Christian Inspirationals

Christmas Inspiration

2008-12-24T00:28:00.000-06:00

This Christmas is one of reflection for me. Is my life perfect? Is my life at 32 like I thought it would be? The answer is no. Do I think that God loves me any less because I've not met my own expectations of what I should be? To be honest, sometimes I think that He should be. You know what I hear Him say when I think these things... He says "What about My expectations for you? What about I want Karen to be for me?" Then I am pushed into a deeper analysis of my life. The "things" that I want for my life may not be what God is looking for.

God has asked me to be faithful. To lean not unto my own understanding but His alone. God has instructed me to ask Him for my desires... Him alone... not seeking the news, latest gossip column, or the latest self-help rhetoric. I tell God "but, God, you don't understand what I'm going through... bills are sometimes unpaid, I struggle with being a good mom, and I stress about work." God says to me: "Karen, Jesus endured all that a human can endure on earth. There was a reason that He was ridiculed, rejected, beaten, and died for you. Through My Son's experience on earth, I experienced all that there is. I know your struggles! I sent my son to show you that you can overcome any trial that comes your way!"

I'm inspired this Christmas because of the birth of Jesus!... I'm inspired daily because of the birth of Jesus! I know I can overcome all of my trials because with God nothing is impossible!

True Healing

2008-11-27T22:40:00.000-06:00

There are days that I think about the miracles written about in the Bible and compare them to my own life. I think about the blind, crippled, and sick that were healed with just a touch from Jesus. We do not read too much of those who went to Christ with a complaint of "I'm just a little blue today." But, what if... what if it was reported about those who only asked Jesus for wisdom and insight into their problems? What if people asked Christ to heal the simplest of ailments?

I have some physical pains that strike at a moments notice. They are pains I've dealt with most of my adult life. It wasn't until a few years ago, that I took a leap of faith and started to pray once this pain arose. It sometimes would occur at a moment when I had no access to ibuprofen or acetaminophen. I would be in a public place knowing that I would be crippled by this pain for at least an hour or so and there was no way to get relief. One day, as I felt the pain start, I decided to pray and ask God to intervene over my body and take away the pain (as I was reminded "ask and ye shall receive"). I can testify that the pain never reached a level like it did before.

I reveal this story to point out this: "God will take care of the smallest situations if you will just ask." Does God answer the prayer the way we want him to? Not always; but He will answer.

Let's now look at the "ultimate healing:" Eternal Life. When I say that God will not always answer our prayers like we want Him too, I refer to the fact that God sometimes has an ultimate purpose for that "pain" in our lives. Maybe that "pain" helps build our testimony so that we may witness to/encourage others who are going through something similar but have no hope. Maybe there's a reason you have cancer... a handicap... an addiction... stress. Maybe your "pain" is apart of a bigger plan that you can't see. It is refreshing to know that God knows why you're going through your "pain." There is always a bigger picture. The trials and "pains" that we experience are to prepare us for our eternal lives.

God waits on us to reach out to him. God waits to heal us from our "pain" until we ask Him. Have you asked God to heal you from your "pain?"

Matthew 7:
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=7&verse=7&end_verse=9&version=31&context=context).

Malachi 4:
1 "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. 3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.
4 "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.
5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=46&chapter=4&version=31).

Removing The Scales

2008-11-27T22:39:00.000-06:00

The definition of "scale" that I want to discuss is: "any thin, platelike piece, lamina, or flake that peels off from a surface, as from the skin" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scales). When a "scale" falls off of a scab or sore, it reveals fresh, new skin. The new skin is tender, and sometimes fragile. Ointment or medicine can be applied to the skin to minimize scaring. I want to relate this situation to our relationship with Christ.

First, let's look at scenarios where Jesus healed the blind. One case is where Bartimaeus is healed.
Mark 10:49-52: Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=48&chapter=10&version=31).
Jesus simply asked the blind man what he wanted. Without hesitation the blind man told Jesus exactly what he wanted. Do we "see" the importance of the blind man's faith? He told Jesus what he wanted with great faith that Jesus could heal him. He asked and then he received. After his healing, the blind man followed Jesus.
Next, we see how Jesus heals a man who was born blind.
John 9:1-9: As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%209%20;&version=31;).
Now, the first point I want to make in regards to the above passage, is that Jesus dispelled the myth, that if someone was born with an imperfect body that their parents must have sinned against God. Second, Christ, put a "mud mask" on this man's eyes, and when it was washed off (like scales falling off a wound), the man could see. Last, take a look at how others did not recognize the man after his eyes had been open. Can any of you recall a time in your walk with God, after you made a commitment to follow Him, that some of your friends did not recognize your new behavior, new "look," or new personality?

Next, let's look at Paul's transformation and what happened when his sight was restored to him.

Acts 19:17-19: Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=9&verse=17&end_verse=19&version=31&context=context).

It wasn't until Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit that his "eyes were open." I use quotes here to explain how it wasn't just Paul's physical eyesight that was restored to him. Paul's spiritual eyes were open. Paul could now "see" Jesus with his heart and soul. Paul followed his spiritual transformation with baptism.

In all three cases presented above, we can see where there was not only a physical healing, but a spiritual healing as well. When these men had humbled themselves to Christ and asked for God to heal them, they were healed physically and spiritually. Jesus shared with the disciples of their inability to "see" when they realized that they were without bread. Jesus asked them "Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? (Mark 8:17-18, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%208%20;&version=31).
Jesus was talking about their little faith and lack of spiritual wisdom. They had eyes, but could not see what Jesus was doing through his teachings and miracles. Jesus performed physical miracles to save people spiritually. He told them that because their hearts were still "hardened" (or unwilling to truly believe that He was the Messiah) they could not "see" His true purpose on earth, nor the Truth that He was presenting to them. Sometimes we as Christians cannot see "Truth" because we're too busy living out our traditions or popular beliefs of the day. We are blinded by religious rules or cultural traditions.

Last year, the scales on my eyes fell after I began my investigation into "Truth." I wanted to know what it was that God wanted me to do. After much research into God's Word, I found that there were traditions that I was keeping that were not in accordance to God's Laws. I took a leap of faith one Saturday, and decided to keep Sabbath instead of "The Lord's Day," Sunday. I can honestly say that my spiritual life has never been the same. You see, the scales of tradition that were covering my eyes, fell off. Because I took the faith of a child and decided to live according to God's Laws, I've been able to "see" things in God's Holy Word that I was not able to "see" before. There are many arguments about how we are now covered by grace and no longer under the Law, but I can tell you this… that Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. The only commandment that most protestant Christians disagree with (that is, that it is "nailed to the cross") is the 4th commandment. But, if you ask are killing, adultery, coveting, and idol worship nailed to the cross also? Most will say no.

It was by faith, that my eyesight was restored. When the scales fell off of my eyes, it revealed a fresh new look into my walk with God. My life, like Paul's was changed when my sight was restored.

Loving Yourself

2008-05-28T22:03:00.001-05:00

I've been somewhat preoccupied lately with my Dad's illness, finals, work, parenthood, etc and I've not been writing like I use to. I've also not been spending my daily quality time with my Heavenly Father either. Isn't it funny how we all know the importance prayer and meditation, but we allow Satan to distract us from our relationship with God with different tests and trials. I know better to not let go of my daily worship with God especially when I'm in the "pit" or the "valley." Somehow, though, I fall into the daily distractions just like a lot of others do. I forget to wake up and say "Thank You" to my Redeemer. I forget to say "I love You" to my Savior before I go to bed. I don't do it because I do not love God, but mainly because I'm so physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted that I just pass out when I finally stop moving from the day's activities.
The one thing I've reflected on recently is how God has brought me through so much during the last 10 years. I look back at my life and the things that I use to do and I wonder why I acted in such a way that was detrimental to my physical and emotional well being. The one answer I come up with is that I didn't love myself. I didn't care about me... I didn't think that I was worthy of true love. You see, I bought into Satan's lies. I believed him when he told me I couldn't be saved. I believed him when he told me that I'd never be loved again after divorce. I believed him when he told me that no one would want to have any kind of relationship with a single mother of two boys. I believed him when he told me that I couldn't work and go to school to complete my master's degree. I believed him when he told me that things would be too difficult for me to accomplish.
I do need to say however, that I know who holds the future and it is not Satan! I now believe my Heavenly Father who tells me that nothing is impossible through Him. I know that I am beautiful because I was created in the image of God. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I know that I am a child of the King! I know that my God has carried me through the last 31 years... I can't even breathe without giving praise and honor to my Creator!

Psalm 139: 13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=139&verse=13&end_verse=15&version=9&context=context).

Philippians 4: 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:12-14;&version=51;).

I pray that others who are struggling with negative self images will know that God is their only hope. I pray that those who have low self esteem will know that they are beautiful because they were created uniquely by the Father. I pray that those who need strength or comforting will understand that the battle they are facing has already been won on Calvary. We can't always understand why we go through the trials we are facing, but we can always count on God to comfort and protect us while we are in the valley.
Ephesians 4: 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:21-23;&version=51;).

Profound

2008-04-08T11:28:00.001-05:00

I said to God, "I need something profound to tell the world!" He said, "Karen, do you know what profound means?" I said, "Tell me." He said, "Look it up."

Profound:
1 a: having intellectual depth and insight b: difficult to fathom or understand
2 a: extending far below the surface b: coming from, reaching to, or situated at a depth : deep-seated
3 a: characterized by intensity of feeling or quality b: all encompassing (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

I thought for a minute and said to God, "I can speak profoundly with just one mention of Your Holy Name!" "Just one whisper of my Savior's awesome, far reaching power can move mountains and save the lost!" "My God is profound!"

God then said, "Go to Job."

Job 9:
1 Then Job replied:
2 "Indeed, I know that this is true.
But how can a mortal be righteous before God?

3 Though one wished to dispute with him,
he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?

5 He moves mountains without their knowing it
and overturns them in his anger.

6 He shakes the earth from its place
and makes its pillars tremble.

7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
he seals off the light of the stars.

8 He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.

9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.

11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=22&chapter=9&version=31).

Sitting In My Father's Lap

2008-04-08T11:21:00.001-05:00

Many of you who know me well know that I am a "Daddy's" girl. I can't help it. Knowing my dad who was, in my eyes, the biggest and strongest man alive. He gave me security as a child. When I was young, I could not imagine my daddy doing anything remotely wrong (even when I was being punished, I still loved him). Daddy never flinched in pain. I think I saw him cry twice in my life; once he cried at my cousin Roger's funeral and then I saw him cry at the funeral of his oldest sister, Mayme Patterson Maples. Recently, daddy has suffered many physical trials in his life. At 72 years old, daddy's deteriorating health is to be expected. No matter how much I "expected" poor health in his later years, I still held on to my dad's invincible powers. I mean, daddy could stop speeding bullets and leap tall buildings... right?

Let me tell you, when mom and dad start to get older and sicker, you will soon take on new responibilities as adults that you wish you didn't have to. Mom and dad get weak, they get sick, and they sometimes lose hope. You will have to be the strong hold in their lives at some point or another.

The one memory that I will never forget is that of the early Saturday mornings in my early childhood. I use to wake up early on Saturday mornings and know that my daddy was already awake (I could hear the television). My dad would watch Star Trek and Lost in Space re-runs on Saturday mornings. As soon as I knew daddy was awake in the living room, I would sneak into the room and appear in front of him with my big, innocent eyes, just waiting for him to hold out his hands to give me the "go ahead" to climb up into his lap. He probably knew that I'd appear sooner or later, but he always made me feel special.

As an adult, I now equate my relationship with God like that with my daddy as a child. There are many times when I am stressed out, confused, weary, scared, and emotional, that I know that my Heavenly Father is holding out His hands for me to come crawling up into His lap. I lift my hands to my LORD and Savior to rescue me from the darkness... like a child scared of the dark and the monsters there in... I look to God for comfort. God is my Father. When I'm persecuted, misunderstood, wrongly accused, struck down, unloved, and rejected, I look to my Father to open His arms and say "Karen, come climb up in my lap and let me hold you."

Psalm 118:
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.

Blameless

2008-03-18T04:27:00.001-05:00

Dictionary.com addresses "blameless" as the following: "free from or not deserving blame; guiltless" and other texts in the Bible describe it as "perfect." I wanted to show the others in the Bible mentioned as perfect. I grew up thinking that Jesus Christ was the only perfect person on earth, but there are atleast two others that I have found so far that were perfect. One was Noah and the other was Job.

Genesis 6:9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God (KJV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%206:8-10;&version=9;).

Job 1: 1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil (KJV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%201:1;&version=9;).
Luke 1: 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years (KJV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:5-7;&version=9;).

Look above at the statement that was recorded by Luke, the physician. He stated that Zacharias and Elisabeth were perfect because they were "walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the LORD." They kept the commandments of God. What were the commandments of God? The ten commandments! These commandments were written in stone by the finger of God. There is no doubting that, nor is there any way of misinterpreting the ten commandments.

Also, there was a another point I wanted to make. Jesus never said "try to be perfect." He said to be perfect. See Matthew's account below.

Matthew 5:
47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=5&verse=47&end_verse=48&version=31&context=context).
Matthew 19:
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me"(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=19&verse=20&end_verse=22&version=31&context=context).

The biggest lie that Satan wants us to believe is that we can never be perfect. Jesus Christ never says "try to be perfect," but rather He says "Be perfect." If Christ says "be perfect," can't we be obedient enough to follow His command? Christ knew something that we as flesh could not understand. He knows that we have the ability to fight Satan if we choose to do so and "be perfect." Remember this everytime you are tempted in even the smallest, most insignificant situation, that you too can "be perfect" in Christ.

Love Comes From God

2008-01-29T20:59:00.000-06:00

I came across a verse today that struck a chord with me. It's about love and our Christian walk. When you think you can't love someone, think about John's words below. Think about how much Christ loved us even though we were so unworthy and wretched. Now, think about those who have done something wrong to you and how much bitterness you hold in your heart towards that person. How can we hate others and love God? We can't! We can't say that we love God and despise someone else.

1 John 4:
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20john%204&version=31).

Father God, help me to forgive those who I have been offended by lately. God, help me to demonstrate the agape love that you demonstrated towards me on the cross. I praise you for your unfailing love and your mercy that you had on me when I was at my worst. I thank You for the ultimate sacrifice you made on the cross for my wretched soul. In Christ's name, Amen.

Leaving a Legacy

2008-01-21T22:56:00.000-06:00

I just returned today from the Funeral of George Ancel Taylor, the father of two close friends of mine. As I was preparing to go last week, I kept praying "God, help me to be of some comfort to the family; help me to be a blessing and to minister where needed." I have to admit, I think the family and others attending the funeral/memorial services were a blessing to me more than I was to them.

I questioned God when He laid on my heart the idea of traveling to New York to visit the family. I argued, "God, I really don't know any others besides George Jr. and Dion... Won't I just be in the way?" There are times when we as Christians do not know what to say to others who are hurting after a tragedy, death, and other troubles, but I am reminded about Jeremiah who told God how he didn't know what to say.
Jeremiah 1:
4 The Lord gave me this message:

5 'I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.'

6 'O Sovereign Lord,' I said, 'I can't speak for you! I'm too young!'
7 The Lord replied, 'Don't say, 'I'm too young,' for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the L ord, have spoken!' 9 Then the L ord reached out and touched my mouth and said,

'Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10 Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant' (NLT, www.biblegateway .com)

God told Jeremiah to "go." God didn't tell Jeremiah to come up with a polished sermon or rehearsed speech for His people; He just told Jeremiah to "go." Sometimes just your presence can be of comfort to those who are hurting. With that said, I wanted to just briefly touch on what I received this weekend. As I watched the Mrs. Taylor and the Taylor children praise and worship God, I realized that Mr. Taylor left a legacy. He left his mark in the town of Rochester, on his four children, with his wife, and on everyone he ever encountered. Many spoke this weekend on his character. They spoke about Mr. Taylor's dedication and devotion to serving God. There was no doubt when someone encountered Mr. Taylor that he loved God.

There were many stories of how he would stop whatever he was doing to take time to listen to a heavy heart. He was always quick to pray and intercede for the weary and heavy laden souls that he met. He prayed immediately for any prayer request that came across his path. His children learned to begin and end each day with prayer. Mr. Taylor demonstrated Christ's love by teaching us all that everyone is of value because they are God's creation.

His children learned how to represent Christ in everything that they do and to pray for guidance in even the smallest of tasks. As I heard the many testimonies from those who were touched by Mr. Taylor, I couldn't help but think about how I want to leave the same kind of legacy. I want my boys to grow up knowing how to pray, how to study the bible, to enjoy worship, and to minister to others. I want to leave a legacy of Christ's love. I want God to use me to comfort others and share His love so that they may know that nothing is impossible with God.

Mr. Taylor exemplified the Christian walk. He was obedient to Christ even unto death. When in NICU, his family was praying for strangers for the lives of others' loved ones. His family would comfort others who had lost all hope and in turn people were healed and moved to upgraded wards in the hospital. His fellow church members and family would stop and pray with others grieving over whatever trial they were facing with their loved one's illnesses. Wherever Mr. Taylor went, His ministry followed.

I leave you with 2 Corinthians 4:

1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," [ a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[ b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (NIV, www.biblegateway.com ).

Momentary Troubles

2007-12-30T10:39:00.001-06:00

2 Corinthians 4:15
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%204:15-17;&version=31;).

"Our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" is a statement that gives us all hope for the new year. No matter what you are currently going through know that God is in control. We look for a "happy" life everyday, but sometimes we do not realize that those things that are causing us to be sad and depressed are things that God is using to mold us for His purpose!!! Whether it is divorce, bankruptcy, unexpected loss of a loved one, difficult coworker, unsatisfactory job, loss of material possessions, or rejection from a loved one or family member, God knew about your situation before you were even born. God knows exactly what it takes to get your attention. God will take that trial you are going through and show you His mercy and grace. We ought to give thanks when we go through our trials.

1 Peter 1:
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=67&chapter=1&version=31).

Know that others who may be non-believers are watching how you handle your trials. Others will seek Christians when things do not go right to see how they react to tough situations. Through your trials, you have the ability to let Christ shine through you. You can use that horrible situation you are facing today to witness to others about the love that Christ had for everyone when He sacrificed self.

Beauty

2007-12-11T22:38:00.001-06:00

I often think about the inner core of humans, especially women (mainly because I am one). Women all over the world are plagued with self-esteem issues. My initial thought process for this inspirational was to appeal to women, but then I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me that men may deal with the same self-esteem issues that women do. We all look at ourselves as somewhat inadequate in one area or another. For women, this is manifested with deep emotional issues and self doubt. I've found, through some research in a book I read this year, For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn that men have insecurities as well about not being respected by others (i.e. wives, bosses, coworkers, etc.). Shaunti reveals to the extent of men's insecurities through a survey taken among many men in the following questions/answers:

Think about what these two negative experiences would be like: to feel alone and unloved in the world OR to feel inadequate and disrespected by everyone. If you were forced to choose one, which would you prefer? Would you rather feel...? [Choose one answer]

• Alone and Unloved:....... 74%
• Inadequate and Disrespected...... 26%

Regardless of how successful you are in your current job, which statement most closely describes your feelings about your work life? [Choose one answer]

• I try to perform well and look as competent as possible, when inside I sometimes feel insecure and am concerned about others' opinion of me and my abilities. .....71.7%
• I always feel secure in my abilities and rarely consider what others think of me..... 29.3% (Feldhahn, pgs 23 & 55).

About a year ago I made a decision to love myself because I am a beautiful creation of God.

Genesis 1:
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=1&version=31).

Through the above scripture we find that we are made in God's image. I cannot help but have joy when I think about how beautiful we all are because we are "created in His image!" Personally, I believe that women (and men) will look to others to boost their self esteem through compliments, love, and relationships in general. If we understand that we are "beautiful" no matter what any human eye can see, then I believe that we can love ourselves. We cannot depend on our spouses, significant others, family members or friends to make us feel beautiful! If you depend on others to define your self worth, then you are placing a burden on them that they cannot fulfill. When we learn to see ourselves in God's Image, we then can exude beauty to others effortlessly.

Father God, help me to understand that I have beauty regardless of what the world says. My beauty first comes from the inside in knowing that I am a precious creation of a Sovereign Creator who made me in His own Image. Thank you God for loving me and helping me define my self worth by what You see in my heart and not what everyone else judges about outward appearance. In Christ's name, Amen.

Prophecy

2007-12-10T00:07:00.000-06:00

I have been studying more about prophets in the Old Testament and I wanted to know what God says about prophets. Like: "What is so special about these people and why does God call them 'prophets?'" Well, I came across the Book of Ezekiel and found the following:

Ezekiel 14:
7 'When any Israelite or any alien living in Israel separates himself from me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer him myself. 8 I will set my face against that man and make him an example and a byword. I will cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 " 'And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the LORD have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD' ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=14&version=31).

Then, I went to Merriam Webster Online Dictionary to define the word prophecy:

1: an inspired utterance of a prophet 2: the function or vocation of a prophet; specifically : the inspired declaration of divine will and purpose 3: a prediction of something to come (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prophecy).

The statement "inspired declaration of divine will and purpose" is so inspiring to me. Think about it, these men of God years ago had a message from God that was a prediction of future events and it was divinely inspired by our Heavenly Father! God did not mean for the message of the prophets to only apply to those of the time period to which the prophet wrote but to predict future events that we, today, will encounter. The next question that comes to mind is: "does God still use people today as prohets? I find in Paul's letter to Corinth that he explains that there will be chosen people who will have the gift of "prophsey."

1 Corinthians 12: 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, [ a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[ b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

1 Corinthians 13: 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=53&chapter=13&verse=1&end_verse=3&version=31&context=context).

The Word of God never says that He would quit using people to give prophetic utterances about the things that He has in store. As a matter of fact, you can see that Paul understands that the gift of prophesy is something that will continue to be given to some children of God in order to preach the Gospel. Our responibility, as Christians, is to test everything that those who claim to be prophets (or others have labeled as prophets) to make certain that what they teach is in accordance to God's Word.

Fear the LORD if you are wise

2007-12-10T00:05:00.000-06:00

For many years I had not looked over the Book of Micah in the Old Testament until recently. I wanted to know more about Micah so I've done some research. Starting with Micah, chapter 1, we learn who Micah is: 1 The Lord gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=40&version=51). Micah was a prophet of God. The things that he teaches not only relate to Jerusalem during his time, but to the things that "God's people" will face in the future. His prophesies relate to what we are going through today. What I like to do is replace my own name with Jerusalem's or the Israelites whenever prophets speak about God's truth and plan for them. I came across the following information from bible.org:

Micah prophesied during a period of upheaval and crisis. The reign of Ahaz brought spiritual lethargy, apostasy and hypocrisy. The people still worshipped Yahweh, but it was ritual without life-changing reality. Their treatment of fellow Israelites violated the basic tenants of the Mosaic covenant as they failed to practice justice, or covenant loyalty-love and their pursuit of idolatry revealed their failure to walk humbly before Yahweh (http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=973).
I want to point out that Micah was addressing the fact that the people worshipped God, but it was out of ritual, or tradition. Sound familiar? I ask myself often (to keep myself in check): "God, is my worship real? Am I sincere, because if I am not please convict my heart to bring You what You deserve." Never let tradition be the reason why you worship. Make sure that you are building a personal relationship with God. Take time to listen to God's guidance and direction. "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10).

The following message from Micah describes the judgement that Jerusalem would face, but it ends with hope that God would have mercy and save those who were obedient to His commands.

Micah 6:
9 Fear the Lord if you are wise!
His voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem:
"The armies of destruction are coming;
the Lord is sending them.[ b]
10 What shall I say about the homes of the wicked
filled with treasures gained by cheating?
What about the disgusting practice
of measuring out grain with dishonest measures? [c]
11 How can I tolerate your merchants
who use dishonest scales and weights?
12 The rich among you have become wealthy
through extortion and violence.
Your citizens are so used to lying
that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.
13 "Therefore, I will wound you!
I will bring you to ruin for all your sins.
14 You will eat but never have enough.
Your hunger pangs and emptiness will remain.
And though you try to save your money,
it will come to nothing in the end.
You will save a little,
but I will give it to those who conquer you.
15 You will plant crops
but not harvest them.
You will press your olives
but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves.
You will trample the grapes
but get no juice to make your wine.
Micah 7:
11 In that day, Israel, your cities will be rebuilt,
and your borders will be extended.
12 People from many lands will come and honor you—
from Assyria all the way to the towns of Egypt,
from Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River,[a]
and from distant seas and mountains.
13 But the land[b] will become empty and desolate
because of the wickedness of those who live there (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%207%20;&version=51 ;).

Majesty

2007-12-04T11:38:00.000-06:00

I was looking at some scripture recently and I kept seeing the word majesty. In many of the contexts that surround the word, it is used to describe The LORD.

Psalm 93:1 "The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=93&version=31).

Psalm 145:
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. [a]
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=145&verse=4&end_verse=6&version=31&context=context).

Micah 5:
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be their peace (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=40&chapter=5&version=31).

Hebrews 8:
1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=65&chapter=8&version=31).

I decided to retrieve the definition for majesty: "sovereign power, authority, or dignity" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/majesty). Then, I wanted a better understanding of the word sovereign: “possessed of supreme power; unlimited in extent: absolute” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary). Our God is the Supreme power. He is sovereign; nothing else is above him! He is clothed in majesty, sovereignty, and supreme authority. What an awesome thought! There is none greater than He!

The scriptures claim the LORD as the supreme power and authority when they call Him "majesty." Psalm 93 above states uses majesty in conjunction with the LORD being planted firmly and "cannot be moved." Psalm 145 tells how everyone will confess the LORD's majesty and His "marvelous and wonderful" works. Micah 5 explains how we will live securely in the strength of His majesty. Hebrews 8 describes Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father and that He is the Majesty in Heaven where He has prepared a place for his faithful servants.

It is comforting to meditate on God's majesty. His Sovereign Power is greater than the human mind can imagine. God will not be moved or overthrown in His Kingdom. He watches over his children and protects them from danger like a shepherd watching over his sheep.

Father God, thank You for Your sovereignty and majesty. Thank You for mercy and grace to which we are not worthy. You rule with an unfailing love and you stand firm to protect Your Word, Your Law, and Your Truth. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

God's Test

2007-11-27T13:29:00.000-06:00

Exodus 16:
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2016%20;&version=31 ;).
It's all about a test. Everyday, every situation, every relationship, etc. is a test. God gave us His Holy Word filled with instructions on how to live our lives. He gives us just what we need when we need it to see if we will remain faithful and obedient to Him. It's not about trying to make us look bad, it's to prove to Satan that there are people on this planet who love God enough to be obedient to His commandments.

Obeying God's commandments is not a form of legalism; it's a way of saying: "I love my Creator so much that I am willing to forgo selfish desires and do as He has instructed me too." Every time that I obey God, I prove to Satan that "it" can be done.

Later in Exodus 16 we see the Israelites fail to heed God's commands:

24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2016%20;&version=31;).

God wanted desperately for the Israelites to understand that He was God, their only source for protection, their only source for redemption. However, the Israelites still showed a lack of trust by looking for "manna" when God had already told them that there would be none there. It's sad to me to think about how some people are still looking for "manna." They're still looking in various places, substances, religions, organizations, and societies for the something or some idea that will quench their thirst. God says: "I've already given you food; you just have to accept it."

I'll leave you with Psalms 106 where the author describes God's reaction to the Israelites' disobedience and how He demonstrates His mercy:

40 That is why the Lord's anger burned against his people,
and he abhorred his own special possession.
41 He handed them over to pagan nations,
and they were ruled by those who hated them.
42 Their enemies crushed them
and brought them under their cruel power.
43 Again and again he rescued them,
but they chose to rebel against him,
and they were finally destroyed by their sin.
44 Even so, he pitied them in their distress
and listened to their cries.
45 He remembered his covenant with them
and relented because of his unfailing love.
46 He even caused their captors
to treat them with kindness.
47 Save us, O Lord our God!
Gather us back from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you.
48 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who lives from everlasting to everlasting!
Let all the people say, "Amen!"
Praise the Lord! (NLT, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20106%20;&version=51).

The Word was with God

2007-11-17T22:47:00.000-06:00

I sit in the lap of my heavenly Father! I sit here soaking up His mercy and grace. Once one finds God and accepts God as the beginning and the end, one cannot denounce God. What a mighty God we serve! When i hear people say "Karen, the Word was written by man and man is fallible and can cause error in the Bible;" I can only say: "God is greater than man and Satan! With what Satan thinks that he has used to confuse the entire world, God uses to reach others in a way that Satan cannot defile. If we believe that the Word of God is indeed infallible, we must believe that He can even take what Satan tried to destroy and turn it into something greater and better than what we could even imagine. When Satan tries to deceive others about Truth, God uses human flesh to send His word and commandments." See, God is greater than Satan. One of the biggest myths is that Satan is God's equal opposite. Satan can never be equal to God in any way .God will prevail. We, as God's creation, must be willing to trust Him fully and to accept His Word as His divine inspired Word even though it was written by man.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=1&version=50 ).
God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the Word!. "The word as with God, and the Word was God" gives me hope that what I read in the scripture is true and undeniable. God gave us His Holy spirit to help us understand His truth!
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=14&verse=26&version=9&context=verse ).
Our biggest trial in daily life is to be submissive to God's Word. We must submit ourselves to God and His commandments in order to have peace, joy, and wisdom. If we do not seek Truth for ourselves, then we will miss out on God's purpose for our lives.
1 Thessalonians 5: 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205%20;&version=31;).
Father God, give me discernment in regards to those who preach Your gospel. Whatever anyone says in relation to Your desires, let me test them by going to the scripture and determining them to be true! Let me not get angry and argue with others, but lead me to your Word to show me Your Truth! In Christ's name, Amen.

Look Inward

2007-11-09T09:21:00.001-06:00

Most of you who have read my writings know that I admire King David and the Apostle Paul. I have been studying David's life and I came across a scripture that spoke to me about how God views all of us. It's when Samuel is talking with God about the king that will replace Saul. Samuel asks God about how he will know the person who He has chosen for the new king, and the LORD replies "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7, NASB). As I read this, it takes me back to many times when I have looked on the outward appearance of a person and judged their life based on what I saw. Thank goodness, that we have a God who judges us based on what is in our hearts and not what is on our bodies. How awesome is that?! How awesome to have a Creator who looks inward to determine our character and not on what we wear, how our hair is fixed, or the physical strength or weakness that we possess.

Father God, forgive me when I judge others based upon outward appearances. Help me to see everyone like you see them... based on what is in their hearts. God, take from me culture, color, size, material possesions, and all other outward things when I looked at others, rather help me to love them like You do... based on what's in their hearts and that we all are created by the same God. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Dave's football prayer

2007-11-05T21:03:00.001-06:00

Each night I try to remember to stop and say prayers with the boys. I sit individually with each one and help them with their special prayers. Last night Dave prayed: "Dear God, Thank you for helping me back up when I get knocked down on the football field." I couldn't help but think about how true this is in life and what a powerful prayer it is. I think football will help Dave tremendously when it comes to learning life lessons... that sometimes we get "knocked" down, but God is there to help us back up... that the fall is a temporary set back and we still have a game to finish.

Psalm 44:

2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our fathers;
you crushed the peoples
and made our fathers flourish.
3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees [ b] victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
6 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
Selah

Fiery Furnace

2007-10-22T21:38:00.000-05:00

Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel%203&version=31).

The faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had is amazing. They were willing to face death because of their love for God. God delivered these men from destruction. Because of their obedience they were saved from a fiery death. The fire would have consumed them until their bodies had turned to ash, but they were not persuaded to give up or worship any idol. Do we have faith like that today? Are we willing to accept death and persecution because we know that our God will deliver us? This story foreshadows what will happen in the end time.

Revelations 11: 18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your saints and those who reverence your name,
both small and great—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

Revelations 13: 5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world (www.biblegateway.com).

The “beast” will be angry with God’s people and will wage war against all who will chose to continue to worship Him despite the deceit of the “beast.” Will we be able to withstand the war and will we accept the truth? It is imperative that we study the Word of God and continue to be in prayer about God’s divine plan for our lives. God promises to take care of those who love and worship Him. Never forget that He has already won the battle and that our main purpose is to remain steadfast.

Father God, help me to remain strong and confident in Your power and the promises you have revealed in Your Word. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Wait on the LORD

2007-10-18T22:19:00.000-05:00

Psalm 27:
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=27&version=31)

To wait on the LORD is one of the most difficult things I've had to do in life. Wait on Him and be strong! Merriam Webster's dictionary defines wait as "to stay in place in expectation of" ( http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wait). To stay, to be content, to be peaceful in whatever circumstance you are in at the current moment is not as easy to do as it sounds. To forgo your expectations of life... to lean not unto your own understanding... to be submissive to God's plan... God wants us to be content no matter what the circumstances. We are to be strong and at peace with whatever we are faced with in life. I'm so impatient. I want what I want when I want it. Thank God, that He does not have the same impatient trait as I do. God's timing is perfect. Even when we can't see what God is doing in the present, I have no doubt that in the future we will truly see how He was leading us to victory all along. I too, am still "confident that I will see the goodness of the LORD" in the end.

Father God, forgive me when I run ahead of You and Your plans. Let your dreams and aspirations be the same as what I desire for my life. Use me Father to further Your kingdom. In Christ's name, Amen.

God Changes Not

2007-10-03T22:42:00.001-05:00

Malachi 3: 6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=malachi%203;&version=9;).

The above scripture lately has burned within my heart. Look at verse 6 what God says to Malachi, “I am LORD, I change not.” This verse repeats in my mind, stirring my entire being daily. I feel the Holy Spirit burn within me, continuously reminding me “Karen, I change not!” I’m then led to Revelations 1:8 where the revelation of Jesus Christ is revealed to John: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty’” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=73&chapter=1&version=31). God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit were all one from the very beginning of creation to the end of time and they do not change. Why then, do we say that the Old Testament laws do not apply to our lives today? I’m not talking about the written ordinances of worship and repentance that Moses wrote for the Israelites, I’m talking about the Law that was written in stone by the finger of God. Even Jesus Christ (God on earth) explains to the people in his time about the Law.

Matthew 5:17-18
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=5&verse=16&end_verse=18&version=31&context=context).

I came to the following argument with the following premises and conclusions:

If there is no need for “the law” after Christ’s resurrection, then that means that everyone must be perfect and in no need of guidance or rules (no guidelines in place for us to show obedience and discipline by faith). If we are perfect, then what’s the point in a second coming of Christ to redeem and save his people and reward them for their obedience and perseverance? It just doesn’t make sense to me that some “laws” were nailed to the cross and we are now not responsible for the Law set by God that was given to us in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ says that the Law will not disappear until he comes again and “everything is accomplished.”

Father God, help me to be obedient to Your commandments that You gave Your chosen people so long ago. Help me to discern the lies that Satan mixes with Your Word in order to deceive me and keep me from receiving Your blessings. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Forgiveness and Healing

2007-09-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

Do you realize that when you offer forgiveness in regards to any situation or relationship that you are allowing God to bless you and heal you from heavy emotional burdens? God will heal your wounds and when He does it, he performs this healing in front of Satan. So be prepared when you let go of burdens and sufferings that keep you miserable and depressed, Satan will come with more attacks. The last thing that Satan wants is for you to be is free and joyful.

We become slaves to our troubles when we allow situations, harmful words, abuse, work problems, arguments with family and friends, and many other problems to decay and rot within ourselves. Emotionally we become tied to these burdens because we refuse to forgive. Forgiveness is the only way to be freed from the chains that hold us to these problems.

Galations 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Corinthians 3:16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Psalms 130: 3 LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 4 But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.

Luke 6: 37 "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."
(www.biblegateway.com)
In Christ,

A Gift Donkey

2007-08-21T15:35:00.000-05:00

I heard a saying one time that has stuck with me ever since: “sometimes God whispers before He shouts.” While doing a search on biblegateway.com, I came across the story in Numbers 22 regarding Balaam, his donkey, and an angel. The interesting conclusion that I drew from this story is that sometimes there is a reason why the “donkey” will not move and that it is part of God’s divine plan. There is a reason for everything we encounter.

The reason why the “donkey” will not move or the “situation” will not change could be that God is standing in the way. Verses 21 – 22: “So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along” (NLT, www.biblegateway.com). Balaam could not see the angel armed with a sword, but the donkey he was riding could. The donkey fled from the road and then received a beating from Balaam. Balaam beat the donkey a second time after it crushed his foot while trying to avoid the angel. The third time they tried to pass the angel, the donkey laid down and received another beating (Numbers 22:23 – 27).

I can vividly imagine Balaam’s anger and frustration. I think about how mad he must have been when that donkey would not obey him (when the donkey would not do what he expected). What were his real feelings of frustration: “his expectations were not being met.” Sometimes we get angry when situations or events do not unfold the way we think that they should. Balaam, like most of us, had his mind focused on what he wanted and was determined to achieve his main objective. He never stopped to think that there was a lesson to be learned through the unruly donkey. Later, the angel of the Lord is revealed to Balaam (verses 31 - 33):

Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the LORD demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.

The angel blocked Balaam’s path for a divine purpose. God needed to send a message to Balaam to make sure that when he ended up where he was going, that he would wait on God to tell him what to say. God wanted to make sure that Balaam would be patient and act on God’s timing, not his own. How revealing is this story to me and my own life. Sometimes I hear God whisper “Karen, why can’t you trust me and wait on my timing? Karen, why can’t you quit resisting me and know I have got a divine plan for your life? Karen, why can’t you learn to only worry about what I know about your heart and not consume yourself with worrying about other people’s opinion? Like Balaam, they can’t see what I am doing.”

Order out of Chaos

2007-07-31T09:48:00.000-05:00

Satan is the chaos that we often find in our daily lives. Think about life for a moment. How chaotic is your schedule? For me, it’s not so much chaotic until after I get off of work and then I’m on time crunches to get errands ran, get the boys picked up, take Dave to practice, get home at 8:00 some nights, get the boys fed and put to bed, and then find time to say “Hello God.” Now, did you get what I just did? I woke up with my “schedule” on my mind for the day and didn’t realize that I hadn’t spoken to God until I was so sleepy and drained and ready for bed. I really do not believe that the things we think are so chaotic, really are. If I had woken up and first thing spent time with God and asked him to bind Satan that day, my day would have been more orderly and peaceful than it turned out to be. God would have provided me the wisdom on how to get things done without becoming overwhelmed.

Not only did I not acknowledge God at the beginning of my day, I put the boys to bed without teaching them a Bible story (I’ve just began reading stories to them and had planned on doing this daily so that they are in the Word with me). Satan’s chaos distracted me from the truly important things. I let all these things become bigger than God. The story of Mary and Martha comes to mind:

Luke 10: 38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010;&version=51;).

It’s not just schedules that keep us distracted. Distractions come in all forms like: an argument with a loved one, a headline in the news, a bad driver on the interstate, a deadline at work, or a negative coworker. One of my coworkers said that she believes that the way that we are always trying to create order out of chaos is a daily battle and it is significant of what God is doing in the world today. See, God is order, God is perfect peace, and God is tranquility. God wants us to have perfect peace and order in our lives, but alas, Satan is lurking around every corner to devour us, to take away our joy, to break us down… all because he does not want us to 1) worship God and 2) wants us to fail in front of others to lose our witness for Christ.

Luke 10: 16 Then he [Jesus] said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

Father God, forgive me when I get distracted by daily events and become overwhelmed and stressed out. You are my peace. You are my comfort. Because of You I have power over Satan and I can do all things! Thank you for your mercy and your unfailing love. Thank you for the wisdom you provide. Thank you for showing me that everyday there is something to learn from You about my character, my family, and my eternity. In Christ’s name, Amen.

© 2007 Karen A. Patterson

Facing the Giants

2007-07-29T19:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve decided to label my new writings “Inspirationals.” I thought about my writing style and chose to label them something close to what I believe I write. Most of you know that my writings are very vulnerable. I choose to share my heart most of the time and the things that I write that are straight from my soul get the most response. I think others like to see how God chooses to use others who are so unworthy, imperfect, and human to further His kingdom.

Through lots of soul searching I have decided to take a different approach to my writings. What once started out as my ability to take psychological terms and concepts and relate them to the Bible in regards to interpersonal interactions has now developed into the passion to dig deep into God’s word and world history for truth and understanding.

I have received much input from a lot of my readers that they desire the truth instead of the “feel goodisms” we hear so often in today’s society. My Inspirationals will come from much of my personal experiences and scripture from God’s Holy Word. I must admit that I do not have a degree in theology… I just have the presence of the Holy Spirit that lives within me. I pray over everything that I write so that it may bring honor and glory to God and that He will use me as his vessel.

I can’t stress enough to my audience to read the Bible daily and seek out God’s plan for your life. It is imperative that you immerse yourself in God’s Word each and every day so that you may know truth and discover what He truly has in store for you.

So for this inspirational I will provide a short example of what God has spoken to me this week.

My three year old son, Ethan, says to me all the time “momma, you draw me giant.” Ethan has become so obsessed with the giant from Jack and the Bean Stalk lately that it some times scares me. He runs around the house reciting “Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman.” I try to explain to him that I, although artistic in some forms, cannot draw to save my life. Well, while I find it quite humorous, I do find ways that God speaks to me through this. I have many “giants in my life.” I think about the daily trials that I face and some days these trials seem so unbeatable… like “giants.” It brings to mind David’s battle with Goliath. No one thought that little David could defeat the big giant. The people had no faith in God and had lost all hope. We see though, through the scriptures, that David was victorious. David had courage. David rose to the occasion even though he was so “small” and looked so insignificant. Through David’s weaknesses, God prevailed and won the battle.

1 Samuel 17:
32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." 33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of he living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you." 38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

Father God, forgive me when I think that your grace and power is not sufficient enough for me to face the “giants” in my life. Help me to recognize that You have already won the battle and that I am your vessel to be used to further the news of victory. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

© 2007 Karen A. Patterson

Repentance

2007-07-24T16:35:00.001-05:00

Paul wrote the church at Corinth about how he did not regret that his letter had caused the people sorrow, because their sorrows led to repentance.

2 Corinthians 7: 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=7&version=31 ).

When I look up the word repent I find these definitions:

1: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
2 a: to feel regret or contrition b : to change one's mind (http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repenting)

We go through trials or temptations and these are tests that we either learn from (change the way the think about things) or we fail and God has to send us back through the class until we pass the test. Here lately, I find myself bombarded with "tests." I've done "okay" on some of them and come out a better person and others I have failed miserably and had to suffer the consequences of sin. Suffering these consequences has made me sorrowful. The stern punishment I received has "gotten my attention" that I must be submissive to God with all things or I will continue to have to take the same "class" over and over.

One last thing, take a look at what Paul says about repentance, that it "leads to salvation and leaves no regret." No regret... ahhh. What I believe that he was trying to say is that even though the punishment we face as a consequence of sin may be harsh, we can look back and discover why we had to take the "class." Once we see the significance of what God was trying to teach us through that test, we know we have peace in that we have grown in spirit. We need punishment and consequences to help mold our character. If we never felt sorrowful for the things that we do, we would never understand true repentance.

Sabbath Keeping

2007-07-19T15:54:00.000-05:00

This may very well be the most controversial devotional that I ever write. Please know that I will only use scripture and historical events to present this topic and in no way does this condemn any one or any denomination. However, I do know that once truth is presented to us, that we are held accountable for what we know.

Three truths that we as Christians hold:
• The Bible is the infallible Word of God.
• God is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end; He does not change.
• Jesus Christ was God’s son sent to earth by a virgin birth, walked perfect on earth, died on the cross so that all could have salvation from their sins, rose again on the third day and reigns with God.

Growing up, I was born into a Baptist Church. I was taken to church every Sunday, was involved in Sunday School, was raised by a Christian mother who feared God Almighty and taught us about God’s love. The first thing you learn at church is about creation, that is the creation of light, sky, earth, male and female , animals, vegetation, etc. The last thing about the creation that God makes clear is seen in Genesis 2:

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=31).

Even as a child, I always wondered “if God made the seventh day Holy, which is our Saturday, why do we keep the first day of the week?” I was certain that somewhere in the New Testament of the Bible there was a justification for this and I was too young to understand, so I just took it for granted, because it was something we had always done (remember this thought because I’m about to explain what Jesus thought about the religious leaders of his time and their “traditions”).

After the creation, the next big lesson (besides Noah and The Ark) is the study of the Ten Commandments. Again, you see God’s Law regarding a day of rest in the fourth commandment, Exodus 20:

8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020;&version=31;).

This is not the last time God stresses the seriousness of this command to Moses. Exodus 31:

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, 13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. 14 " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. 15 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested' "( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=2&chapter=31&version=31).

Also, notice why God says that it is important to keep the Sabbath because it is “sign between me and you… I am Lord, who makes you holy.” God was telling Moses that keeping the Sabbath is what sets you apart from all others. If we hold the truth that God never changes and is constant from beginning to end you cannot ignore verse 17 above that says “a sign between me and the Israelites forever.” The Israelites were His chosen people in order to bring about Christ for His Divine purpose. With Christ, we have a new covenant. God made a new covenant for all people for salvation through faith in Christ, not just the Israelites. God’s Laws that he gave to Moses still apply to us today. In Matthew 5 Jesus states:

17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%205&version=31).

John 14: 15 “If you love Me, keep[d] My commandments (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%20;&version=50;).

One last, very important, instance about the Sabbath I want to show is that of when Mary and Mary Magdalene were going to prepare the body of Christ after the crucifixion. Luke 23: 54
‘It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=49&chapter=23&version=31). It is important to note that these women were obedient in regards to God’s law of keeping the Sabbath even after the death of Christ.

Ok, so now I’ve presented some scripture found in the Bible about the importance of keeping all 10 of God’s commandments. So, now I will present the historical facts that I have found of the real reason Christians went from Sabbath keeping to keeping Sunday, “The Lord’s Day.” There are many arguments surrounding this issue. My research in the scriptures has not yet found a viable piece of record stating that God did in fact ordain His day of rest to be moved from Saturday to Sunday. The scriptures do talk about the disciples meeting on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7), but that is not talking about resting on the Sabbath it only describes a particular journey of Paul. The last point I wanted to make is that even Christ did not rise on the Sabbath….He was obedient during and after death.

History of Sabbath to Sunday: Sunday was declared a day of rest, on which markets were banned and public offices were closed by Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Christians of Byzantine tradition) Saint Constantine.
More study into Constantine finds that he never admitted to being a Christian. Also, he was a worshiper of Apollo, the sun god.
"Popular legend holds that Constantine I was Christian; however, he never publicly recanted his position as Pontifex Maximus, and the only alleged occurrence of Constantine I converting was on his deathbed (as reported by later Church Fathers), which is impossible to verify. Constantinian legislation has been interpreted as sympathetic towards traditional Roman polytheism. For example, Constantine issued laws confirming the rights of flamens, priests and duumvirs. Although Constantine passed legislation against magic and private divination, this was driven out of a fear that others might gain power through those means, as he himself had achieved power through the sound advice of soothsayers and this convinced him of the perspicacity of prophecy.

Generations later there was the story that a Divine vision led Constantine to this spot, and an angel no one else could see, led him on a circuit of the new walls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_I).

Quotes from Constantine regarding Jews:

Let us, then, have nothing in common with the Jews, who are our adversaries. ... avoiding all contact with that evil way. ... who, after having compassed the death of the Lord, being out of their minds, are guided not by sound reason, but by an unrestrained passion, wherever their innate madness carries them. ... a people so utterly depraved. ... Therefore, this irregularity must be corrected, in order that we may no more have any thing in common with those parricides and the murderers of our Lord. ... no single point in common with the perjury of the Jews (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_I)

He never let go of his pagan beliefs and even incorporated them with Christianity, but yet some have referred to him as the 13th apostle. So, I have not yet found the reasoning behind Constantine's changing the day of rest to Sunday...other than that he was mad at the Jews. Also, I cannot accept the statement that he had a "divine" vision regarding Christianity and building the new holy church, when he continued to worship pagan idols.

I will leave you a link and some quotes from a website I found recently where even the Catholic Church admits that they hold the authority to change the Sabbath day of rest to Sunday. You can follow this link which gives more points and counter points to the Sabbath and how they were changed, etc.

http://www.biblesabbath.org/confessions.html
John Laux, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies (1 936), vol. 1, P. 51.
"Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days."
Peter R. Kraemer, Catholic Church Extension Society (1975),Chicago, Illinois.
"Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:
"1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.
"2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws.
"It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible."
James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), in a signed letter.
"Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day -Saturday - for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes . Did Christ change the day'? I answer no!
"Faithfully yours, J. Card. Gibbons"
I was convicted by the things I discovered when I started researching for myself the reasons behind Christian abandoning God’s fourth commandment for so many years. The changing of the Sabbath was done out of a “Tradition” that the Catholic Church started because they stated that they had the supreme authority to do so.

God was very clear on how he wanted His day of rest kept with worship and meditation. Exodus 16:
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' " 24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any." 27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you [c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2016;&version=31;)

Mark 7:
1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?" 6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
" 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.'[b] 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions! 10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,'[d] and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'[e] 11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=48&chapter=7&version=31)

Rules for Protection

2007-07-17T00:46:00.000-05:00

Romans 1:
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201&version=31).

The apostle Paul is one of my favorite authors of all time. He began life as Saul, then transformed to Paul after his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9). As Saul, he persecuted Christians. Saul was taught that Christians were blasphemous and were going against the word of God. After his conversion, Paul became one of the most influential Christian crusaders of all time. Why do we think that Paul’s letters are numerous in the New Testament? It was because God needed to show the world that even a hater of God could be transformed by His power.

I read and reread Paul’s letters because of the passion he uses to write to the churches that were in distress. Most of the people he was writing to had been victims of some sort of persecution for their belief in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. There’s not much difference between Paul’s warnings for fellow Christians then than the Christians of today. Paul’s warning of “not retaining the knowledge of God” and that people would “receive in themselves the due penalty for their perversions” was not just for the people of his time. Paul wanted Christ’s followers to know that the world around them is inherently evil and that it is up to the individual to decide what he/she will choose. Look carefully at verse 32 above. Paul states “they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, [but] they not only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1: 32). Have we become so politically correct that we will not honor God’s commandments because we’re afraid it may offend someone?

I know that there have been times that I have thrown God’s Law to the side and tried to justify my behavior by what the world thinks is appropriate. The problem with this belief is… “God does not care if the world believes it or not, it is more important to Him to see what I will actually stand for.” It took me almost 30 years to get that God provides laws and rules for me to keep me safe. God’s not trying to take away our fun; He just wants to protect us. Any parent can testify that disciplining their children is the most difficult task in the world, but we do it because we love them. My son, David, asked me today “mommy, why do we have rules?” I answered with the best possible way I knew how: “Son, rules keep us safe from harm or getting hurt.” Then, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me, “Karen, this is why I set forth law for you to follow, so that you would not endure pain.” Wow, how the Spirit can convict me through the interaction with my children.

“Father God, help me to be just as obedient to your word like I want my children to be obedient to the rules of our household I have set forth. In Christ’s name, Amen.”

Other Gods

2007-06-29T12:23:00.000-05:00

June 2007

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson
The first commandment of God states “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3, NIV).
This is where many of us may think “I’m good!” “I have not worshipped another god, so I’m good on that one.” Well, unfortunately, we’ve all probably broken this commandment in our lifetime and we just have not recognized it. Anything that takes priority in your life over God becomes a “god.” For example, coming out of a divorce, I must make sure that I do not find a “god” to fill a void where my marriage used to be. It is so easy when we have gone through a trial and feel “empty” that we cling to something or someone to fulfill a need for intimacy and self-worth. This is not healthy because if you are not completely healed from the previous situation, you will eventually project the past onto the present.
A “god” can be an obsession with a relationship/situation or an addiction to alcohol, drugs, pornography, material possessions, television, internet, work, or food (there are many more possibilities). What object or person are we using to soothe us that replaces God’s comfort? Psalms 71:20-21 states: “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again” (NIV, www.biblegateway.com). With a promise like that from God, why do we seek out other things for comfort in times of trouble? God wants all of us, not just part of us and when we start to substitute God with other things, we anger God. God is a jealous God. Make no mistake, if we worship other things (or those things replace our praise, communication and intimacy with God), He will remove those things.
Moving on to commandment number two, God explicitly states that we should not make for ourselves any idols. Exodus 20:4
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (NIV, www.biblegateway.com).
I looked up the definition of “idol” and I did find one that caught my attention; “an object of extreme devotion” (http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idol). I immediately had to ask myself “what in my life have I devoted more time and love to in front of God?” Also see what God says at the end, “but showing love to a thousand of those who love me and keep my commandments.” How does He show love? Well, through many ways, we receive blessing, we are healthy, we have healthy children, etc. But think about the other things God provides: mercy, grace, unconditional love, peace, wisdom, comfort, refuge, and forgiveness.
Father, God, forgive me when I put people, relationships, situations, and objects in front of you. Convict my spirit to know when I am wrong so that I may stay in fellowship with you. You are my comforter, my rock, my refuge, my peace and nothing even compares to Your love. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Esther, godly woman who broke cultural traditions.

2007-06-28T01:44:00.001-05:00

Esther 1 - 10

Our Sunday school lessons have been on Esther for the month of March. I came home today and thought more about how God use this woman to save the Jews of Persia from destruction. God had a divine plan for Esther and used her to intervene for her people. King Ahasuerus had let his first wife go when she publicly disobeyed him and was in search of a new one. Mordecai, a Jewish official at the palace heard of the King’s search and had his cousin, Esther, to come and go through the application process if you will to become queen. Mordecai had raised Esther as his own daughter after her parents died and Esther trusted Mordecai’s judgment. Mordecai instructed Esther not to reveal her cultural (being a Jew) so that she would not be persecuted and dismissed from the harem of women being prepared to visit the King. King Ahasuerus did find favor with Esther and made her queen.

The real drama begins when Haman, second in command to the King, decided that he wanted all of the Jews in the kingdom to be destroyed after Mordecai refused to bow to him. The King signs this into law, all the while not knowing that his wife was a Jew and she would be destroyed also. Esther planned, fasted and prayed that God would help her speak to the king and tell him of Haman’s wickedness. Queens were not permitted to speak to the king unless directed to do so by the king, so Esther feared that she may be killed if she approached the king without his permission. Also, Jewish women were meant to keep quiet in their own culture.

There are times that we should be silent so that we do not create a bigger disturbance in a situation with emotions, etc., but make no mistake there are times when we need to be bold for God’s purpose. God can use anyone, anywhere, in any situation and we need to see that in Esther’s example. She let God use her, but she had to be bold and have courage. Esther knew that the sovereignty of God would prevail and that she could not get in the way of how God wanted to use her. I’m impressed…God used a woman in 479 BC to save a nation of Jews from being destroyed. Wow, how can God use women in the 21st century? Esther had to get over any of the cultural norms for women and approach the king with courage because she knew that God’s purpose was a higher priority than her fear of the king.

“Father God, use me, mold me, make me into the vessel that you would have me be. I want to be used like Esther. Don’t let the cultural and social norms cloud my mind from the visions you have for me. Let your dreams be my dreams. Lead me in all areas of my life. Don’t let me do anything stupid to keep your perfect will from being fulfilled. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

Love of a Savior

2007-06-26T12:50:00.001-05:00

April 2007

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

Love (noun):
1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties
2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion < love of the sea>
3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration b (1) : a beloved person :
4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God ( http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary ).

Should "love" be more difficult to define? To look how it is defined above as "warm attachment" and "devotion" really seems simple. I like "enthusiasm." I think about how women and children anticipating their soldiers to come home are "enthusiastic" because of their love for them. Even the "love" or "affection" I have for my children is a type of love that blows me away. And I "care for" my children because I "love" them. Then, I think of how Christ loved us.

Agape is defined as: "Love as revealed in Jesus, seen as spiritual and selfless and a model for humanity" (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/agape ). I cannot even begin to imagine the love that Christ had for me when he died on the cross. He suffered beatings, mockery and death so that I may have eternal life. Christ unselfishly gave all of himself to demonstrate his love towards us. John 15:12-13 records Jesus's message on the importance of love: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=15&version=31 ).

Then, Paul writes describes the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=53&chapter=13&version=31.)

Jesus was the only one who could love like that mentioned above. It is an arduous task to maintain the list above that Paul lays out for us. It is difficult not to want to keep a mental file on every evil thing someone has ever done, or be quick tempered with our friends and family members. We are called to love "always" and to "trust" everyone. I have "hope" that we will one day be with the Savior. I have "hope" that we will all learn to love one another just as Christ loved us.

Just like the families awaiting loved ones returning from war, Jesus is enthusiastic about the day that we are united with Him. Jesus cares for, has a warm attachment for, and admires his children. No matter which verb, noun, or phrase you use to describe his feelings...it's still love.

Father God, help me to love with the love of the Savior.

Accountability

2007-06-26T12:47:00.000-05:00

June 2007

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."
5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."
7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'
11 "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel .' "
David had an epiphany the day that Nathan spoke to him. He wanted so much to punish the rich man who had taken what little the poor man had owned. What do you think went through his mind when Nathan revealed to him that the story was about his recent sin? I'm sure he was ashamed, embarrassed, and humbled. David was not going to admit his sin until a friend held him accountable for his behavior.
I have a dear friend that knows exactly what to say to get my attention when I am wrong. Even though I hate to admit to this friend that they are right, I know that until I confess my selfish behavior, I will not be able to continue on in our relationship or life. How does it feel when someone holds a mirror up to your face to show you that your actions and behavior are inappropriate? I can tell you first hand that it humbles me. Even though I may not like it at first, I feel free after I've confessed my sins and begin to heal from my mistakes.
I believe that we truly need more friends like Nathan. Nathan answered God's call to speak the truth to David so that David would repent of his sins. When the public begins, to see what we've been hiding, it causes us to submit to God Almighty.
Father God, forgive me when I try to hide my transgressions because of pride and selfishness. Reveal to me when I have wronged you and others so that I may build lasting friendships free from deceit and pride. In Christ Name, Amen.

Daddy’s Blessing

2007-06-26T12:44:00.000-05:00

November 2006

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

God is so merciful. God is so gracious. God is so forgiving.

These have been my thoughts and praises over the last few months as I see His mercy and His presence in my life and the life of my family. Most of you know that my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer in October. As well, at the same time this was discovered, his PSA tests (for prostate) came back very high ( 4.0) as well. The colon surgeon and dad's oncologist both stated that the PSA tests and colon cancer were not related and that we may be dealing with two different cancers. I saw the fear in daddy the day we were at the surgeon's office and he revealed the results of the colonoscopy. I was brave and articulate while in the office, but while mom and dad were scheduling the appointment for surgery the following week, I excused myself to the outside lobby were I tried not to cry like a baby. Of course, when I got my self composed, I went straight to my prayer team. I sent an email to every Christian brother and sister I could think of to lift my dad up. There is nothing scarier to a daddy's girl for daddy to be sick on in pain.

My dad has a difficult time being intimate in his communication. He tries to hide his fears and insecurities. I know this, so two nights before his surgery I called him. I knew that I needed to minister to him. Dad had told me that he believed that the cancer had consumed his body. He was convinced that he was doomed. He said that he wanted to be realistic. I had to take the role of a "sister" in Christ and speak encouragement to him in a gentle spirit. I told my dad that because we are God's precious children that He expects us, even desires us, to cling to Him and let Him be in total control in every situation we encounter. I told him that there is a reason for this cancer. Dad could choose to give up and let Satan have a victory (by dad being so negative) or that he could use this as a way to witness to others by having faith that God would bring him through this. After I spoke with my father I told him that I loved him and that I and many others were praying for God's will to be done in this situation.

Dad came through his surgery very well. He stayed in the hospital about a week and then was released with a very promising prognosis. In the weeks to follow dad was given a clean bill of health and no cancer was found outside the colon wall or in the lymph nodes. Last week dad went to see his oncologist to have a biopsy of his prostate. At that appointment, Dr. Chapman decided that he wanted to run another blood test and urinalysis before subjecting dad to anymore pain. Today, my mom called and stated that the new tests revealed a reading of 0.68 (very good). I had a hard time staying in my seat. Mom stated "there must have been a false reading on the previous tests." I told mother "that was no false reading, that was God." Our diligent prayers were heard and my dad has been healed. Our prayers were answered when the right staff who cared for my father were put into place. Our prayers were answered when my dad's first question out of surgery to me was "are you taking the boys to church on Sunday?" I rejoice always, but today I am overcome. I am sitting in my heavenly Father's lap, soaking up his grace and mercy. He is my comfort and my refuge.

"David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:
"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn [ a] of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 "The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave [ b] coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears" ( www.biblegateway.com, NIV)

Preparing for Battle

2007-06-26T12:42:00.001-05:00

November 2005

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

Ephesian 6: 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; 16 besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one (revised std version, www.bible.com)

Sometimes, when I talk to others about prayer and studying God's word, they look at me like "yeah, I can understand prayer and memorizing scripture, but really I don't get why it's pushed so much by the church." Paul told the Ephesians to "put on the whole armor of God." Why? Christians in Paul's day dealt with the same problems that we deal with today in the 21st century. Paul wanted the Ephesians to be prepared for Satan's attacks. Some ask “how does Satan attack?” Well, maybe you have some sort of self doubt or have been struggling with letting go the guilt for some past situation that God has already forgiven you for. Satan deceives us in many ways. He wants us to feel confused, doubtful, hopeless, sad, weary and worthless. He says things like the following: "you can't help others because you are a wreck," "there's nothing wrong with abortion, those fetuses are not really alive," "Jesus Christ might have been a prophet, but not your Savior," "there are more than one way to get to heaven," "the Bible must have lost something in translation," "being a homosexual is okay, you're created that way," "God can't really know everything," and/or "go ahead do it your way, you know best." I could give many examples of how Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy our faith, our being, our mental state, etc. We are living among "the ruler of this present darkness" (Eph 6:12). This world we live in is full of sin and darkness. We must choose to live by the higher standards given to us in God's Word.

There are going to be trials/tests daily that each of us will encounter. We need the full armor to protect us and give us guidance daily. Paul says that we can shield ourselves with faith. Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines faith as "firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust" (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=faith ). "Complete trust" says it all. Do we really trust God completely? He has made many promises in His Word that he'd never forsake us or leave us. In Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses tells the Israelites "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you." If we seek His Word, we will find many more promises, that combat Satan's lies. Remembering God's promises in times of trouble helps us to remain calm, and therefore Satan can not steal our joy.

Daily, I must confess, I stress about things. I try to be conscious of what it is that I'm "stressing" about. I know I'm "stressing" about something, because, I'm grinding my teeth, all my muscles are tense, negative thoughts are running through my head, and I'm irritable. Once I realize that I'm doing these things I try to take a moment and breathe, then I can hear God say "Karen, I have created everything on this earth, I have cured diseases, I have parted seas, I have fed millions with crumbs, I knew you before your mother was born, so why don't you think that I can take care of any small problems you have." The things I find myself stressing over are small things like, "wonder what time I'll get home" and "what kind of action plan will I take tonight to get all my chores done." I think about future events that may or may not happen. I get overwhelmed by stuff I have no control over. I even beat myself up over the things that I didn't do right that day. Basically, what it boils down to, I let Satan deceive me with his lies. I allow him into my thoughts and I become anxious, tired, angry, nervous, depressed, etc. But, Paul reminds me to "Stand" and "have my feet shod with the equipment of the gospel of peace."

Jars of Clay

2007-06-26T12:31:00.001-05:00

April 2006

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

I listen to contemporary Christian music many times throughout my week. One of the bands that have been popular for several years is "Jars of Clay." This band also has had some songs hit the pop charts as well. I was reading 2 Corinthians (great letter to the Church of Corinth from the apostle Paul). I found a passage about how we as Christians are like "jars of clay." Paul writes:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus's sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body (NIV, 2 Corinthians 4:7-11).

I am encouraged by Paul's words as he expresses the power we have through Christ Jesus. Paul continues on in this chapter to teach those of Corinth that although Christ is no longer walking around on the earth physically, He lives in our bodies. Everyday we have the ability to allow Christ to shine through us in every situation we encounter. We, as flesh, must choose to minister to others by allowing Christ to rule every aspect of our day. We are walking billboards for Christ. Christ strengthens us when we are down, beaten, "persecuted," depressed, disappointed, and "crushed." We are "jars of clay" in that we are "hard pressed on every side." Satan, the enemy, is constantly seeking to destroy our day (minute by minute, hour by hour) and we must choose to dig deep within our souls and allow Christ to take control and fight our battles.

Father God, help me to let Christ shine through me daily and share with others your power and everlasting love. Thank you, Lord, that you sent Christ to us for strength and an awesome reminder that you have already fought and won the battles we face daily, Amen.

Trust God, Not Man

2007-06-26T12:28:00.001-05:00

March 2006

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

Psalms 118:8
NIV: "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man"
KJV: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
HCSB: " It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
CEV: "It is better to trust the LORD for protection than to trust anyone else" (www.biblegateway.com ).

Above are the different translation of Psalms 118:8 (New International Version, King James Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, and Contemporary English Version). A friend of mine recently sent me an email which include beautiful pictures of different landscapes and commentary on the verse referenced above. The email comments on how this verse is in the center of the Bible and also how Psalms 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible and Psalms 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. These, from what I have researched are true. Psalms 118:8 does lay in the center of the Bible. Those of you who know me will be surprised to know that I restrained myself from actually counting every verse to make sure, instead I trusted in the word of professionals.

Now, there is a question, or a thought provoking statement, regarding the significance of this verse and its location in the Word of God. Well, let's take a look at the word used in this verse.
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord" tells us that God is more than just our Creator and final Judge. If we look at the definition of "refuge" in noun form it is "shelter or protection from danger or distress" or "a place that provides shelter or protection" (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary). The author of this psalm is telling us to seek God for protection from danger and turmoil. Of course our "dangers" come in all packages, but it is better to seek God's direction and will instead of relying on a "man's" opinion.

If we look at the second part of Psalms 118:8 "than to put confidence in man," we learn that taking refuge, shelter, dependence on God will always outweigh putting our faith in man. See, God created man, not the other way around. Sometimes we as humans tend to think that we're invincible or that we can conquer anything on our own. Sometimes, we put our sole trust and hope into a human whether it be man or woman. Hey, here's one most might hate me for saying but here goes...Oprah and Dr. Phil are examples of how sometimes we lose sight of seeking God's shelter first and place all their faith in people. Please do not get me wrong, I do not believe that Oprah and Dr. Phil have stated "throw everything you have away and follow me." However we, as humans, have put them on a pedestal and believe that they have the answer for everything. I enjoy some of their shows and I really enjoy how Dr. Phil shows others how to be honest with themselves, but I know that he and Oprah are human and they fall everyday just like the rest of us. For some of us it may not be Oprah at all, it may be the pastor at our church, the evangelist on TV, a best selling author, a singer, a radio show host, a parent, a child, etc. The warning that is given in this Psalm is "man will fail, God will not." Since we as humans are born into a sinful world we cannot be perfect, but God is and since God is perfect and there is no one above Him, we need not trust in anyone but Him.

Take Psalms 119:8 and place it in your heart to know that no matter what circumstance you're facing today, that God is all you need. Seek God passionately and He will direct your path. He knew about you on Day 1 when He created the heavens and the earth, and he knows about you when He watches the Earth being destroyed. Think about the greatness of God and how He is at all places at all times and He knows all things. God knows your name, your address, your heart, and your soul. God knew about every aspect of your life, the choices that you've made and will make, who you would marry, loved ones that you've lost, and the children that you've made before time even began. God wants to be your protector, your shelter, and your refuge. He's waiting for you to call out His Name.

Anytime, Any Place, Anywhere

2007-06-26T12:26:00.000-05:00

January 2007

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

In my Management 301 class last semester we were told to write a review on "popular management literature." Our teacher stressed to us that it was import to choose something that we were interested in so that she would not fall asleep during our presentations or while grading our papers. Well, I learned in my first undergraduate program while trying to write my thesis that I would absolutely crumble if I had to review anything that I was not interested in. To be totally honest, I don't do so well reading boring periodicals with lots of statistics (even though all good communication majors know that you must support your claims with lots of proof or lots of statistics). I know my passions, and I knew immediately that I wanted to incorporate Christ into this assignment. Unfortunately, I had not read any Christian management books. Being the resourceful person I am, I headed straight to Amazon.com (maybe not so much resourceful as I am an avid online shopper). After a few searches I came a cross a book title "Anointed for Business" by Ed Silvoso ( http://harvestevan.org/index.php?id=2).

Initially trained in business in his native Argentina, Ed's background includes banking, hospital administration and financial services. He is the author of best selling books That None Should Perish, Prayer Evangelism, Women: God's Secret Weapon, and Anointed for Business. His most recent publication entitled God's Ticker Tape: A Report on Divine Acquisitions in the Marketplace highlights testimonies of God's presence and power at work in the marketplace ( http://harvestevan.org/index.php?id=2).

Ed was born the first male child in an Italian-Spanish family in Argentina. He was born into a catholic family and they all had hopes that he would be Pope, president or a wealthy businessman. Well, when Ed was a teenager he became a Christian in a protestant church and thus went his ability to be Pope or president of Argentina, so he became a businessman. In his book, "Anointed for Business" he talks about how he put Christ first in his career so that he could be successful. In the first chapter Ed writes:

It was challenging, to say the least. Doing Business always brings up the possibility of corruption, even more so in Argentina. Evading taxes, keeping a double set of books and violating labor laws were considered normal practices. However, I was unwavering about sticking to the right side of the road. At first my bosses were reluctant because they feared that they would lose the competitive advantage that came from avoiding taxes and taking questionable shortcuts. But as they saw how well we did when deals were done the ethical way, they began to trust me more. Eventually they gave me full freedom to act as I saw fit (Silvoso, 29-30).

Ed was also faced with some conflict by the elders of his church. They felt like he was wasting his time in the business world when he could "get into the ministry" more at church. What Ed tried to reveal to them was that he was a minister in the workplace. He was able to pray with coworkers and colleagues that may have never known Christ's love. Ed could reach out to others who had believed that corruption was the only way to make a "good" living. See, Ed's ministry went everywhere he went. Ed's ministry was not limited to the walls of a church building.

Ed goes even deeper in his book discussing how Christ lived so near and was so involved in the market place when he walked this earth. I will continue this series in the next few devotionals. My main point with this devotional to share with others that your ministry is anywhere you are. Whichever door you may walk through or meeting you attend, your ministry is with you. Your ministry is with you when you speak to your friends, hold the door for someone, speak a kind word, or leave a nice tip for the waiter or waitress.

2 Corinthians 3:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[ a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=3&version=31 ).

Ecclesiastes 9:
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no (R)activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going ( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%209;&version=49).

God’s Silence

2007-06-26T12:22:00.000-05:00

January 2006

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

King David writes about in Psalms how he feels God is distant and that he wonders if God hears his cries because God has been silent. I do not believe that God left David, but rather wanted David's trust and faith to be strengthened during this time of silence. Psalms 22 follows:

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel. [ a]
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them (www.bible.com ).

David says that he felt like God was "far from the words of my groaning." Most everyone can testify to a time in their lives where they felt like God was miles away. But if you look closely at this passage, David still praises God as the "Holy One." Look at the "relationship" David has with God. David talks to God just as David would talk to his best friend, brother or father. There are times in our lives when we are separated from loved ones for a time for multiple reasons and we ache to be with those special people. Just as David ached to hear God's voice, God aches to hear our voices. We were created to worship (see Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren) God, to give God all of our praise.

Recently there has been a time I have wanted to hear a direct call from God. "God show me exactly what you want me to do; speak to me; let me hear your voice; what is the right thing for me to do." I wanted an easy answer for life. I kept praying and seeking God's word for the perfect answer to all current situations and I felt no immediate response. I know that unconfessed sin can hinder communication with God, so I began to search every inch of my being for any unrighteousness. "God, where are you?" "Do you know how I'm struggling?" Then, I was reminded of the God of David. I began to realize that God is always near, and God needs to know that I will still praise and worship him even when things aren't going my way. I began to see how God used David; someone who was not always focused on God's will. Wow, what a Father! I am so amazed at how God can take those of us who are so unworthy of redemption and use us to further His Kingdom.

No matter what the situation or the trial in our lives, God is constant. God's love never changes and remains unfailing. When I'm broken because I have disagreements with my spouse, friends, or others, I hear God saying "doesn't matter Karen, just love them like I love you; just forgive them like I forgave you."

"God, I praise you for your unfailing love. I praise you for your marvelous works and the redemption you brought to this earth so that none would perish, but have eternal life. Thank you for forgiving me and choosing to have a relationship with me. Bless those who receive this and thank you for the many prayers that these people send on my behalf. In Jesus Name, Amen."

Everyday Idols

2007-06-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

October 2005

Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

A couple of weekends ago, I went to a ladies retreat called "Balancing the Demands of Life." It was a great retreat with wonderful Christian women speaking all sorts of topics. During the last day, a speaker mentioned having other "gods" in our lives and how sometimes we try to be "gods" to others.

For some reason, I have really began thinking more and more about how we sometimes let other things become "gods." Maybe it is work, a social club, alcohol, automobiles, exercising, friends, spouses, children and the list could go on and on. If you think exercising is weird for the list, let me explain (or share my story). Over the last 9 weeks, I have been dedicated to getting up every morning and exercising with Denise Austin. Yes, that's right, that perky, 40-something, mother of 2 who has a gorgeous, fit as can be body. She is inspiring and motivating to say the least. Well, I was so excited because I had stuck with something for 9 weeks. I was PROUD that I was incorporating physical fitness into my daily life everyday and I could now say that I was becoming such a well-rounded person. One day though, I heard God say to me: "you get up every morning and set aside this time for your body, but you don't set aside a specific time daily for me." Wow, what a convicting feeling. I was so focused and determined to work out every morning at 6:30 sharp, but I had never been that determined to spend time with God. I now set aside some time for God every day to read his Word and to focus on His will for my life.

Recently I have been reading the book of Jeremiah from the Bible. Jeremiah, the prophet was sent to the Israelites to explain to them why all these seemingly bad things were going on and what would go on in the future if they did not confess and repent of their sins. The Isrealites had also turned to other gods to worship instead of worshiping one God, their creator. Prophets had turned to their own understandings, instead of teaching God's Word. I also find it interesting how America has turned to other "gods" and away from God, our Father. When we wonder why sometimes God allows things to happen to America, maybe it is because we have turned away from Him. Even as Christians, we look away when God is taken out of places because it offends someone else. We have been complacent when our Christian beliefs are challenged by others. We no longer stand up to those who say that we can't have God is places He used to be. Our focus is no longer on Him. Our priority is no longer to serve Him. But, God is merciful and quick to forgive.

Jeremiah 4: 1 "If you return, O Israel, says the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your abominations from my presence, and do not waver, 2 and if you swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in uprightness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."

Of course, we can put our names in place of Israel and hear God call to us personally. I will talk more about how we can appear to be "gods" to others in the next devotional.

Co-Dependency: Becoming God-Like

2007-06-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

October 2005

Co-Dependency: Becoming God-Like
Christian Devotional
By
Karen A. Patterson

In psychology, a similar term is used called "co-dependency." I visited a web site (http://www.allaboutcounseling.com/codependency.htm#whatis) to see if I could find a good clinical definition of co-dependency. Please check it out for a better understanding of co-dependent relationships. Some often think that co-dependency has something to do with a person being dependent upon someone or something, however it really describes how a person is controlling or being a "god-like" figure to another person. The website states this: "codependent person tries to provide and control everything within the relationship without addressing their own needs or desires; setting themselves up for continued unfulfillment."

The relationships involved could be between friends, spouses, co-workers, family members, and other loved ones. Maybe you have a friend who comes to you for everything, advice, counseling or venting, and sometimes makes statements like "I don't know what I'd do without you" or "my life would be nothing without you." In this situation, you may be acting as a co-dependent person of a relationship. Many times you see the co-dependent mom hiding the drug addiction of the teenage child from the strict father of the house. The mom does not like conflict, and therefore chooses to hide, "control," the drug use so that there is no discord between the father and child. Maybe the mom makes excuses for the child to others in order to minimize the seriousness of the situation. You can also see this in spousal relationships as well. See, supposedly, helping others and providing direction to others, will make the co-dependent person feel better about themselves, giving them a feeling of accomplishment (boosting the self-esteem), when many times all they are doing is making the situation worse.

What may people do not realize is that they're standing in the way of what God wants to do in the other person's life. We are not God. We can never be like God. We need to get out of the way when it comes to relationships that may be similar to the ones mentioned above and let God be the Ruler and let His will be done. Our prayers will need to change from "changes this person so that my life is better" to "God, show me how I can be Your vessel to speak Your Truth to someone in need" or "God, change me to fulfill Your will, I confess that I've tried to control this person or situation, and now I give it to You."
The situations don't always have to be extreme. I have caught myself many times trying to be my husband's god. I want him to do things a certain way, I want him to dream the way I do, I want him to care if there are clean clothes not folded and put away, I want him to like watching the Food Network, I want him to want to take long walks and discuss philosophical things. I'm reminded of Proverbs 21:9 "Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife" (HCSB). God says to me "Karen, I made Kenny beautifully and uniquely for My purpose not yours. I am his creator and I'm not finished with him." So, every time I feel a nag coming on, I remember God's word, and back off and let God rule Kenny. And you know, it gives me a relaxing feeling, knowing where my place is and what I don't have to do.

"I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever" (Psalms 86:12, HCSB).

Are We Ready?

2007-06-24T00:02:00.000-05:00

Do you ever wonder why the world is in the shape it is in? Do you ever cry out to God “what is going on?” It should come as no surprise to Christians. If we read the scriptures, then we will understand that it is all a part of God’s divine plan. Paul tells Timothy of the things to come in the following scriptures:

2 Timothy 3:
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=62&chapter=3&version=31).

We see children on the edge of destruction today. We see fathers abandoning their households. We see evil prevailing in every situation. We watch as others covet worldly riches. We refuse to forgive others who have wronged us. We forget to say “thank you” after we have received blessings.

There is a new label now for teenagers who are depressed and what I interpret as in despair (and it seems that they are proud of their new found fame) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_(slang)). I wonder what Paul knew about the end of time. Our youth have not been taught to “honor your father and your mother.” Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2020;&version=31;). Is that our fault? I mean really, have we become so politically correct that we refuse to punish our children? Proverbs 13: 24 “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&chapter=13&verse=24&version=31&context=verse).

I wonder if Paul had a prophetic sign from God that told him how things would be before Christ came back for his people. We, as Christians, have been so obsessed about prayer taken out of schools (however, we didn’t do much to stop it) and the Ten Commandments being removed from our government (and by the way, it’s been removed from our churches).

Our world is consumed with evil… the earth is Satan’s playground. My point with this devotional is: “this is not a shocker!” My plea to those who have not accepted Christ as their savior: “Do so now!” I have a feeling that Christ’s return is soon. Are we ready? I mean, are we truly ready? I urge you to seek out truth in this time! Seek God’s word for yourself… determine if there are things that even go against your religious traditions. God expects, even demands that we grow in knowledge and wisdom! Beware! After you find “truth,” you will be held accountable for what you know.

Restoration

2007-06-20T15:49:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a worship service at Oakwood College Church (http://www.oakwoodcollegechurch.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=11141) to see Wintley Phipps (http://www.adventistreview.org/2001-1536/story5.html ) preach. If you have never seen or heard Mr. Phipps, I urge you to seek out one of his sermons or CDs. I was introduced to him by a friend of mine via a You Tube clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0) where he tells the story of Amazing Grace and then sings it… IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!! Anyway, his sermon came from Joel 2:25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm my great army that I sent among you” (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=36&chapter=1&version=31). His message was about how God will restore us, after the locusts have eaten. As I heard him preach, so many thoughts came to mind about the “locusts” in our lives. “Locusts” can be those things that tear us down, or “eat” up our spirits to the point where we are a shell of the person we once were.

The following are the listed definitions (along with “renew”) of restore on Merriam Webster’s online dictionary:
1 : GIVE BACK, RETURN
2 : to put or bring back into existence or use
3 : to bring back to or put back into a former or original state : RENEW
4 : to put again in possession of something (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/restore).

There is not a doubt in my mind that everyone has had at time in their lives where they felt like they were in the darkest place imaginable. Maybe it was bankruptcy, divorce, the death of a loved one, addiction, incarceration, depression, or separation from family for a time. I thought that I’d take some time on this devotional to share what went through my mind when he talked about those things that bring us down and make us feel weak and weary.

I went through a divorce this year. I think that this trial in my life was the most depressing thing that I went through. When you realize your marriage is over, you begin to mourn the loss. I had mixed feelings. I denied it! I hated it! I was angry! I was bitter! I even told God exactly how I felt about it! I lived in a dark place for many months because I was so resentful. I had to seek God continuously through this time because I was so ashamed of the heavy burdened heart that I had towards my ex-husband. I knew that I was called to love him regardless of this divorce, but I was weak and there were days that I told God “no, I won’t pray for him.” Over time, God kept saying to me “Karen, he is mine! I need you to let go!” I also knew that by me not letting go and forgiving him that Satan had victory over me and that God could not “restore” me while I was still rebelling. I finally “let go.” After I forgave him and began to heal, I felt God “make me new again.” My heart was not as troubled, my joy was returning, and my spirit was lifted. God then showed me how my sins had kept me from receiving blessings. God revealed to me the things that I needed to change about me in order to build healthier relationships.

I want to point out that it was not until I surrendered this to God, that I was restored. The worse thing is… I could have been restored sooner than I was had I'd been obedient. I could have suffered a little less if I had turned things over to God at the very beginning: Proverbs 2:11 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (NIV). You know, God knows me and God knows what it takes for me to learn a lesson. When I humbled myself and gave this trial over to God, he gave me insight and wisdom.

Father God, I am unworthy of your Grace, but thank you for it! Like Paul, I hate the things that I do, and I am so thankful for your mercy and unfailing love. Thank you for restoring me…thank you for forgiving me even when I am selfish and full of pride. Give me wisdom and understanding so that I may grow in Christ and mature for your service. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (KJV).

Treating the Scars

2007-06-05T09:09:00.001-05:00

2 Samuel 11: 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then [ a] she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." (NIV, www.biblegateway.com)

When I read the story of David and Bathsheba I feel like I'm watching a soap opera. I can remember watching soap operas with my Aunt Dimple (Thelma) as a young girl and I would always get tickled at her when she'd yell at the TV, "don't go in there" or "um, you're about to get into trouble!" Watching David's story unfold, I too want to yell "David, you're going to get into trouble!" Even though I wish I could reach out and stop David, I know that I cannot interfere with God's divine plan. Even though I watch David give into temptation, I never question his godliness or his love for God. There is no doubt in my mind that David was a good man. David got caught up in the moment, put God aside, and sinned.

Now, if we continue to read on about the story, we learn that David has Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, sent to the front lines in battle where he knew he would be killed (2 Samuel 11:14-17). Why would David do this? He wanted to cover up his sin. If her husband was dead, David could take Bathsheba as his wife and when she gave birth no one would know that David had committed adultery.

So now, not only has David committed adultery, he has committed murder and has lied to everyone around him. Further along in the story, God does punish David for his sins by taking the life of the child he had conceived with Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 12:

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."
Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, [a] the son born to you will die." (NIV, www.biblegateway.com)

God had mercy on David because he confessed his sins and repented. God did not give up on David because of his sin; however, God did punish him so that he would remember the consequences of sin. Once David confessed and repented, God continued to use him for His purpose. Did David have to suffer in the future for his sin, ABSOLUTELY!!!

How often today, do we condemn each other when we make mistakes or sin? How often do we gossip about others' situations and question their Christianity when they have fallen from grace? God knew exactly what it would take to get David's attention and bring David back into fellowship with him. As humans, I believe we criticize others for their mistakes, but what we don't realize is that God is using that mistake for His own purpose. God will use our mistakes to make us wiser. We may have to suffer consequences and come out of our sins with a few scars, but those scars are there to remind us why it is important for us to obey God. As Christians, we need to remember that God will take care of the punishment, we need to help one another treat the scars.

Father God, help me to remember that disobedience brings about punishment and punishment brings about desired behavior. God, help me to treat the scars and not condemn the person or the situation. Let everything bring about honor and glory for Your sake, in Christ Name, Amen.

Rhoda, Let Peter In!

2007-05-22T08:46:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine being in the Upper Room of Mary's (mother of John Mark) home the night Peter was in prison? Herod had imprisoned Peter for preaching the gospel and he had particularly chosen to do this during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Acts 12) since there were many Jews in the city to witness the arrest. The church members were at Mary's home praying fervently for Peter's safety and release. Acts 12: 5 "So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him" (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2012;&version=31 ;). I want to take a look at the word "earnest" which describes how they were praying. Merriam-Webster defines earnest as "characterized by or proceeding from an intense and serious state of mind" ( http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/earnestly). These people were praying with confidence that God would deliver Peter.

Take a moment to think about times in your life where you have prayed with such intensity, that nothing else was on your mind but communicating with God. They prayed with confidence because of the promises that Jesus had made to them before he was crucified. The night of the Last Supper Jesus told his disciples:

John 14:12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=14&version=31 ).

What I love about the rest of this story is Ms. Rhoda's reaction when Peter knocks on the gate to Mary's home after being freed from prison by an angel of God.

Acts 12:

11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."

12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"

15"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel" (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2012;&version=31 ;)

Rhoda was so excited to see Peter; she forgot to let him in the gate before she went back and told the others in the house. Of course, like many of us today, the others thought she was crazy. Now, these people had been intensely, fervently praying from the time they discovered Peter had been arrested until now and how did they react when God answered their prayers…They thought it was an angel and not Peter! I don't think that they believe that God would deliver Peter right to their door step. After reading this chapter, I chuckled to myself. I thought "you know God, some things never change." I will pray and fast asking God for His will, and when he answers my prayers…I'm still looking and praying for more signs. Sometimes we disbelieve because God did not deliver our answers in the form we thought He should. Maybe those in the Upper Room that night were in shock because they just could not believe that God would honor them so quickly. Sometimes, we can't believe that God is so good to us, when we're so unworthy.

Father God, I confess that I am blind to the answers you have laid in front of me. I praise you for your faithfulness and unfailing love. I thank you for the answered prayers in my life. Help me to open my eyes to the fact that even when your answer is "no" that it is still an answer. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Interpersonal Relationships

2007-05-21T16:57:00.001-05:00

As you read my devotionals, you may notice the passion I have for understanding interpersonal relationships ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpersonal_relationship). This passion has been with me since I was a small child. It seemed like I was always interested in how people interacted with one another. I was always looking at others and comparing their interactions to the ones I was involved in. Now, at 7 and 8 years of age did I realize that this was not just a coincidence, but that God had given me a gift? No! I just thought (like most kids) hey, I wonder if other families interact like mine. I wonder why Dad gets mad when he does and I wonder why Mom thinks the way she does. I would visit my Dad's sister, Thelma (Aunt Dimple), and pick her brain about the way they grew up and what their parents were like. If you knew me as a child, you can probably testify that I was always asking questions…I wanted answers…I wanted to know why others behaved the way that they did. To most people, it may not matter why others do what they do, but for some reason I want to know so that I can understand the underlying reasons for their behavior. It helps me to understand the person more completely.

As a child, the first relationships that you ever experience is not the one you have with your parent it is your parents' interaction with one another. Children learn about interpersonal relationships by watching how mom and dad interact with one another. Now, are mom and dad perfect? No. Do mom and dad need to realize that their children will model their behavior when it comes to developing relationships of their own? Yes. If mom and dad communicate by yelling, the children will communicate by yelling. If you have children, take a moment to watch their interaction with others and think about how it may resemble your interactions with family members or significant others.

The one thing I had to learn as an adult: no matter how old I get, I can still learn something new. I choose not to accept "that's just the way it is." What I learned about relationships as a child can be altered as I mature. I can choose to improve upon what I already know, thus learning a new behavior. I must choose to present healthy interactions with others for the sake of my children. My boys will model themselves after me. They will determine how to love others by watching how I love others. However, it is still important for me to nurture and care for my boys so that they know that they are loved, since that will build their self confidence and esteem.

As a child of God, I must model my behavior after Christ's. The Bible contains information on how to model our behavior. Even if you came from an abusive home, you still have a Heavenly Father from which you can gain knowledge and insight on how to build healthy relationships. I can learn about love through the way Christ demonstrated his love toward us. I can learn about true sacrifice through Christ's death. I can learn about mercy and forgiveness through God's forgiveness of my own wretched sins. These things I must demonstrate in my relationships. I am no longer bound to behave in accordance to the things I learned from my fleshly parents (please don't take that the wrong way…my parents were not bad people, just using an example of how we're all made of flesh).

Proverbs 20:7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them (NLT, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2020%20;&version=51 ;).

Matthew 7: 7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207%20;&version=31;).

Father God, help me to model your behavior to my children. Help me to teach them Your ways and Your love. Remind me that my interactions with others are instrumental in raising them to be godly young men. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Proverbs 22: Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it (ASV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2022:6;&version=8 ;).

Anger

2007-05-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

I recently attended a transitioning parenting class in Huntsville. The discussions were about the behavior and emotions that adults will go through during divorce and how it can affect the children involved. One of the speakers, Frank Morales, spoke about the dangers and causes of anger. Even the best of people can do and say stupid things when angry. We almost have contests to see how far we can take our hurtful words and actions. The one thing Frank said in this presentation that stopped me in my tracks was: "the two underlying causes of anger are hurt and disappointment." Wow! I began to realize that if I would stop and think about why I was angry before I acted out, I could understand that I was either emotionally hurt or upset because something did not go as I had planned. If I understand the real root of the problem, then I can calm myself before acting foolishly.

I also realized that I could apply the same principles to interactions with others who may be angry with me. Before I start to retaliate with hurtful words or deeds, I can analyze what may have caused the their hurt or disappointment. If I know why they are angry, it is easier for me to make a move to resolve conflict before bitterness and resentment begin to fester.

Taking a longer look at disappointment: I made a comment above "upset because something did not go as I had planned" that I want to expand on. I don't know about everyone else, but I have found that I tend to get angry when things to go my way or when something did not meet my expectations (some of you are falling out of your seats right this minute because you can't believe that I just admitted this fault to 80 + people). Yes, I, Karen Patterson, misbehave when I don't get my way! The positive side to this confession is that I know that I do it and I am honest about it. Now, knowing this, it gives me a whole new perspective on what is really going on with me when I get angry! I have to get on my knees before God and confess that I have been selfish and controlling in particular situations and relationship. I have to ask God to open my eyes to my own behavior so that I do not hurt others. Because of my personality I constantly have to tell my self that my way is not always the best even though I think it is.

Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered person starts fights;
a cool-tempered person stops them (NLT, www.biblegateway.com).

Ecclesiastes 7: 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. ( I)
9 Don't let your spirit rush to be angry,
for anger abides in the heart of fools (HCSB, www.biblegateway.com)

James 1:19 So then,[a] my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God (NKJV, www.biblegateway.com).

Father God, forgive me when I act out of rage or self pity. Continue to open my eyes to my faults so that I may control actions before I do anything stupid. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Get Up, Peter, Kill and Eat

2007-05-21T16:54:00.000-05:00

Acts 10: 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three[ a] men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." (NIV, www.biblegateway,com )

I have wonder about the passage above..."go kill and eat...do not call anything impure that God has made clean." I assumed that the scripture meant that we could eat anything now and that the Old Testament laws were no longer applicable because of the new covenant. However, with more studying, I've discovered that it had to do more with witnessing than it did with food.

God's command to Peter was to go unto Cornelius, a Gentile, and witness to him instead of focusing only on the Jews. The Gentiles, at the time, were not considered clean or holy. God revealed to Peter that he must go to the unholy and preach the good news of Christ. God wanted Peter to understand that the Gentiles were worthy of Christ's redemption as much as the chosen people of Abraham.

Today, we, as Christians, must be bold. We must "get up, kill and eat." We must choose to spread the gospel to the unholy, not to just those that enter our churches for special occasions. God challenges us to "go, kill and eat."

Father God, help me to be bold in Your ministry. Guide me to approach those that I think are unholy so that I may help fulfill the great commission that Jesus talked about. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Women: Servants of Christ

2007-05-21T16:50:00.000-05:00

This devotional is one that I have prayed over for a long time. I have been searching through biblical and historical truth in order to understand the role that women played in Christ's ministry for some time. I hope that this devotional will empower women and not cause discord with others. My goal is to shine light on the importance of women in the ministry and how they can also be leaders.

Raised in a Baptist church I had always heard the quote from Paul's letter to church of Corinth in 1st Corinthians 14:34 which states "women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says" (www.biblegateway.com). However, there were many times that Paul praised women for their roles in the ministry. The one that stands out to me the most is Phoebe who Paul writes about in Romans 16: 1-3: "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2016;&version=49 ;).

Take a look at how he describes her as "a servant of the church." Now let's define the word Deacon: "Etymology: Middle English dekene, from Old English dEacon, from Late Latin diaconus, from Greek diakonos, literally, servant, from dia- + -konos (akin to enkonein to be active); perhaps akin to Latin conari to attempt
: a subordinate officer in a Christian church" (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/deacon ).

Women like Phoebe were considered a “deaconess" in Paul's time. Also, there was Lydia, who Paul wrote about in Romans 16:14-15:
One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016;&version=49;).

Now let's look at how women were viewed in the Greco-Roman days when Paul was writing to the church of Corinth. Keep in mind that these women in the church had recently found Christian liberty with which they had not had before. I found some documentation that expresses the law in regards to women in this time period.

242. Advice on marriage. Boeotia, 2nd cent. A.D. (Plutarch, Moralia 138a-146a, exc. Tr. R. Warner. G)
18. A young Spartan girl was once asked whether she had yet started making advances to her husband. She replied: 'I don't to him; he does to me.' This, I think, is how a married woman ought to behave-not to shrink away or object when her husband starts to make love, but not herself to be the one to start either. In the one case she is being over-eager like a prostitute, in the other she is being cold and lacking in affection.
19. A wife ought not to make friends of her own, but to enjoy her husband's friends together with him. And the first and best friends are the gods in whom her husband believes and to shut her door to all magic ceremonies and foreign superstitions. For no god can be pleased by stealthy and surreptitious rites performed by a woman.
20. Man and woman are joined together physically so that the woman may take and blend together elements derived from each and so give birth to a child which is common to them both, so that neither of the two can tell or distinguish what in particular is his or hers. It is very right too that married people should have the same kind of partnership in property. They should put everything they have into a common fund; neither of the two should think of one part as belonging to him and the other as not belonging; instead each should think of it all as his own, and none of it as not belonging to him (http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/wlgr/wlgr-privatelife242.shtml ).
It was not uncommon for girls in the home at that time to be sold off by their families as prostitutes. As well, girls did not have the opportunity to be educated as boys were not to mention any religious training. Paul was warning the women in the church of Corinth not to be boastful with their new found Christian freedom. It was against their culture and the law for women to argue or speak to men in public. Since their newly found freedom, the women had begun to question practices in the church and this was very upsetting to the men due to their traditions and culture. Soon this began to cause a division within the church. Paul was pleading with the women not to disturb worship with questions or debate, but to wait until they were at home to ask questions. Paul did not want to see this situation explode and divide the church; he was trying to unify the church.

I wanted to share this so that our eyes may be open to the fact that Paul never meant to oppress women in the church. As a matter of fact, Phoebe was a huge financial supporter of Paul's ministry. I believe that we need to look at the history and the situations that were going on at the time Paul wrote his letters to the individual churches.

Butterflies

2007-05-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

Have you ever watched the movement of the butterfly? How it glides to one flower, stays for a moment, rests its wings, and then it’s off to another destination. I often think of relationships in this aspect. I often wonder why certain people were brought into my life. Sometimes people stay for a long time before they are rested enough to move on, and then others are gone in the blink of an eye. I like to explore how we react though, to that time when those friends, acquaintances and/or loved ones leave our lives.

With the death of a loved one, we mourn the physical and emotional loss of that person. No words can take away the sorrow. I’ve learned though, to rejoice in the time that I was blessed to know that person, although it still saddens me to think that they are gone from this earth forever. Studying Psychology, I learned about Elisabeth Kübler Ross (http://www.elisabethkublerross.com/ ), who developed the “5 stages of Grief” in which she explains the coping process when we experience death and dying.

The stages are:
1. Denial - The initial stage.: "It can't be happening."
2. Anger .: "How dare you do this to me?!" (either referring to God, the deceased, or oneself)
3. Bargaining .: "Just let me live to see my son graduate."
4. Depression .: "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"
5. Acceptance .: "I know my son will be in a better place"

Kübler-Ross originally applied these stages to any form of catastrophic personal loss, such as the death of a loved one, or even divorce. She also claimed these steps do not necessarily come in order, nor are they all experienced by all patients, though she stated a person will always experience at least two (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Stages_of_Grief )

I have to admit that I have been through this cycle on more than one occasion. I have experienced many aunts, uncles, friends and two close cousins leave my life through death. If there are times where the death is not sudden, meaning that a long term illness wore down the person, one does have more time to process the initial shock before the loved one leaves. However, it does not diminish the sadness or the emptiness one feels when that person passes away.

Kübler Ross’s grief cycle does not only apply to death but to the end of relationships and/or marriages. Even when the relationship has been in trouble for a long time with a major disconnect between partners, the initial shock to the end is difficult for anyone to handle. Even though we may not understand why the relationship is ending and we are truly hurt and upset, we must understand that God has a plan for every aspect of our lives. There is a reason why that person is being removed from our lives or being moved to another destination for God’s purpose.

We as humans fight separation because the emotional pain is almost unbearable. Once the separation has occurred and we have begun to accept the loss, I truly believe that God begins to reveal to us the purpose of why that person was in our lives. Through our memories, stories, and significant events, we can reflect on our past relationships and gain insight into their relevance to our lives here on earth. Maybe it changed the way we thought about the world, maybe it changed the way we thought about ourselves, and just maybe it was a trial to bring us closer to God.

I can testify that I have built many emotional walls in my life to avoid being hurt. Because I have built walls and refused to build intimacy with others, I believe that I have truly missed out on blessings…blessings of experience deeper love and friendship with others in my life. However, the more I mature, I realize that it is okay to welcome new relationships with open arms because God will use any event in my life to mold me for His purpose. Yes, there may be sadness when that person leaves my life, but at least I was able to experience love and friendship for a small amount of time. I, also, will be a butterfly to in someone’s life.

Psalms 71:
20 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.
22 I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I, whom you have redeemed.
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
have been put to shame and confusion (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=71&version=31 ).

Protect Me from The Enemy

2007-05-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

Psalms 140:
1 Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men;
protect me from men of violence,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
Selah
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from men of violence
who plan to trip my feet.
5 Proud men have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
Selah
6 O LORD, I say to you, "You are my God."
Hear, O LORD, my cry for mercy.
7 O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
who shields my head in the day of battle-
8 do not grant the wicked their desires, O LORD;
do not let their plans succeed,
or they will become proud.
Selah
9 Let the heads of those who surround me
be covered with the trouble their lips have caused.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them;
may they be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, never to rise.
11 Let slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down men of violence.
12 I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name
and the upright will live before you (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20140%20;&version=31;)

Ever feel like there are physical enemies out to get you? Ever feel like every morning you're preparing to go into battle? Like, you know, that nasty little, negative coworker who always has something mean spirited to say or a micro-managing boss who is always looking over your shoulder. Or, the staff at a restaurant who role their eyes when you make a special request. It could be a relative, it could be an addiction, it could be divorce or it could be just life in general. I love to read David's thoughts and prayers to God. They are so intimate. David knew that he could not defeat his enemies with out God. He prayed specifically for destruction of evil: "Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused. Let burning coals fall upon them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to rise. “I often forget to pray to God for protection from my enemies. Satan will use any vessel he can to steal our joy. He will even use close friends and family members. However, there may be one particular person in your life that is threatening you or causing major drama...pray for God's protection. Don't try to fight this enemy alone. Without God's protection, the situation will only get worse.

In Psalms 141 David writes:
8 But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD;
in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
from the traps set by evildoers.
"Father God, Sovereign God, Your love is unfailing and I thank you for choosing me for your kingdom. Keep me from the traps that the enemy has set for me. Do not let me succumb to the low level of the enemy. Protect me and my family. Help me to control my behavior and show love for my enemy. In Jesus's name, Amen."

Discernment

2007-05-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

Discernment is defined as "the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure" (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/discernment). With that definition I wanted to have a clear understanding of what obscure meant:
1 a: dark, dim b: shrouded in or hidden by darkness c: not clearly seen or easily distinguished : faint 2 : not readily understood or clearly expressed; also : mysterious (http://209.161.33.50/dictionary/obscure).

What stands out to me in the definition above is "hidden by darkness" and "not readily understood." As Christians, we all try to hide sin. We try to surround our sin in darkness and forget that God sees all and knows all. People try to hide themselves from being hurt in a relationship, or to obscure reality so that true hearts are not wounded. Depressed people hide themselves inside an internal world of guilt and shame. Abused children hide their bruises.

Ephesians 5:
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%20;&version=31;)

The more I seek truth in God's word (where the Holy Spirit speaks) I find that I gain discernment. I know that God's Helper is guiding me and that when things seem obscure...they usually are. Satan is darkness. Satan lives and reigns in a dark world. We as Christians need to let the Holy Spirit guide our paths and shed light on the darkness so that we are not deceived. Yes, that even means, asking God to shed light on our "hidden" sins so that we may repent and continue to grow in Christ.

Moses cries out in Dueteronomy 32:

27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, 'Our hand has triumphed;
the LORD has not done all this.' "
28 They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be! (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2032%20;&version=31;)
Paul writes in Philippians 1:

9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; (NASB, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201;&version=49;)
Once knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are given to us through the Holy Spirit, then we are accountable for what we know. We are to keep God's word and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us for the furtherance of God's kingdom.
The most difficult thing that I do in life is be a Christian. I fail daily. I sin daily (this week is especially bad and it's only Tuesday). And the worse part is, I KNOW BETTER!!! Why do I do the things that I hate! I have let anger, bitterness and resentment rule my world for a while now and I know it is hindering my relationship with God. Wow, I really needed this today.

"Father God, forgive me for the things I've done in secret to cover up my sin. Forgive me for not being honest with You and myself about my transgressions. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who is here to direct my path and keep me from harm. In Jesus's Name, Amen."

In The Storm

2007-05-21T16:38:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Casting Crown songs is "Praise You in This Storm (see song lyrics below)." Over the last 6 months it has been my anthem of sorts...especially when I get to points were the enemy is attacking from all sides. I think about the lyrics of this song and how it is so true that I believe that God should swoop down immediately when I'm first broken and heal all hurt. God whispers to me "Karen, you're a tough one to break, trust Me that I know what's best for you." Although I know that God's timing is perfect, I am so impatient some days (okay not some days, a good bit of the time).

I often pray for God's direction, but I am so silly because I get so worried about every day situations...I forget that I'm not in control. Of course, relinquishing control is not easy for a Type-A personality like mine. I'm always looking to understand and improve self...that is, the more I understand my own weaknesses, the better I know how to confess to God my faults and ask for specific guidance. I know that my inability to let go has, at times, kept me from receiving blessings.

Psalms 51:
7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don't keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don't take your Holy Spirit from me (http://www.biblegateway.com)

"Father God, I let go, I'm moving out of the way, I accept the things that You provide and the time at which You provide them. Even though I hurt and stress out over the trials I am facing, I'll continue to say how wonderful You are...Your love has never failed me and you have provided for me and my family beyond what I could ever ask for. Thank you for your compassion...the mercy which I do not deserve. Thank you for letting me crawl up in your lap and comforting me in this storm. In Jesus's Name, Amen."

Praise You in This Stormwords by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now, God, You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

Who Are Your Refreshers

2007-05-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

About 4 years ago I read a book by Junior Hill ( http://juniorhillministries.com/Bio.htm) called "The Refreshers." Basically the author looks at the "refreshers" of Paul's ministry and how important these people were to help Paul continue to travel and spread the message Christ. He challenges his audience to consciously be aware of how we can strengthen others with actions, letters, words, etc. I believe I borrowed the book from my brother or my mom, so as I began preparing to write this devotional this week, I could not find the exact text for quotes.

I wanted to share though how Paul described those who help him in his journey to preach, teach and witness to others. I want to first look at a synonym for refresh, renew. I like the definition of renew: "to make like new: restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection" ( http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/renew). I will only use the examples of Paul's thanksgiving for his friends from Romans 16. However, there are many more instances throughout his writings where he asks the churches to take care of those who take care of him. As you read this, think about those you interacted with daily as Paul did and how they lift you up so that you may continue your own ministry.

Romans 16: 1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant[ a] of the church in Cenchrea. 2I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. 3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2016%20;&version=31;).

Over the last few weeks, I've been preparing this devotional. I have deeply thought about those who have "refreshed" and "renewed" my spirit as I have gone through the divorce. I think there are many who do not know how much it has meant to me that they would pray for me, send an encouraging email, call and ask how I was doing, or just send the simplest of text messages. It is because of you, like Paul, that I continue to be strong and not fall into depression and forget that I must shine through this trial. God has opened my eyes and my heart to understand that EVERYONE he has put into my life, he has put there for a reason.

So now let me take time to thank those who have renewed my spirit over the last 6 months.

◊ Mom, Daddy, Kevin, Chele and all other family: Thank you for your prayers and support, for without your help with the boys, I'd truly be weak and weary.

◊ Maw Maw: because of your spiritual legacy you began over 70 years ago, we all are truly blessed. Thank you for praying for me, your granddaughter all these years. I know that it is because of your prayers that I am the woman I am today!

◊ My coworkers: I am so blessed to be surrounded by such grounded, spirit-filled, anointed people for 40+ hours a week.

◊ Tiffiany: I can't tell you what a blessing it has been to know you as my sister in Christ for the last 3 years. We grew up together and have been best friends since we were 4 and 5. Now I have even more in common with you and I see God transforming you everyday. I can't believe how you have matured spiritually and what a great accountability partner you are to me.

◊ Jackie Eldridge: You amaze me, and because of you I refuse to feel sorry for myself. Your faith, strength and courage to endure all that you do and not complain are so inspiring. You keep praising God no matter how difficult life gets and you always find me on Sunday mornings to hug me and encourage me. I should be encouraging you and seeking you, but you continue your ministry by "refreshing" others even when you are facing the biggest trial in your life. You are remarkable. You remind me of Phoebe, a deaconess.

◊ Tasha: you just being you has been the best thing for me. Your energy is so contagious. You always know when I need a hug.

◊ Pam, Jason, Candy, and Lindsey: You've been there since day one of the divorce and I want you to know that I appreciate your protection and concern for me and the boys. Thank you for the phone calls and visits, it has been so uplifting for me.

◊ For everyone else (there are many more specific people, but I don't want to embarrass anyone): Your common sense, late night conversations, prayer, quality time, explanation of scripture, bible studies, hugs, letters, and awesome shoulder strength have not gone unnoticed. Thank you so much for renewing my spirit.

Isaiah 35: 1 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. 2 Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God. 3 With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. 4 Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you."

Father God, renew those who have renewed me…make their spirits like new. Thank You so much for the perfect placement of each of these people in my life. You provide each individual for a specific purpose and I am in awe of how divine Your intervention truly is. In Christ's name, Amen.

Draw Me Close

2007-05-21T16:21:00.000-05:00

Draw Me Close (lyrics)

Kelly Carpenter

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I'm Your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else could take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find the way, bring me back to You

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know You are near

One of my favorite worship songs is Draw Me Close written by Kelly Carpenter (recorded by Michael W. Smith). The words are so intimate and passionate. What I love about singing this song is that you can't help but to fall in love with Jesus when you repeat these words: "You are my desire, no one else will do." Can you imagine how much God desires our affection...our deepest thoughts...our entire being? And, get this, he doesn't need interaction with us, he WANTS it. I love the fact that God wants to hear our desires...he already knows them, but yet he wants us to share with him, he wants us to talk to him like we yearn to talk to our earthly fathers.

I don't know anyone who doesn't ache to really have an intimate relationship with their mother and father. I know that I crave the love of my parents still to this day. I often like to think about how my heavenly father wraps his arms around me like my daddy use to when I was little. The comfort that I feel when I cry out to Jesus is like none I've ever known. There nothing on earth that compares to the touch of the Ultimate Healer.

Father God, draw me close to you, never let me go. I thank you for your mercy. I praise you for your unfailing love.

Psalms 148:
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created (NIV, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=148&version=31).