That Green-Eyed Monster Called Jealousy

How often do you feel that green-eyed monster of jealousy creeping into your day?  It’s so easy to get lost in thoughts that can make our jealousy dangerous.  So what does it mean to be jealous?  I went to the online dictionary* for the answer.

“Jealousy… denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves…. Jealousy also refers to anguish caused by fear of unfaithfulness.”

Let’s look at an example of jealousy in the Bible from 1 Samuel 18.  At this time, Saul is still king over Israel even though God has told him through Samuel that God had rejected him as king because Saul was disobedient to Him.  Now, it came about that young David killed the Philistine giant and was successful in the battles Saul sent him to.  After one particular battle, the women were singing joyfully while they met up with Saul.  They sang, “Saul has slayed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Sam 18:7b)  This made Saul very angry and it “galled” him.  “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” [9] And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.” 1
Sam 18:8b-9

Saul was jealous of David because he saw that the people favored David and he thought that David would take the kingdom from him.  The only thing is, the kingdom was no longer his because God had already taken it from him (1 Sam 15:23).  His jealousy started in his mind with a thought that eventually led him to fits of anger where he tried multiple times to kill David.  But David was anointed by God, and God wasn’t going to let His anointed be harmed.

So what do we learn from Saul’s jealousy?  He was trying to hold on to something that was no longer his.  Are you afraid that something or someone is
going to be taken from you?  Have you considered if it was really yours to begin with?  Everything we have is a gift from God.  If we understand that we are only stewards of what God has given to us, then we don’t have to be afraid that someone will take it away.  God won’t let anyone or anything be taken from us before it’s time.  Only God can take it away.  We need to be thankful for the things that God has given to us, but not hang on so tightly that we can’t let go when it’s God’s time to give it up.  It’s only when we let go of that person or that thing that’s not really ours anyway, that our hands are free to take hold of what God has been waiting to give us all along.

Now there’s another example of jealousy in the Bible that we can’t overlook, and that’s the jealousy of God.  Why would God be jealous?  Well, God’s jealousy is different than man’s jealousy.  God is not jealous of you or anyone else, He’s jealous for you.  You can see that from this verse in Exodus 34:14

“[14] Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”

God is only jealous when we put other people or things ahead of Him.  He doesn’t want His people to bow down to false gods.  He is the only true God who is worthy of our worship.  Of course, God wants us to love others, but He deserves to be our first love.  Do you find that you love your spouse or your children more than you love God?  Then they are an idol, and God is jealous for you.  Turn your eyes to Jesus and focus on the one and only God that is worthy of your worship.  Have a godly jealousy for God and your time with Him, and you will find that green-eyed monster of man’s jealousy is no longer raising its ugly head. 

~Lisa

*http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/envy

All Scripture references are from the New International Version.

@Copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc.

STEALER OF PEACE!

I was talking to Vanessa and she made the statement that all Satan wants to do is steal our peace. The episode we were talking about was a small argument that my husband and I had Friday night. As most arguments go, this argument was about nothing, but, we allowed the argument to happen.

Friday night was a long night and neither one of us slept very well because we both allowed Satan to steal our peace. I should have recognized this incident for what it was. I should have seen it coming, acknowledged it and then dismissed it as Satan's way of causing a rift. But, I didn't, I got defensive and made the argument worse.

Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that there is no truth in Satan and that he is the father of lies and again He tells us in John 10:10 “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The peace that you and I have comes from the Holy Spirit that is living within us, but when we allow ourselves to be manipulated we allow Satan who is the master manipulator to steal that peace from us. When I think of that word “manipulate” that immediately conjures up images of a puppet on a string. A puppet on a string can not act on its own, it moves at the whim of the puppeteer.

Because we have the Holy Spirit in us, we have the power through the Holy Spirit to tell Satan to take a hike. Satan is powerful, but not as powerful as the one living in us. As Christians we have the power to say to Satan "the Lord rebuke you!" As Christians we must always be alert to the subtle ways that he tries to manipulate us and tries to steal our peace. We must become proactive where Satan is concerned! We must always be on the lookout for his attacks and we must recognize those attacks for what they are...simply to steal our peace and to cause us to lose focus (even for a second) on Jesus Christ.

So, how did our little spat turn out? Well, I'm glad you asked! Fortunately, we both recognized the argument for what it was. Nothing! It was a waste of our time and a waste of a good nights' sleep. But, I did learn a lesson from this episode. I learned that Satan never gives up! Even when the lights are about to be turned off for the night, he's there and he's just waiting for an opportunity to steal, kill and destroy.

As Christians, we can’t let down our guard for an instant and we must learn from each other the tactics that Satan uses. He tries to tear husbands’ and wives’ apart through small, insignificant, stupid arguments. We can’t listen to his lies! We must learn to rely on the Holy Spirit who will help us to recognize the way Satan attacks us individually and as families. When we are defensive and see the attacks for what they are, we must then rely on the Holy Spirit’s power, the power that is within us, to rebuke Satan in the Lord’s name. Satan knows his time is running out and as much as he hates us, he hates Jesus even more! He knows that the cross defeated him and all he can do is make life miserable for us by stealing our peace, the peace that only comes from Jesus Christ.

I’m tired of being a puppet....how about you?

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” Psalms 29:11.

Cindy

Bible Verse taken from the New International Version
@copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc

Becoming a More Confident Pray-er

Do you want to become a more confident pray-er?  Praying is nothing more than talking to God, so why would I need to become more confident at praying anyway?  If you’re like many people, communicating with God doesn’t always seem so easy, especially when you’re new to prayer.  Praying alone is one thing, but do you feel equipped to pray in front of other people? 

Have no fear! Because once you become more comfortable talking with God when you’re alone with Him, then it will be much easier to pray in front of other people. Here are a few tips that have helped me on my journey to becoming a more confident pray-er:

First, show God that you want a relationship with Him where you can talk to Him and hear from Him by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  "The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous." Proverbs 15:29.  We are only made righteous through belief in Jesus Christ.  (Rom 3:22)  See our blog titled "New Life In Christ" from April 2nd, 2010 to understand how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

If you want to learn how to pray, it helps to be around Spirit-filled "pray-ers".  Just like children learn how to read by hearing others read to them, we can follow the example of those who are Spirit-filled prayer warriors.  The other day, I was at a prayer meeting and I realized just how much I learn by listening to those who were there praying.  I was reminded to expand my prayers to those outside of just my church family and even my community as we prayed for Christians around the world.  So find a prayer meeting at your church and bask in the peace that comes from praying with others in unity. 

God speaks your language, so you don’t need to speak in Old English or with many words.  It’s good to have a reverence for God, but you don’t have to include "Thee" and "Thou" in your conversations with Him.  God’s Word tells us not to talk just to talk (Matt 6:7).  Instead, talk to God like He’s your friend, because He is. 

Pray the word.  Find promises in God’s Word and pray them for yourself and for others.  There is power in praying God’s promises back to Him.  Also, God’s Word will not return empty, but will accomplish His purpose.  Is 55:10-11 – "[10]　As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11]　so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." The more of the Word that you know, the easier it is to hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance in prayer as He brings Scriptures back to your mind.

Don’t fear what other people think.  You don’t have to be perfect when you pray.  Give yourself a break!  Let those around you know that you’re working on praying out loud.  And acknowledge that some people have a way with words, and God doesn’t expect you to be like them.  Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayers.  He knows what you need to pray about.  And it’s ok if you need to pause in your prayers and take a second to collect your thoughts.  Prayers can make you feel vulnerable to those you are praying with, but know that God is looking at your heart, and your prayers are not about what other people think.  Prayers are about repenting from your sins so that God will hear you, praising God for who He is and what He’s going to do in your life and in the lives of those you’re praying for, thanking God for what He’s already done, and asking God for those things you and others need.

Pray without ceasing.  This means living a life of prayer, where God is at the forefront of your mind all day long.  It’s putting Him first when you wake up, putting Him last when your head hits your pillow, and remembering Him throughout your day as you seek His guidance in the way of life.

Listen for God to speak to you.  Prayer is communication.  If you only talked to those you have a relationship with, but never listened to them in return, you wouldn’t have a very good relationship.  God wants a personal relationship with you, and that means listening to the Holy Spirit throughout the day – it’s not just telling God what you need all the time.  Listening to God becomes easier with obedience.  When you know you’ve heard God and you are obedient to do what He’s told you, it’s easier to hear Him when He speaks to you the next time.  Much of the time, God speaks in a still, small voice.  As much as we’d like for God to hit us over the head with what He wants us to do, it takes time and attention towards Him to really begin to hear from Him.

This is not a complete list, but I hope you find these tips useful while you learn to communicate with God in a way that helps you as you become a more confident pray-er!

Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise You for being a God of grace.  You don’t condemn us for our prayers that don’t seem to measure up in the eyes of man, but You give us grace as we learn to walk and talk with You.  I ask that You would give me the determination and boldness to speak out prayers, knowing that the Holy Spirit is guiding me.  Help me to put you at the forefront of my mind so that I can seek Your guidance throughout the day.  And help me to listen to what You have to say to me every day.  I want a close, personal relationship with You, and I am so thankful that You hear my prayers.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.


~Lisa

All Scripture references are from the New International Version.
Copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc.

JUMPING FOR JOY!

We’ve all heard the term before. There have been times in my life that I have been happy and excited about something, but I don’t think that I have ever been so excited that I have jumped for joy. How about you? We all understand the excitement that this term conveys, but I’m not sure if I have ever been excited to that point.

I just finished reading a book* written by a preacher, this book is about his three year old son who “died” on the operating table while undergoing emergency surgery for a burst appendix. The parents were told by their small town doctor that the child was only suffering from flu symptoms. Only after the poison of the burst appendix seeped into the boys’ body and only when he was at death’s door was the correct diagnosis made. For several years after the surgery, the boy began to reveal things about the time that he died, went to heaven and returned.

Even though all of the accounts of heaven that the boy revealed to his father are backed up by scripture, there is a tendency to doubt. Why? Possibly, because it has never happened to us or maybe because science says people don’t die and come back? But, I didn’t dwell on whether this actually happened. What caught my attention is that the boy spoke about heaven with a child’s innocence. The one account that got me to thinking was when the boy told his father that Jesus was so excited when the father was obedient and said yes when Jesus asked him to become a preacher for Him.

It’s been several days since I have read the book, but the one thing that I keep thinking about and dwelling on is that Jesus was so excited when the father was obedient and said yes to what Jesus was asking him to do. That tells me that we do have a choice to be obedient and when we are obedient, Jesus is excited!

Over breakfast one morning, I was telling my husband about this book and I asked him “if we knew that Jesus was excited about our choice to be obedient, wouldn’t we want to make sure that we are always obedient?” He said “yes, but if we knew, that would take away the faith factor.” My response was “who needs faith? If it makes Jesus happy, why wouldn’t we always want to be obedient, why do we need faith if we know that it makes Jesus happy? Who knows, maybe, Jesus even jumps for joy!”

And Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:3-4 (NIV)

The above verse is usually interpreted as giving up our pride and accepting through faith that Jesus Christ did die for us. Since reading this book, I’ve been trying to see Jesus and God through a child’s eyes. God is my Father and just like any parent He wants me to approach Him as a child, His child. Jeremiah 29:12 tells us that when we pray to God that He will listen to us. What parent does not want their child to talk to them and what parent does not listen to their children? We can tell Him our problems but Matthew 6:8 tells us that He already knows our problems even before we ask. We can ask for material things, but Luke 11:11-13 tells us that like any father, God already knows our needs and He will always take care of them. Since we are assured that our problems and our needs will be taken care of, the only thing left for us to do is to seek a personal relationship by crawling up onto the lap of God and having a conversation with Him. The only way to do that is to become like a child seeking the comfort of a parent. When was the last time that you actually sought out God just to have a conversation with Him?

This week, I challenge you to seek God and His precious Son Jesus, not through the knowledge of an adult, but with the innocence of a child. I challenge you to be observant with childlike wonder at the many blessings in your life and in the surrounding creation that God has so graciously given to you to enjoy. I challenge you to be obedient and say yes to whatever it is that Jesus is asking you to do....I challenge you to make Jesus jump for joy!

Cindy

*Heaven is Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo
Bible Verse taken from the New International Version
@copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc

Is That All There Is?

As I sit at home during my kid’s Spring Break and my vacation from work, it made me wonder about what so many people think is the purpose of life.  Is life meant for “working for the weekend”?  Do I work hard so that I can take a vacation, so that I can work hard, so that I can take the next vacation?  Am I working toward retirement, so I can stop working and do whatever I want?  And then what’s next…I die?  Is that all there is to life?  Well, I used to think this way!  I was always working for the next vacation!  Thinking this way is enough to make anyone depressed!  God has so much more in store for us!

Can you imagine fulfilling God’s purpose through your life?  God’s purpose is not for us to work in order to play for a few days, so that we can work in order to play for a few more days.  His purpose is also not that we will satisfy our own desires.  But His purpose is for man to work and to rest.  God tells us in Genesis 2:15,

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (emphasis mine)

God does have a plan for each of us, and His plan is for us to work!  Now I believe that God’s plan for us is something that we’ll enjoy, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy.  Work is work!  But it will be a job that you will find satisfaction in.  When the day is done, you know you’re doing what God has called you to do, and there’s satisfaction in that.  Are you working in a job that you hate?  Maybe you should spend some time asking God what He desires for you to do.  What is the desire of His heart for you? 

God’s purpose for you is not only that you work doing what He has designed you for, but also that you take time to rest.  In the Old Testament (Exodus 31:12-17), God made a covenant with Israel that they should observe the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was the first day of the week and it was a time for the Israelites to rest from their work, but it was also a time to draw closer to God.  That’s the same opportunity we have when we take a break – whether the break is a 5 minute break or a 5 day vacation.  We can plan time during our time off to draw closer to God so that we can know Him more.

In Mark 2:27-28, Jesus tells us, “…The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

The day of rest was made for man, man wasn’t made for the day of rest.  How was it made for man?  It was made for man to draw closer to God.  It wasn’t meant as a day to satisfy our own desires.  Isn’t that what we tend to do on our days off?  Our distorted view of “rest” is to run around from 8am until midnight until we’re totally exhausted!  Have you ever gone on a vacation and needed a day of vacation afterwards just to recuperate?  That’s not rest!  The Sabbath is more than just rest – it is resting in the arms of a God who loves you and wants to reveal Himself to you.  It’s very beneficial for us to take time to rest.  We know our bodies need rest from physical labor, and our minds need rest from the stresses of the day.  Perhaps we can rest best when we are connecting with God.  Jesus said He is the Lord of the Sabbath, and He will give you rest.  He also says, 

“[28]Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  [29]Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Matt 11:28-29

Now that’s a purpose and a promise that I can live with!


Dear Heavenly Father,
You have a purpose for me through my work and my rest.  I ask that You would make known to me what work You would have me do that would glorify You the most.  And when I’m resting from my work, I ask that You would show Yourself to me in a special way as I draw closer to You.  Thank You, Lord, that You give rest for weary souls.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.


~Lisa


All Scripture references are from the New International Version.
@Copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc.

DESTINATION: HELL

Recently, my husband and I were watching a movie and the main characters who were age twenty something were in a helicopter that was about to crash. One of the characters said “Oh God, I’ve been good!” Immediately, I thought “sorry, wrong answer!” Actually, this is the 2nd movie in the same amount of months that I’ve seen where the main character thought that living a good life would get him or her to heaven.

The Bible clearly states: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” John 3:16-18.

Churches today don’t preach about hell as a literal place. When a person dies, their body is buried, but their soul immediately goes to heaven or to hell. I read a book* many years ago that drove this fact home to me and it literally scared me to the point that I did not want to see anyone die unsaved. In this book when a saved person died, a band of angels immediately came to that soul and escorted it into the presence of Jesus Christ. The person that had not accepted Christ as his or her Savior was rudely greeted by a screaming horde of demons that came and snatched the soul straight into hell. In both cases, the soul never lost consciousness and knew exactly what was going on. The soul going to heaven to meet Jesus was totally at peace and the soul being dragged to hell was terrified!

When I was growing up, it was not uncommon to hear a sermon about hell as an eternal physical, place of torment. When I got back into church in early 2000, I asked the pastor of the church we were attending why he didn’t preach about hell. He stated to me “because, I don’t want to scare people into being saved.” At the time, I thought that was a good idea, but now, I am thinking “why not?” Wouldn’t it be better to hear a sermon now than to stand before God on judgment day and hear him say “...'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matt 7:23.

Many people today also believe that when you die, you die. That’s it, zip, nada, nothing! The Bible clearly states that the spirit never dies (Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:5) and because it never dies, it never loses consciousness. When a Christian dies, the body dies and turns back to dust, but, the spirit immediately goes into heaven to be with Christ. Then when Christ returns at the Rapture, that body will be resurrected and reunited with the spirit. When a person dies without Christ, his or her body is buried and turns to dust, but the spirit is alive. It is conscious and it is aware of the torment of hell. The unsaved person will be reunited with his or her body at the Great White Throne of Judgment where he or she will answer to God and receive their final, eternal judgment. “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Rev 20:11-15 (NIV)

If you are reading this and you haven’t accepted Christ as your Savior, I urge you to read our blog titled New Life in Christ, dated April 2, 2010. Hell was not created for humans (Matthew 25:41). All of us have a choice. To accept Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross....or accept the consequences. "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’” Matt 25:41.

I don’t write this to scare anyone. I write this for the Christian to wake up and realize that time is short and that there is much work to do. I write this for the unsaved person to wake up and realize that life is short and the choice you make today has an eternal consequence.

Since our souls are immortal, we will never die and we will spend eternity somewhere. You and you alone, control your own destination.

Cindy

*The Angelwalk Trilogy by Roger Elwood
Bible Verse taken from the New International Version
@copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc

A Lifetime of Learning

In one of my summers during college, I took a history class while I also worked.  I remember when I was finished with the class thinking, “How does anyone ever have a full-time job and learn in college courses at the same time?  It’s just so hard!”  Then when I finished college, I thought, “I’m so glad I’m finished learning stuff.  I don’t ever want to go through that again!”  Then I remember the epiphany I had later on in life when I realized that I will never stop learning.  What I’ve come to realize now is that when you stop learning, you stop living.  I know that as long as I’m in God’s Word every day, I’ll continue to live and learn…or maybe that should be, learn and live!

If we look at some instructions that the king of Israel was to follow in order to have a long reign over his kingdom, I think we’ll find some insight into learning for life.

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.[19] It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees [20] and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left.  Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Isreal.”  Deut 17:18-20

Notice that the king is supposed to write “for himself” a copy of the law, taken from a scroll of the priests.  Can you imagine how much more thoroughly you would learn God’s Word if you wrote down each word?  This is motivating me to
start writing out God’s word so I can meditate on it in a new way.  Sometimes when we read the Bible we gloss over so much!  Writing out God’s Word makes you think about it.  There’s something about seeing the words written and writing them out yourself that helps make a connection to the words you’re looking at.

Then notice that the king’s copy of the law was supposed to be “with him”.  In this day, it’s so easy to carry God’s Word with you.  I used to keep my extra Bible in my car, but now, I have copies of the Bible on my computer and even free copies on my smart phone!  We can take God’s word with us where ever we go!  If you have a laptop, an ipad, or a smart phone, you have no excuse not to have God’s Word available to you at just about all times.

Finally, the king was to read God’s Word “all the days of his life”.  He was to do this so that he would revere God, follow His laws, and stay humble by not considering himself better than his brothers.  If he did this, God promised that he and his descendants would reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. As mentioned previously, we have instant access to God’s Word, allowing us to read it day and night, as commanded in the book of Joshua (Joshua 1:8).  But it takes discipline, and dying to what you “feel like” doing at the moment instead of doing what you know will bring life in the long run.

Now, we may not be kings or queens, but we can apply these truths to our own lives.  Not only can we write down God’s Word in order to remember it and meditate on it, but we can carry His Word with us anywhere we go.  And we can read in God’s Word all the days of our lives.  When we do these things our family and friends will see our commitment and our love for God and decide they want what we have.  They will desire to reign with Christ in His heavenly kingdom as we are doing right here on earth!  They’ll see us learning and living.

So remember, as you continue to stay in God’s Word and understand more and more who He is, pass on what you’ve learned to others.  Learning is contagious when you’re excited about it!  We all need to learn new things to keep on living a vibrant and long life in Christ!  With God and His endless personality, we will never run out of things to learn about Him through His Word.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Your Word is life to me.  I ask that You would continue to increase my desire to be in Your Word more and more.  I want to know You better as I am in Your Word.  Help me to learn to meditate on Your Word for myself and not to rely on others to feed me spiritually.  As I read and learn through Your Word, I ask that You would show me how to live it out each day.  In Jesus Name I pray.  Amen.

~Lisa

All Scripture references are from the New International Version.

@Copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc.

THE RACE IS ON!

My mom used to tell me when I was growing up, that when you lose someone close to you heaven becomes just that much more real to you. Fortunately, the Lord has not yet called anyone home that is really close to me, but I have lost aunts/uncles and cousins that I know were saved. Because I know that they are in heaven then yes, heaven does seem a little closer to me now than it did when I was a child.

I’ve often wondered over the years whether our loved ones actually know what we are doing here on earth. I especially like the way The Message interprets Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1 and 2 “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. 2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.” Now that makes me nervous, when it is put this way that "pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on?” That makes me feel very inadequate. Honestly, the way you and I should look at this is that we have our own trails to blaze. We have that same Spirit living within us that these pioneers had. We have the Holy Spirit living within us and He gives us the strength to blaze our own trails for our Christian faith! They are watching us and they are cheering us on! Now how intimidating can that be? But, we can’t think of it as intimidating because they are cheering us on, they are on our side and we must run our own race by keeping our eyes focused on Jesus Christ! He is the perfector of our faith! He is the one who began and finished the race that you and I are now in.

Our opponent in this race is not flesh and blood! Satan is alive and well and the race we are running is for the souls of the lost people in this world. We are not running this race for our own glory, we are running for the glory and honor of Jesus. The pioneers that have gone before us understand that and that is why they are cheering us on. Verse 1 continues “....Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” How can we run a race when we are carrying spiritual fat and parasitic sins? We need to shed the excess spiritual fat that we’ve been carrying around for years by reading and studying the Word and not by relying on things that we have heard. We must be Bereans (those who searched the word for themselves to see if what Paul said to them was the truth - Acts 17:11) where the Word of God is concerned. We need to let go of our parasitic sins, the sins that we are aware of, sins that we continue to allow to hang on are parasitic and they feed off of us. These are sins that we know are there and they don’t surprise us when they show up.

Don’t you think that it is time that we get in the race? You have paths to blaze for Jesus! You know what you are called to do and you know that God has equipped you for this job! You know that you are being cheered on toward the finish line and you know that when the race is finally won that you will be rewarded for a job well done! We can each throw off our parasitic sins (if we want to) by reading and studying the Word, by turning to our fellow Christians and allowing them to help us overcome these sins that are sucking us dry. It’s time to shed the excess and it is now time for us to run full speed ahead! We can’t lose, Jesus is on our side and all of those who went on before us are cheering us to victory!

Father God,
We need your help Lord! Jesus is the perfector of our faith and He taught us how to run our race and overcome the world. By studying how He ran the race, we can stay focused on the finish line. Help us Lord to throw off our spiritual excess and parasitic sins that are holding us back from realizing our full potential in Christ. I pray Lord that you put a hunger and burning desire into everyone reading this to study Your Word and to connect with a church where their brothers and sisters in Christ can help them reach their full potential. Your children need to realize that we are not racing against flesh and blood and that the race we are in has eternal consequences.

Cindy

@copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc

Peace Like A River

I grew up camping on the river every summer.  One of my favorite memories is floating on the river in the calmness of the day as the sun beat down, warming not only my body but my attitude as well.  With my eyes closed, I could hear the sound of nature—birds chirping, water flowing, and trees moving in the breeze. There’s just something about it that gives you a peace like you’ve never known. 

God tells us that we can have peace, if we listen, learn, and then do.

“…I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.  If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”  Isaiah 48:17-18

God teaches us in different ways.  We are all individuals, and He knows exactly what it’s going to take to get us to learn.  Sometimes our hearts are ready to receive His instruction and guidance or even His discipline, and all He has to do is nudge us.  Sometimes we’re a little more hard-headed and He’s got to bring learning through trials or affliction.  But either way, it is always for our best interest.  God knows what is best for you.  When you’re in a trial that’s been going on for a long time, have you ever asked God what it is that He’s trying to teach you through that trial?  Maybe He’s just waiting for you to “get it”.  Many times, our trials stick around because of the attitude of our hearts, not because of what someone else is doing.  Remember, God knows what’s best for you.

God directs you in the way you should go.  When you’re on a river, you can try paddling upstream, but you will only wear yourself out.  Have you been paddling upstream with God?  Is God asking you to do something or go somewhere, and you keep telling Him, “No”?  You won’t have peace when you’re paddling upstream against God. 

When you’re on a river, it will guide you where you go.  Ask God for guidance and go where the Spirit leads.  A river can be very still, but it can also have raging rapids, where you must hold on for your life!  But even through those rapids, you can have peace knowing that God will take you through, just as you can have peace in the rapids of your own life because God is your source.

In order to truly have peace, you must be obedient to God.  He says in the scripture above, “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river…”  Paying attention to God’s commands means being obedient!  If God tells you to lean left or paddle to the right, you’d better do it, or you may come upon a very big rock in your path.  You see, God knows what’s up ahead even when you don’t.  Your eyes are down at water level and you see only what is right before you, but God sees the big picture.  He knows where there are rocks, rapids and even water falls.  When we listen to Him, He tells us what to avoid, and we have peace knowing that He is in control of our lives.

Jesus tells us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

It’s very easy to see rapids ahead and to be afraid.  But when you have the peace of Jesus, it’s like you just know that all will be well, that He will take care of you.  That doesn’t mean that everything will always be easy.  But you can have the peace of Jesus, knowing that you don’t have to be afraid, because He is with you, and He loves you!  What more do we need to have peace in our lives?—Only Jesus! 

If you’d like more information on what it means to follow Jesus, check out our blog titled, “New Life in Christ” from April 2, 2010.

~Lisa


All Scripture references are from the New International Version.
@Copyright 2011 LVC Ministries, Inc.