He Speaks to Stubborn People

"Pay for her groceries."  That's what I heard. Not in a audible voice, but in my heart. I didn't know the lady in front of me. All I knew was that she had tried to pay for her groceries in the express line, but her card was denied. It was about to rain outside, so this poor woman was going to have to drive home in the rain and then come back to the grocery store unless I was obedient to the voice. I knew it was God speaking to me, but honestly, I argued with Him. I had a dozen reasons why I could not pay for her groceries, and yet God kept telling me to just do it. So I did it, but not with a grateful heart. I was actually a little salty about it.

Why is it that I argued with God over this? I'm a Pastor at a church, and I'm arguing with Him over helping someone out? Really? (Nice job preacher.) And, when has God ever led me down the wrong path? My experience with walking with Him as Lord should have taught me enough by now to just do as He says and NOT to rationalize things. He is trustworthy! He is faithful! His plans for me are good! I am apparently as they say...stubborn.

• How are you with being obedient to God?
• When is it hard to trust God?
• What does The Holy Spirit do for us?

A week after I paid for the stranger's groceries I received a note in the mail from her with all of my money back. It turns out she had given a homeless person some money that week, and her friend told her that God would bless her 10 times what she had given to the homeless person. She disagreed with her friend and indicated that she felt like God had forgotten her. When I paid for her groceries, which was 10 times the amount she gave to the homeless person, she felt as if God was reminding her that she still matters to Him. Her faith may have been increased, but I want you to know that I'm the one that learned the lesson that day.

God is trustworthy in all things. Listening to the Holy Spirit is important.

Lord, forgive me when I have questioned you and when I have not been obedient. Thank you for loving me and gently guiding me through the Holy Spirit. I pray I will never miss an opportunity to serve you and bring glory to Your Name. - It's in that Precious Name I pray ~ Amen.

For a deeper study: 

• Look up Holy Spirit in your Bible concordance and the verses associated with the Holy Spirit. Find what the Holy Spirit does for Believers. Make note of those verses in your Bible.

Are You a Good Person?

Are you a good person? 

Think about that questions a minute before you blurt out your answer. Are you truly a good person?

Now let me ask you another question.  Have you ever broken any of the Ten Commandments? (Please make note that Jesus said if you committed a sin in your heart and mind then you are guilty of that sin. Matthew 5:28. Ouch!)  Here's a list of the Ten Commandments just in case you need a little help remembering them:

1. No other gods before the One True God
2. No idols.
3. No taking the Lord's name in vain.
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. No murder.
7. No adultery.
8. No stealing.
9. No lying.
10. No coveting.

I used to think I was a good person, but based on God's standards as evidenced through the Ten commandments I'm falling a little short of being "good".  Oh wait!  Darn! Now I've broken #9 again because I just lied.  I'm actually FAR short of being good. Reading these Commandments is convicting. I actually try to be good, but then I get out of bed each morning and I end up doing something not so good. For example: This morning I thought ugly thoughts about the person that pulled out in front of me while driving. I didn't physically murder them, but I murdered them with my thoughts.

I cannot for the life of me live as a good person. Cannot! That's the reason I was so thankful when I read Galatians 2: 16 - 21 today.

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Do you hear that?!?!?  We are made right with God by FAITH and not by obeying the law. It's GRACE - God's amazing, unending GRACE! We are to "live for God" instead of being a slave to The Law.

So there, I admit it.  I am not a good person. But I do have faith in Jesus and the Work He did on the Cross for me.

·     Are trying to obey the rules, or are you trying to live for God?
·       What’s the difference between living for God and obeying all the rules?

Lord, thank you for loving me in spite of me.  I’m so thankful for your amazing grace and love. I am a sinner, but You see me as righteous because of the Blood of Christ. I am forever thankful. – In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For a deeper study, read the following verses and make notes of what God teaches you about living in freedom from the law:

·       Romans 3:21-28
·       Romans 4: 13 – 17
·       Romans 6

Are You Listening?

Are you a good listener?  Do you listen - really listen - when others are talking to you? Do you listen - really listen - when God is speaking to you.  Listening is hard for me. It means I have to focus on what is being said rather than what I will say next, and I typically have a lot to say. Listening means I have to be still and honestly I would rather not be still. But, listening is important. Just look at some of these verses from the Bible on listening:

Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. Proverbs 18:13

If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge. Proverbs 19:27

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. Matthew 13:12

Clearly listening is important to God.

• What can you do to be a better listener to others?
• What can you do to be a better listener to God?
• What ways do you hear God speaking to you?

Lord, forgive me when I have not listened well.  I want to be a good listener to others, but especially to You! - In Jesus' precious name. - Amen

Want to think about listening more?  Look up LISTEN or LISTENING in your Bible concordance and read the verses that God takes you to.  You'll have to listen to His direction on which ones to read. (-:

Are You Thankful?

My dear husband posed a question to our family at the supper table yesterday.  "If tomorrow you woke up to only the things you told God you were thankful for today, what would you wake up to find?" That question slapped me right across the face. How dare he question my thankfulness! I had told God that day that I was thankful for the lady that moved out of in front of me because she was driving so slow.  AND,  I told God thank you for the air conditioner in my car finally cooling off the car because it is now 1000 degrees in South Texas. And OF COURSE I told God I was thankful for the food He provided because I pray before every meal.  You can see that I'm thankful.  So, when I woke up today if God would have provided what I told Him thanks for I would have one lady moved out of the front of me in my commute to work, an air conditioner in my car, and food.  UUUHHHH.  I want and need more than that.  I thought about that and realized, there are so many more reasons to be thankful!  How often do I thank God for those things?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to be thankful in all circumstances.  We are told we should be thankful.  It is not a suggestion, but a command. God wants us to be thankful.  I get that.  I want my kids to be thankful for what I have provided for them. Sometimes my kids take for granted all that I do for them as their momma. Sometimes I take for granted all that my Heavenly Father does for me as well.

I thought A LOT about thankfulness this morning.  I prayed all the way to the office today telling God what I was thankful for in my life.  I'm embarrassed to say that my prayers are usually filled with requests and not thanksgiving. But NOT today!  Here are a few things that I told God I was thankful for today:

• Salvation through Jesus Christ
• Health
• Healthy family and friends
• The beautiful earth He created
• A home where my family is safe
• A country where I can worship Jesus as Lord
• The green trees and animals
• My car to get me to work
• A job and the ability to pay my bills
• My husband's job
• A husband that loves God
• Healthy food to eat
• Doctors
• Schools
• The ability to have a Bible in my hand
• My senses
• And about 1000 other things (It's a 20 minute drive to the office! But I'm thankful for that today.)

What are you thankful for today?  Have you just spent some time with God telling him what  you are thankful for?  And here's the big questions:  If tomorrow you woke up to only the things you told God you were thankful for today, what would you wake up to find?

Lord, forgive us for our ungratefulness.  We are blessed beyond measure!  Help us to be thankful in all circumstances. You have made a path for us and have left us with an amazing inheritance as Your children.  Help us never to forget that you love us and that we have so many reasons to be thankful, even on the worst of days. - In Jesus' Name - Amen.

~ For a deeper study look up the word THANKFULNESS or THANKSGIVING in your Bible concordance or on biblegateway.com.  Record what verses you find associated with thankfulness and what God tells you through these verses.

Putting My Hand Over My Mouth

I have a sign on my desk that reads, "Dear God, Please put your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth."  If you know me you know why.  If you don't know me then you need to know I have the gift of gab. It truly is a gift because I have no problem with making new friends and telling people about Jesus.  But sometimes this "gabber" gabs too much. 

The Bible tells us clearly that controlling our tongue is hard.  Just read James 3. The Bible also says that our words have the power of life and death. That is stated in Proverbs 18:21. Words are important.  Controlling our words is even more important.  But, I remember reading in the Bible that we can do all things through Christ. 

• Do you have trouble controlling your words?
• What words have you spoken to your family this week - words of life or death? Your friends? Your coworkers?

Lord, Please put your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth. In Jesus' Name - Amen.

For a deeper study look up the following verses and think about what God is saying to you in each verse:

• Proverbs 15:4, 21:23, 15:1, 12:18, 10:19, 52:2, 18:21
• Psalm 19:14
• James 3:2-10

Training the Next Generation

Nate the Great heading off to VBS 2015. 

I was taught to say "yes sir" and "yes mam" rather than "yep", and I still do that today.  I was taught to always be respectful of those older than you, and I still do that today.  I was also taught to say "fixin' to" and of course I still say that today.  (Along with a thousand other Southern slang words that are not in the English dictionary.)  We are all a product of what we were taught when we were young whether that be good or whether that be bad.

I am reminded in Proverbs if we want our kids to grow up to be respectful adults, we have to teach them how to be respectful adults when they are young.  If we want our kids to say "yes sir" and "fixin' to" then we have to teach them with our words and our actions.  What we teach the next generation today will affect our country in the future.

I want my children to know about Jesus. I want them to understand His unconditional love for them, and to be confident in the good plans He has for them. This week my son is going to Vacation Bible School at our church.  It is the most important thing for him this week.  It is even more important than his chores at home, and even brushing his teeth. (Yes, I just said VBS was more important than him brushing his teeth, but we do promote good dental hygiene as well.)  I know that if my son has a personal, daily walk with Jesus and lives out his life in line with God's Will, he will be fine.....even if he doesn't have teeth!

• What have you taught your children (or your nieces, or nephews, or grandchildren, or neighbor's kids) in the last week?
• Do you intentionally look for opportunities to teach the next generation about Jesus?

Jesus - Thank you for loving all of us including the little children.  I want so much for our next generation to know all about You and walk in Your Will. It is simply the best plan for their lives. Thank you for the opportunity to parent and mentor others.  Help me never to lose sight of the importance of that opportunity, and forgive me when I have failed.  In the precious name of Jesus - Amen.

The Greatest Among You - The Servant!

Jesus called His people to serve others.  He actually said the greatest among our people would be those that served others.  Although we are not saved by our works, I believe we are saved for works. God's plan to reach the unsaved world was His people.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us to guide us so we could reach, teach and help others in the name of Jesus. The Church is The Plan, and there is no Plan B.  And, while I am confident we should be meeting together as Christians to encourage one another, it has also become quite apparent to me that just meeting together as Christians isn't the half of what we should be doing.  We've been SENT.  We've been sent into a world that needs to know about His Love.  We've been sent into a world that needs hope. We've been sent to free those held captive by addictions.  We've been sent to be His Hands and Feet. We haven't just been sent to church to become better church people.  Yes, we should become better people as we grow and mature - people less focused on our own personal needs and more focused on the needs of others.  I think we have room for improvement here.  Well, at least I know I do.

• Have you done something recently to reach, teach or help people in the name of Jesus?
• What can we do to spar each other on into becoming great servants in this world?

Jesus, thank you for grace and mercy.  Forgive me when I haven't served others that you've put in front of me.  I want to be your hands and feet.  Help me to keep my eyes open for the opportunities you put before me.  To You be all the Glory!  - Amen

For a deeper study:
Read Isaiah 58.  Make a list of what God indicates is important to Him in this passage.
Read Matthew 25: 31-46.  Make a list of what God indicates is important to Him in this passage.