to You. Amen.

September 22, 2009- A Heavenly Visitor

Scripture to read today:

Daniel 9; Daniel 10; Psalm 123; Luke 5

Scripture that spoke to me:
Daniel 10:12-14
Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Observation:
This “man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist” (v 5) was obviously a visitor from heaven sent to Daniel to answer his prayer. He doesn’t identify himself but does say that he was delayed by a spirit until helped by the Archangel Michael. He goes on to say that he will have to face other spirits and call on Michael for help.

Application:
We don’t focus much on the spirit world. Perhaps it is scary to think of, or since we can’t see it we don’t understand it, but even Jesus made much of the spirits around him. What is out there and more importantly, what spirits are trying to visit us to tell us things and we don’t even know it? Maybe we feel like our prayers are not answered simply because we don’t know how to listen.

Prayer:
Lord, help me learn to listen to you and your messengers. Help me not be afraid of things I know nothing about but call upon your strength and understanding to make things clearer. Amen.

September 21, 2009- Knowledge and Acceptance

Scripture to read today:

Daniel 7; Daniel 8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 4:41
Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.

Observation:
Earlier in this chapter, Satan is tempting Jesus by using scripture. Here, the demons are shouting “You are the Son of God!” Even the evil spirits know that Jesus is the Messiah. They obey his command.

Application:
If the devil and the demons know who Jesus is, why do so many on earth not know Him? And for those of us that do, what makes us better than the demons? To know Him isn’t enough- to be able to quote scripture isn’t enough- we have to invite him into our hearts, to be with us every day.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Make me ever mindful that You are with me in everything. Amen.

September 4, 2009- Marked By God

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 22; Ezekiel 23; Ezekiel 24; Revelation 9

Scripture that spoke to me:
Revelation 9:4
They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Observation:
Revelation is full of imagery and symbols. Here, locusts are let loose on the earth to sting like scorpions. They are to leave the people marked by God alone.

Application:
Are you marked by God? How would anyone know? Take a step back and look at your life. Would someone looking in from the outside know that you follow the Lord? I know that following God means that your life will be different from those around you. It may mean that you don’t participate in some things. It may mean that you are laughed at and left out. But it does mean that you are full of love and compassion for others, not hate and greed and gossip. We are marked by God with a peaceful smile….

Prayer:
Lord, bring me Your peace, Your love, Your grace so that others can see You through me. Amen.

September 2, 2009- You Are Who You Hang Out With

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 17; Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 19; Revelation 7

Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezekiel 18:23
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.

Observation:
The Lord wants all of His children to come home. He doesn’t want to lose one to death. That is why He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him.

Application:
Have you ever noticed that the people who are your best friends have a lot in common with you? Tend to be from the same economic level, with the same ideals and interests? So if your friends succeed, you’re likely to also. If your friends walk with God, you may as well. So you can either surround yourself with people who are the way you would like to be, or you can help the people around you become Christians and follow God. Either way, you are really helping yourself to be the best you can be.

Prayer:
Lord, let the people who I come in contact with know You through me. Let my life be a good example, not a detriment. Amen.

August 26, 2009- Check Your Sin at the Door

Scripture to read today:

Jeremiah 50; Jeremiah 51; 3 John 1

Scripture that spoke to me:
1 John 3:9-10
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

Observation:
All should be welcomed in the church. Diotrephes is certainly not the last person who has not been welcoming of others. John calls this evil, and reminds his friend to show hospitality to men so that they may work together for God.

Application:
I have heard countless stories from friends about how they were not welcomed, and in some cases, shunned from the church. I had an experience once with a lady who called the church trying to get her ex thrown out. She ended up mad at me (which was ok) because I wasn’t going to do anything! He was living with a girl he was about to marry- living in sin according to her- and why wasn’t the church letting them come? My reply was that we don’t check sins at the door. Everyone who comes to church sins, and if we only let the righteous in, there wouldn’t be anyone here!

Prayer:
Lord, help  us all to realize that everyone has their problems. Church should be a safe haven- where we can come to try to get back on that narrow path, and not a place that judges how far we fell from the path. Help me, help my church, help us all to realize that none of us are better than anyone else, and we’re all saved only through the grace of Jesus. Amen.