The devotional for today comes from Julia:
“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord,
and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’
is the One who has shone in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God
and not from ourselves;
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not despairing;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being delivered
over to death for Jesus’ sake,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Cor 4:5-11 (italics and bold mine).
Today I read these verses and was crying before I finished reading them. This is our job in a nutshell. We do what we do so that these boys can see the life of Jesus lived out in our bodies. And just like Jesus, our bodies experience pain so that life can come out of it. We are tired—make that exhausted. We are verbally abused by boys. There are spiders and scorpions around our children. We are achy. We have to cook dinner…AGAIN. They test our mental prowess daily. For administration, there are trials, as well. The paperwork never ends. There’s always something else to be done…. (You know what I mean.) I could go on and on.
But THEY SEE JESUS IN US, which makes it all worthwhile, even if it takes our dying every day. And praise the Lord, He gives us the power daily to somehow make it through each day. Hope this encourages you. Reading those verses was exactly what I needed today.
Josh and I love you all very much.
Julia
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
You sang your song ...
Today’s devotional comes from Jason:
I was lost when you found me here
I was broken beyond repair.
Then you came along
And you sang your song over me
(Second verse of "Born Again)
There she was, thinking that everything was going to be okay. She had done this countless times before. This wasn't the kind of life she had always wanted, or the kind of life that she wanted to have ten years from now. Every day she had said, "I'll stop tomorrow. Just this once more." All of the men had promised her the same thing. They had all said she was so beautiful, that they loved her, that she was important to them. Just then, the door flew open, and there were so many people. She thought she recognized some of the men from past encounters, but couldn't be sure. It was so loud, so scary. They just kept shouting at her, cursing her, and condemning her. Where was the man? Why were they just focusing on her sin? This was a question she couldn't answer, accept to say, she wasn't as important as he was. They placed her there practically naked in the middle of the temple courts, and the shouting just got louder and louder. Everyone was yelling at her, accept him.
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
What would he say? Surely he would just yell and curse her like the others.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
The woman stood there covering as much of herself as she possibly could, because surely the first stone would come at any time now, but instead she just heard silence and the sound of feet walking away. As she looked up she noticed the older men walking away. Then she saw the younger ones following. All she could think of was the fact that she was not alone. She realized they all were in the same shape she was in. They had sin and deserved the same punishment that she did. She stood there in the silence just looking at the feet of the man who had just saved her life.
"Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
No one sir, was all she could get out. She was free from their taunts. She was free to start over.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus said. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Is it really that simple? She feels so much love coming from this man. She feels so much friendship, so much forgiveness. She knew this was all happening and she wanted that fresh start.
This was the story from John 8. Some of the thoughts were just an idea of what might have happened. This woman was lost and broken beyond repair. She finally found what she was looking for. She found a man who took her as she was and didn't want to leave her that way. He wanted to show her what true love and fellowship was. She learned it that day.
Can you imagine standing there in the presence of Jesus feeling that love, looking at those eyes of forgiveness? I am sure that she felt like standing at the feet of Jesus from that point on. Some of us can feel how she was feeling. We feel like we have fallen and broken. We feel like we have nowhere to turn. We feel like no one truly understands us. The pain from our sinful way of life is almost too heavy a burden to bear. Jesus stands there looking at us in our sin and wants to sing that forgiveness song over us as well.
Are you ready to experience what the woman did? Are you ready to make the life change? He challenges us to go and leave our life of sin. The woman walked away clean, loved, forgiven, and born again. Do you truly want all of that as well? Are you prepared to start over and leave what you "used to do" in the past, and just follow your Savior? Just like the woman, the choice is ours from that point.
I am glad that God still wants to work in my life and fix what I break.
God's blessings on all us broken and lost.
Jason
I was lost when you found me here
I was broken beyond repair.
Then you came along
And you sang your song over me
(Second verse of "Born Again)
There she was, thinking that everything was going to be okay. She had done this countless times before. This wasn't the kind of life she had always wanted, or the kind of life that she wanted to have ten years from now. Every day she had said, "I'll stop tomorrow. Just this once more." All of the men had promised her the same thing. They had all said she was so beautiful, that they loved her, that she was important to them. Just then, the door flew open, and there were so many people. She thought she recognized some of the men from past encounters, but couldn't be sure. It was so loud, so scary. They just kept shouting at her, cursing her, and condemning her. Where was the man? Why were they just focusing on her sin? This was a question she couldn't answer, accept to say, she wasn't as important as he was. They placed her there practically naked in the middle of the temple courts, and the shouting just got louder and louder. Everyone was yelling at her, accept him.
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
What would he say? Surely he would just yell and curse her like the others.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
The woman stood there covering as much of herself as she possibly could, because surely the first stone would come at any time now, but instead she just heard silence and the sound of feet walking away. As she looked up she noticed the older men walking away. Then she saw the younger ones following. All she could think of was the fact that she was not alone. She realized they all were in the same shape she was in. They had sin and deserved the same punishment that she did. She stood there in the silence just looking at the feet of the man who had just saved her life.
"Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
No one sir, was all she could get out. She was free from their taunts. She was free to start over.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus said. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Is it really that simple? She feels so much love coming from this man. She feels so much friendship, so much forgiveness. She knew this was all happening and she wanted that fresh start.
This was the story from John 8. Some of the thoughts were just an idea of what might have happened. This woman was lost and broken beyond repair. She finally found what she was looking for. She found a man who took her as she was and didn't want to leave her that way. He wanted to show her what true love and fellowship was. She learned it that day.
Can you imagine standing there in the presence of Jesus feeling that love, looking at those eyes of forgiveness? I am sure that she felt like standing at the feet of Jesus from that point on. Some of us can feel how she was feeling. We feel like we have fallen and broken. We feel like we have nowhere to turn. We feel like no one truly understands us. The pain from our sinful way of life is almost too heavy a burden to bear. Jesus stands there looking at us in our sin and wants to sing that forgiveness song over us as well.
Are you ready to experience what the woman did? Are you ready to make the life change? He challenges us to go and leave our life of sin. The woman walked away clean, loved, forgiven, and born again. Do you truly want all of that as well? Are you prepared to start over and leave what you "used to do" in the past, and just follow your Savior? Just like the woman, the choice is ours from that point.
I am glad that God still wants to work in my life and fix what I break.
God's blessings on all us broken and lost.
Jason
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Defining moments ...
Today’s devotional is from the pen of Jason:
“Today I found myself
After searching all these years
the man that I saw
He wasn't at all who I thought he'd be”
(the first verse of “Born Again,” by Third Day)
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” Acts 9:1-9
We have all been given “born again” moments. What we do with these moments when they happen is what some would call our defining moment. It is who we are. It is who we will soon become. Saul had been living his life for his teachers, the high priest, maybe his parents, for himself, and maybe in his confused mind, for His God. This was how he had been taught his entire life. He was trying to be the best Jewish man he could. Was his lifestyle right? Obviously not, because he had to be blinded on a road to truly see the error of his ways.
We have all had these moments. Maybe yours was the day you became a Christian. The moments never stop coming though. We are all challenged daily with choices, some good and some bad. What we do with those moments will ultimately change the rest of our lives. Sometimes the choices are easy, but sometimes they are hard. Sin is a difficult moment to go through. We want to do the right thing, but so often we can’t find that strength to withstand. That is why we have friends to lean on, and if we open our eyes and sit still long enough we will see that God will carry us through. Some choices have to do with being a better spouse, or parent, or friend. Some choices are about how to do your best in ministry. When the time comes, what are we prepared to do? Will you choose to follow God, because you see where you are heading is not right? Will you choose to put time with family over times of laziness? Will you choose to put honesty and integrity over what may seem easier at the time?
When you look at your life and see changes that need to be made, will you choose to do whatever it takes or choose to stay the same? Saul had originally been heading into the city to arrest and possibly kill as a proud Jewish man. When his defining moment came, he was forced to humbly be led into the same city, blinded and not in control of anything. Sometimes we have to have this happen for God’s true plan to actually happen in our lives. Saul was forced to look very deeply at who he had become and with the help of God and Ananias, he saw the light, and chose to follow God no matter where it led. Are you ready to face your defining moment?
Blessings,
Jason
“Today I found myself
After searching all these years
the man that I saw
He wasn't at all who I thought he'd be”
(the first verse of “Born Again,” by Third Day)
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” Acts 9:1-9
We have all been given “born again” moments. What we do with these moments when they happen is what some would call our defining moment. It is who we are. It is who we will soon become. Saul had been living his life for his teachers, the high priest, maybe his parents, for himself, and maybe in his confused mind, for His God. This was how he had been taught his entire life. He was trying to be the best Jewish man he could. Was his lifestyle right? Obviously not, because he had to be blinded on a road to truly see the error of his ways.
We have all had these moments. Maybe yours was the day you became a Christian. The moments never stop coming though. We are all challenged daily with choices, some good and some bad. What we do with those moments will ultimately change the rest of our lives. Sometimes the choices are easy, but sometimes they are hard. Sin is a difficult moment to go through. We want to do the right thing, but so often we can’t find that strength to withstand. That is why we have friends to lean on, and if we open our eyes and sit still long enough we will see that God will carry us through. Some choices have to do with being a better spouse, or parent, or friend. Some choices are about how to do your best in ministry. When the time comes, what are we prepared to do? Will you choose to follow God, because you see where you are heading is not right? Will you choose to put time with family over times of laziness? Will you choose to put honesty and integrity over what may seem easier at the time?
When you look at your life and see changes that need to be made, will you choose to do whatever it takes or choose to stay the same? Saul had originally been heading into the city to arrest and possibly kill as a proud Jewish man. When his defining moment came, he was forced to humbly be led into the same city, blinded and not in control of anything. Sometimes we have to have this happen for God’s true plan to actually happen in our lives. Saul was forced to look very deeply at who he had become and with the help of God and Ananias, he saw the light, and chose to follow God no matter where it led. Are you ready to face your defining moment?
Blessings,
Jason
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I found myself ...
Today’s devotional is from Misty:
Over the past few weeks of stress and anxiety, God has blessed our family with this song. I pray that you and I can wake up every day feeling born again. Because truly, if we take hold of the gift of life and love that God has given us we truly can. I challenge you as much as I challenge myself to give yourself totally to God and allow his love to wash over every single part of your life. He is the only one who can repair the broken, He is the only one who knows who we are truly meant to be, we just have to allow Him to work. Keep this song in your mind and heart. Find it and listen to it.
Today I found myself
After searching all these years
the man that I saw
He wasn't at all who I thought he'd be
I was lost when you found me here
I was broken beyond repair.
Then you came along
And you sang your song over me
I feel like I'm born again
I feel like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
In my life
Make a promise to me now
Reassure my heart somehow
That the love that I feel
Is so much more real than anything
I've a feeling in my soul
And I pray that I'm not wrong
That the life I have now
Is is only the beginning
It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
It feels like I'm breathing
Feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
For the very first time
Wasn't lookin' for
Something that was more
than what I had yesterday
Then you came to me
and you gave me
A life and a love
that I've never known
that I've never felt before
It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
It feels like I'm breathing
Feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
I'm livin' for the first time
In my life
Blessings,
Misty
Over the past few weeks of stress and anxiety, God has blessed our family with this song. I pray that you and I can wake up every day feeling born again. Because truly, if we take hold of the gift of life and love that God has given us we truly can. I challenge you as much as I challenge myself to give yourself totally to God and allow his love to wash over every single part of your life. He is the only one who can repair the broken, He is the only one who knows who we are truly meant to be, we just have to allow Him to work. Keep this song in your mind and heart. Find it and listen to it.
Today I found myself
After searching all these years
the man that I saw
He wasn't at all who I thought he'd be
I was lost when you found me here
I was broken beyond repair.
Then you came along
And you sang your song over me
I feel like I'm born again
I feel like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
In my life
Make a promise to me now
Reassure my heart somehow
That the love that I feel
Is so much more real than anything
I've a feeling in my soul
And I pray that I'm not wrong
That the life I have now
Is is only the beginning
It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
It feels like I'm breathing
Feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
For the very first time
Wasn't lookin' for
Something that was more
than what I had yesterday
Then you came to me
and you gave me
A life and a love
that I've never known
that I've never felt before
It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
It feels like I'm breathing
Feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
I'm livin' for the first time
In my life
Blessings,
Misty
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Where survivors go ...
Shiann continues her devotional thoughts today:
“Rights are where survivors go so that they don’t have to work out relationships”
Here’s another one that really burned me the first time I read it. I expect it might be so for you. It is a strong temptation for me not to share my thoughts on this as I may then become accountable to the readers for living them. So let’s think about it together. First a question:
Did Jesus have the right to be mad at those who hurt Him?
Anger is a natural feeling. It is an understandable one. It is often one that is hard to resist. But, does anyone have the right to be angry? From the world’s perspective: Oh, yeah! From the view of one living wholly in the Kingdom: no.
I have said to another on more than one occasion that he/she had the right to be angry (or have any other feeling) because something happened that was awful. However, I was wrong about that. Anger is not necessarily wrong. Anger that is not wrong is not necessarily even righteous. And, it is not a right that you have. Anger, as well as other emotions, has the power to become a hiding place, a shield to keep one from dealing with the real issue.
God’s ultimate plan is for there to be healing and fullness. In that fullness is restored relationship. He does not require that we work out relationship every time we have been hurt.
Let’s look at what the Bible says about one of the most intimate of relationships. Here is a relatively lengthy reading from Matthew 19:30-8 in the Easy-to-Read version:
Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They tried to make him say something wrong. They asked him, ‘Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses?’
Jesus answered, ‘Surely you have read this in the Scriptures: When God made the world, ‘he made people male and female.’ And God said, ‘That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And the two people will become one. God has joined them together, son no one should separate them.’
The Pharisees asked, ‘Then why did Moses give a command allowing a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce?’
Jesus answered, ‘Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you refused to accept God’s teaching. But divorce was not allowed in the beginning.’
Divorce happens. Relationships fall apart and are sometimes willingly ripped apart. I am not stating any of this to be hurtful to people who this has affected. God’s intention from the very beginning was for restoration of relationships. A restored relationship, regardless of its format, shows the World the fullness of God’s plan. It was the reason we needed Jesus 2,000 years ago. It is the reason we need him now.
Blessings,
Shiann
“Rights are where survivors go so that they don’t have to work out relationships”
Here’s another one that really burned me the first time I read it. I expect it might be so for you. It is a strong temptation for me not to share my thoughts on this as I may then become accountable to the readers for living them. So let’s think about it together. First a question:
Did Jesus have the right to be mad at those who hurt Him?
Anger is a natural feeling. It is an understandable one. It is often one that is hard to resist. But, does anyone have the right to be angry? From the world’s perspective: Oh, yeah! From the view of one living wholly in the Kingdom: no.
I have said to another on more than one occasion that he/she had the right to be angry (or have any other feeling) because something happened that was awful. However, I was wrong about that. Anger is not necessarily wrong. Anger that is not wrong is not necessarily even righteous. And, it is not a right that you have. Anger, as well as other emotions, has the power to become a hiding place, a shield to keep one from dealing with the real issue.
God’s ultimate plan is for there to be healing and fullness. In that fullness is restored relationship. He does not require that we work out relationship every time we have been hurt.
Let’s look at what the Bible says about one of the most intimate of relationships. Here is a relatively lengthy reading from Matthew 19:30-8 in the Easy-to-Read version:
Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They tried to make him say something wrong. They asked him, ‘Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses?’
Jesus answered, ‘Surely you have read this in the Scriptures: When God made the world, ‘he made people male and female.’ And God said, ‘That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And the two people will become one. God has joined them together, son no one should separate them.’
The Pharisees asked, ‘Then why did Moses give a command allowing a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce?’
Jesus answered, ‘Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you refused to accept God’s teaching. But divorce was not allowed in the beginning.’
Divorce happens. Relationships fall apart and are sometimes willingly ripped apart. I am not stating any of this to be hurtful to people who this has affected. God’s intention from the very beginning was for restoration of relationships. A restored relationship, regardless of its format, shows the World the fullness of God’s plan. It was the reason we needed Jesus 2,000 years ago. It is the reason we need him now.
Blessings,
Shiann
Monday, August 17, 2009
Love leaves a mark ...
Today’s devotional is from Shiann:
Following are some thoughts based on some of my favorite quotes from the book The Shack. If you have not read this book, I will try not to spoil it for you. There is much depth and hope and paradigm shifting in the book. There was for me, anyway.
“Love always leaves a significant mark”
No matter what the content or context of the relationship, when love is in the midst of it, there is something that is different. Love leaves a holy mark on the lover and the loved. It simply is.
Luke 6:38 ERV “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
This scripture may seem an unusual fit. In its context, it is encouraging to give and not criticize. When we give love to others, there is some of that love that splashes out onto us. In some relationships, we are wet down from head to toe. In others, it is possibly only a few droplets that are felt to return. Sometimes the love returned from the individual is in a direct proportion to how much love is given and sometimes it is not so simply evident. There are some relationships within which we can love with all that we have and the well of the other continues to be dry. Yet, the love that comes from God can make up the difference.
With that knowledge, how can we possibly not allow ourselves to love and be love? Loving others is intuitive to the Christian spirit, though not always easy. Yet it seems we've lost the importance of the beauty of allowing others to love us. We frequently feel uncomfortable with both love from God and His children. The reasons for this vary as much as the colors in the sunset. However, may this no longer be so for me or for you.
Today I pray you will love and be loved. I pray you will accept the love being presented to you. God’s love awaits you with no strings; there are boundaries but no strings.
Blessings,
Shiann
Following are some thoughts based on some of my favorite quotes from the book The Shack. If you have not read this book, I will try not to spoil it for you. There is much depth and hope and paradigm shifting in the book. There was for me, anyway.
“Love always leaves a significant mark”
No matter what the content or context of the relationship, when love is in the midst of it, there is something that is different. Love leaves a holy mark on the lover and the loved. It simply is.
Luke 6:38 ERV “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
This scripture may seem an unusual fit. In its context, it is encouraging to give and not criticize. When we give love to others, there is some of that love that splashes out onto us. In some relationships, we are wet down from head to toe. In others, it is possibly only a few droplets that are felt to return. Sometimes the love returned from the individual is in a direct proportion to how much love is given and sometimes it is not so simply evident. There are some relationships within which we can love with all that we have and the well of the other continues to be dry. Yet, the love that comes from God can make up the difference.
With that knowledge, how can we possibly not allow ourselves to love and be love? Loving others is intuitive to the Christian spirit, though not always easy. Yet it seems we've lost the importance of the beauty of allowing others to love us. We frequently feel uncomfortable with both love from God and His children. The reasons for this vary as much as the colors in the sunset. However, may this no longer be so for me or for you.
Today I pray you will love and be loved. I pray you will accept the love being presented to you. God’s love awaits you with no strings; there are boundaries but no strings.
Blessings,
Shiann
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