I heard this on the radio this morning, and I thought I'd share it.


Jesus was tempted in all the ways we are, yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin)

After the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert after His baptism , He was tempted by the evil one in three specific ways (the whole story can be found in Matthew 4 ).

1) Pleasure - (v3 - The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.") After 40 days of fasting, bread had to look good to Jesus.

2) Prestige - (v6 - "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.") That would have been one impressive act, and could have won Jesus a lot of followers

3) Power - (v9 - "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." ) Satan was willing to give Jesus power, if only Jesus gave in to temptation.


But how did Jesus respond? Each time it was by the Word of God. The Word has power to help us resist the evil one. We are tempted by many things today, and I think most could be classified as one of the three P's - pleasure, prestige, power. But the Word still has power to help us today. Temptation CAN be defeated by knowing Scripture.

^^ Amen!


Jesus had liars, adulterers, prostitutes, murderers, idol-worshipers, and who knows what else on his geneology (Matt. 1). Who am I to judge who God can use? Yet so often I do... I think that I'm a better Christian than so-and-so, and that it would take a lot of polishing and molding before God would be able to use them. But the Bible shows again and again that it isn't always the great Christian God works through. It's the afraid, the unbelieving, the fallen, the Gentile. It's a very humbling thing to realize that God's work might be better accomplished through someone who is supposedly "lesser"... to show how mighty He is (think "Facing the Giants"!). And when He does use us, it's not our strength that makes it a job well done--it's His. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13 We are nothing without Him! Who are we to judge?

Semi-off-topic, but I love this song...

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength,
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me;
No great success to show, No glory on my own,
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know . . .

CHORUS
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes;
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end.
He hears our humble cry and proves again . . .

CHORUS
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

In order for service to be an act of love, it must cost something.

Are you currently being a servant? Maybe you wash dishes after church. Maybe you look after someone's kids. Maybe you have people over for a Bible study at your house. Maybe you drive your siblings to events for your parents. Maybe you make dinner a few times a week for your family. Maybe you do your little chores every day.... etc etc etc.

The other day we were reading about Timothy when Paul mentions him in Philippians 2. He is described as a faithful friend etc and you get the impression he was totally selfless and completely devoted to the Gospel and Paul and children in the faith. We got talking about him and realised that we are not in his position - we are not all single with nothing to do but help out a 'Paul' and advance the Gospel. Some of us have responsibilities with our families, husbands, college, work, etc... so we can't really be expected (in the way the author was asking us to) to be a servant like Timothy.

Yet... in the things that we CAN do, we must have the right attitude! 1st Corinthians 13 - the love chapter - says it repeatedly: though I give my body to burned but have not love, though I give away all I possess, though I speak with the tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am NOTHING.

Every week we have a Bible study group at our house. Thursday nights. (Tonight!) Now, when people are leaving, they always say 'Thank you so much for having us, you've really outdone yourself' yadayadayada. Yep, this puffs me up. Yes, I always have the place clean and tidy (mostly!) and food is on offer

-(child's nappy just exploded on couch brb!) (Ok that was the messiest nappy of his career!)

Yeah so everything is always just so. And I get commended for my 'service'. Now I had to ask myself. Is this really service? Is it force of habit? Am I doing it because I want compliments? Reality check!

Its not wrong to be able to do something easily. Its not wrong to enjoy tasks. Its not wrong! But it is wrong when we are serving in these ways for ourselves. True service does have to cost something. Whether it is time, money, effort, or a personal issue, its gotta cost something. What I'm getting at is that true service is not entertaining your best friends all the time. True service is allowing a needy stranger to use the spare bed and giving him food. True service is doing our all, our everything for our King. True service is doing the little things - changing nappies, making our bed, taking out the trash - for the Lord, with/in love.

I'll just end this tome with a quote my husband said a long time ago: "If love didn't cost anything, it wouldn't be worth it." The more you think about it the more it resounds!

Lessons from a car that doesn't start

Our car wouldn't start. I turned the key, and nothing happend. I tried again, still nothing. Sometimes the car has issues with its starter motor, which can be fixed by letting the car roll back a bit. So I tried that...nothing. The thing is, the car was parked in a car park, and on a slope. So when I let the car roll back, it rolled back onto the raod. After rolling bac k and trying to start it about 20 times, Mum and I deecided to push it back into the park, and call the mechanic.

What I learnt about the car: It's not small. It's big. It's heavy. It was on a slope.
What I learnt about myself: I'm not overly stong!

If it was just me pushing that car, I would have gootten nowhere. Actually, I would have gone backwards, down the slope. But I wasn't alone - Mum was with me. She used her strength, and together we pushed the car back into its place.


Life can be like the car. It can be broken, going nowhere, or rolling backwards. The good news? We don't have to push it back into place by ourseleves. In fact, it doesn't rely on us at all!

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

This verse says that God has given us a spirit of power. Our power comes from Him, not ourselves! How good's that?!?! And His strngth gives us the ability to do all things (Philippians 4:13- I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.)

So next time you see a car that won't start, remember that God will give you strength to get life going!

Just a quick thought for today...


I was listening to the radio, and something that was said stood out to me:

We live in a dark world, on a couple of levels. Many people are spiritually and emotionally living in the dark - no hope of where to go, who to trust, etc. But this world is also dark on a physical level. Look at the sub-groups we have in teenagers: the goth and emo groups in particular. What colour defines them? BLACK.


But Jesus said:
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Jesus is our hope. He is their hope. Put simply, He is THE hope of the world. The One who can light up the darkness just by being Himself.
Isn't He great?

I've been looking up verses about God's mercy and fearing Him. And I really love these! They just make me go, "Wow!"

God's Mercies

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember thou me for Thy goodness' sake, O LORD. Ps. 25:7

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but He that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Ps. 32:10

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy. Ps. 33:18

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Ps. 51:1

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. Ps. 103:11

Many times did He deliver them; but they provoked Him with their cousel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, when He heard their cry: And He remembered for them His covenant, and repented according to the multitude of His mercies.
Ps. 106:43-45

For Thy mercy is great above the heavens: and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Ps. 108:4

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands. Ps. 138:8

(It is Wednesday here and although its really early in the day I gotta do it before Archie is up!)

I was just reading in 1st Samuel and Jude. THere were a couple of things that stood out...

Firstly, when Eli was judge over Israel, they went up to battle against the PHilistines. They lost 4000 men in the battle so they decided to bring the Ark down to the battlesite. This next verse makes me all excited... 1 Samuel 4:5 'And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.'

Then later in 1 Samuel 7:4-6 'So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, 'Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you." So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, 'We have sinned against the Lord'. And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.'

Then in Jude vs 3 "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

Those three verse seem to point out an exuberance that we need to display in our lives. We need to be people so excited about the Lord that we shout. We need to be collectively doing things like fasting, praying, worshiping. We need to be contending earnestly for the faith. This faith is not something we can do half-pie. It is all or nothing! And don't we see that in the Israelites? When they were all, then God was with them. When they started slipping, it was so suddenly 'nothing' and God 'left' them. All or nothing people, all or nothing! Contend earnestly for the faith!

I have no idea when "Free day" is but I'm posting anyway because I can! lol

No but seriously this is something God dropped in my heart today at work, thanks to Heidi's challenge and my parents...but involves a bit of a personal story..just bear with me here!

Everyone here knows I stress about money/jobs..oh only 90% of the time. In light of what's going on in my personal and family life, I haven't been working as much nor putting as much effort into school. I agreed to sub tomorrow all day in addition to working tomorrow night at the store and my parents had opposite reactions..Mom is more realistic and my Dad and I just think about how we're going to pay the bills, especially because I still need to have another oral surgery in the coming months that I'm not real sure how I'm going to pay for. As they were discussing whether or not I should work a ten hour day in addition to the giant pile of homework I need to accomplish..I left to go to work, I looked back and saw my Dad imitating a scale and how it was out of balance.

As I was at work, I was working and praying and went-okay God, here's what I'm going to do. I'm feel like I need to cancel this job for tomorrow, get caught up on school and other things, and let you take care of the bills...and I need to re-store order in my life because everything is so out of whack!!

Literally a few minutes later, a co-worker asks me where my trainer went..and I explained she had left and asked if I could help her. She said she needed someone to cover her shift next Saturday, a day I have off and I'll be done with training by then. I found out the other girl couldn't cover and agreed to take it. My boss okayed it tonight

My point is here number one-balance..think about your priorities and where you're investing your time..what do you see? It hurts doesn't it? (I think this was a devo for me as well from Crosswalk..anyway)

and number two-I've found the more and more I give God my problems..the more He delivers in the most unexpected ways! Now not only do I get to spend tomorrow getting caught up, but He gave me back the hours I'll be missing from the school (at a lower pay grade but it still counts!). I've been wrapping things up my "problem box" inside my head and shoving it in God's direction..and He provides

I hope all this makes sense, I'm quite tired as I wrote it

This is what I wrote up for Bible study yesterday and I had something specific in mind with some stuff that is happened in our Bible study, so it isn't written for the forum, although it might sound like it is!

As I read James yesterday a few things really stood out to me and I felt like the Lord wanted me to share them with you all today.

James 4:11&12 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a
brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the
law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a
judge. There is one Lawgiver,who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

We need to be careful of what we say about each other. In our situation, where we all differ regarding issues, such as, modesty and basic theological issues we need to be very, very careful. It is important that we do not judge one another by outward things, and we are not qualified to judge one another’s hearts.

Matthew 6:3&4 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

It is also even more important that we do not gossip about each other together. If we do have a problem with someone and what they are doing we need to go to that person first, before talking to ANYONE else and trying to get them on our side, or even just asking their input... that is wrong. It is never our responsibility to go before someone on the behalf of others and share. If you have a problem with someone than you need to go yourself to that person, not talk to anyone else about it.

Matthew 18:15&16 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more

And as this passage says, that is only in the case where your brother sins against you... that word, ‘sins’ is trespass in the KJV and the greek word for it is hamartano (264), which means:
1) to be without a share in
2) to miss the mark
3) to err, be mistaken
4) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong
5) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin

If you read the other verses that this word is used in it isn’t something petty that you would go to them about, it needs to be important and crucial, in most cases an actual sin. If you can’t say they sinned, than you need to look at yourself before going to that person. In an ideal situation we need to just forgive that sister and move on. If you have a preference you can bring it before the person, but it still isn’t meant to be talked about with others, even after you’ve approached them. And this verse it kind of ties into that one:
James 5:19&20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins

It is not a good witness to non-believers that we might bring if there are walls between us and it is not a good witness to younger, weaker believers that might see the animosity and hypocrisy.
We need to love, forgive, and walk in the light.

I saw this on my Dad's FB, and he got it from some guy named Akita Olsen... I think it's a good story/analogy.

"Many years ago when my two children were much younger, my mother took them out for an activity during a school holiday. To spoil them she took them to a waterslide centre which had pools, slides, and water activities for children.

Before entering the centre everyone must buy a ticket, at the entry point you must decide if you wish just to swim in a normal pool, or if you intend on using all the equipment and slides available. If you just ask to swim in the normal pool you pay a small price, but if you choose "access to all that is available" then your ticket price is expensive but you can do everything.

My mother asked the children what they decided, both said they wanted the (expensive) full access ticket. They claimed they wanted to be able to use all that was there... so my mum paid for the two full tickets and they entered.

The youngest child was very excited and went on every ride, tried each water slide, and used all that was available... even some of the things that seemed a little scary. The other child was quite content in only using the basic swimming pool and resting in the shade under a tree for the whole day.

Although both kids enjoyed the outing, my mum was annoyed that she paid full price for them both but one did not use all that was available, and so she felt that the expense was a waste and did not get full value for her money.

When most are asked how much they want, most will be eager for the full amount. But often we become creatures of habit and comfort so settle for the basics - then at some point we find ourselves lying on the grass resting. Similar to some people's faith-journey... we want it all at the beginning and then with time some find they do not use all that is available to them.

My eldest child had the option to access everything but was happy to sit still... it seems silly but we must make sure we don't fall into the same thing - spiritually. To not explore all that is available... would be easy but if that is all we do, you would have to ask yourself if that is what Jesus died for... is that all?

There are spiritual gifts that need to be investigated and used, there needs to be passion and excitement... yes some things may seem scary or new.. but it would be a great shame if we missed out on stuff as we were comfortable in just using what was familiar to us.

My mum had paid full price for the children to use all that was available - God paid full price for His children to have full access. Don't settle for less - there is more!"

First of all, sorry this is so late on Sunday (by the time I post, it will probably be Monday morning EST), but we had a VERY busy day (up in MA for the official vote!) and my plane didn't arrive in NC until late. Also, if I'm rambling, don't make sense, or am rather short in my opinions, please forgive me.


As I'm sure you guys have realized, music is a big part of my life and consequently, a huge part of my spiritual life. Songs tend to bring about a change in my life and make me go "Whoa." pretty often. I'm assuming that this is probably true for a lot of people. So, expect to almost always see a song included in any devotional I write. It's just what I do, I guess.

Isaiah 6:1-7

Quote:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Almost every time God appears, there is a quake. The earth shakes, veils tear, something big happens. Although most of us haven't experienced a physical earthquake when we really feel the presence of God, we can usually think back and remember what I consider to be "self-quakes"--huge emotional and spiritual changes. The holiness of God is so beautiful and marvelous that there is always something to mark the moment when He is present (not that he isn't omnipresent, but there are times that we are more aware of his presence...). I challenge you to think back to the last "self-quake" you had and remember what exactly happened in your life as a result of it. What changed? Did enough change? Do you need to have a serious chat with God and do some more life re-arranging?

In my dad's sermon today he mentioned something that really stuck with me. He mentioned that some people want God's power because they want something to happen in their lives, some people want God's love because they are ashamed and guilty, and so on. And then there's the people who desire God because of His holiness. The people who desire God because of his holiness are the people who truly desire God. They aren't simply using Him, as so many of us are prone to do. Often times we only come to God when we need something, whether it be a tangible thing or just acceptance and love. How often do we come to God because we desire to see the beauty of His holiness and glory and worship Him simply because He is so much greater than we are. If we compare ourselves to any one of the many characteristics of God, we are nothing in comparison. It tends to be a rather humbly experience. We suddenly realize that we're not as great as we thought we were and that He is much greater than we can even imagine. I know that I often just need a reminder of that.


What a surprise...a song! This is a song that I've been singing all day. Amazing.

Quote:

You are beautiful beyond description, Too marvelous for words; Too wonderful for comprehension, Like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom? Who can fathom the depth of Your love? You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of You, I stand, I stand in awe of You; Holy God, to Whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You. I stand in awe of You

_________________
Mi familia!
sisters:
Twinkledust
Stylnz
Kris
Berny

cousins:
Rosered
PinkQT

Ahh Katy... awesome Will preached on that passage from Isaiah too... different slant but very similar! I've heard it said that God's Holiness is sin's magnifying glass... the more we understand His holiness, the lower we fall in our own eyes...

And that song brings me to tears

[quote="Heidi"]Will preached on that passage from Isaiah too... different slant but very similar! quote]

My dad actually preached on the entire chapter of Isaiah 6, and the first two verses of Isaiah 66. His sermon was obviously MUCH MUCH more in depth and included wayyyyy more than my little mini devotional

I read this in a devotional last week...


I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Ps. 138:14

Dr. Peter Steincrohn says it well: "Our body is the world's most incredible piece of machinery." It manufactures, improves, and repairs itself. It is an intricate assembly of thousands of mechanisms working together in synchronized obedience to direction. Our body contains trillions of living cells. Each cell contains a DNA count that would take one hundred volumes of five hundred pages each to describe. These same cells have forty-six chromosomes, except for the reproduction cells that have only twenty-three. Each cell also contains from 3,000 to 30,000 genes that are called "seeds of inheritance." These genes determine the color of our eyes, hair, our height, weight, etc. Our eyes are cameras constantly recording everything we see in color and sending it to the brain for storage. Our ear drums are miniature grand pianos. The sounds we hear vibrate off the strings and send them to the brain for interpretation and storage in the memory. Our heart is the most efficient pump in the world. Our liver performs over five hundred functions. We have 30,000 miles of telephone-like wires called nerves, thousands of miles of plumbing called blood vessels, and many inches of skin that acts as an air conditioning system. Man has ten billion brain cells containing more information than the nine billion volumes in the Library of Congress. It surely would take more faith to believe that this all came about through evolutionary process than the Biblical statement, "So God created man in His own image..." (Gen.1:27)


I was thinking last night about how babies are made... OK, that sounds a little weird. I was thinking about how humans make babies. That doesn't sound any better. Anyway. It just amazes me that two people (used by God, of course) can make this "perfect" little baby, complete with genes and organs and cells and a brain. God's creation, and what it can "create", pretty much awes me.

Its Wednesday here (pretty early, but if I don't do it while the little man is asleep I won't get round to it!)

So I've been reading 1 Samuel and 2 Peter... just randomly really... its been quite a step for me to actually actively read every day... and yeah it comes at a cost, but I'm quite happy and its amazing how God works when we obey Him!

Anyway... 1 Samuel. Wow. Epic book! So much in 31 chapters...
I didn't realise a lot of the significance of it until I read 2 Peter with it... These are some key verse of 2 Peter that kinda jumped out at me:

1:10 "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble,"

2:20 "For if, after they [we] have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning."

3:17-18 "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever, Amen."

These verses are very 'loud'. They ought to make us tremble before our God. This is what I wrote down as I read them:

Quote:

The message of 2 Peter is to stay strong - in New Zealand we say kia kaha - because if we fall away it will be terrible. Like Saul. He was called, anointed and followed God. He turned away and 'the Spirit of the Lord departed from him' and he had a terrible life - possibly mental disorder. He ended up trying to end his life, to be finished off by an Amalekite, a non-Israelite. Keep on keeping on trusting God and walking by faith so the return of the King is hastened and it will be well with our souls.

Saul was chosen by God for the people because they complained. Before he was pretty much a nobody, but a good nobody... then he became king and everyone loved him - until David came along and trumped him. Then it says 'the Spirit of the Lord departed from him'... and he became a weird person. Sometimes happy, sometimes in a furious rage. Up and down the rest of his days. He took matters into his own hands, not destroying Amalek, making rash oaths, and consulting a medium. So bizarre! And like I said, the end was far worse than the beginning. Just like 2 Peter says. He turned away and lost everything. He turned away and 'the latter end for him was worse than the beginning.'

So be warned to keep on keeping on in your faith! But take heart in Psalm 66:9 which says [God] 'who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved.' The Lord is gracious and merciful and will keep us in Him. How much he loves us!!

_________________