Colossians 2:6-7 "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
Take the week and ponder as well as share with one another how you are rooted in Him. The bible passage also notes that we are to walk in Him as we have been taught. As a parent, it is my job to make sure my children have the foundation they need to continue to build their relationship with Christ when they leave the home. This is a great opportunity to show the kids how you are rooted in Christ!
Cheryl
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Talking to me?
I am going to go out on a limb here and claim that many people are not comfortable saying that "God talks to them". I can hear the "insults" already...Bible thumper, Jesus freak, weirdo, gone over the edge, crazy, and the list goes on. Due to the "insults" this topic seems to bring about a quietness in people and credit is not given where credit is due.
Let me explain. The Lord is indeed talking to us. In John 8:47 it states, "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." Then in John 10:27 it says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." This leaves us with one of two things. Either we are not hearing God or we are not giving God the credit for what He has shared with us because we keep quiet that God talks to us.
Karon Phillips Goodman states the conundrum quite well in her book, "You're Late Again, Lord!" (1984) She states, "I couldn't hear anything over my own demands. I didn't have time to belong to God - I wanted Him to belong to me." (pg.19) One of the reasons we are not hearing God is because we don't want to hear what He is asking of us, we want it our way.
Building a relationship with Christ is more than an hour a week in a pew. Building a relationship with Christ is spending time in His word and sharing with Him our joys, agonies, worries, thanks, and whatever it is on our hearts. Being in His word and conversing with Him opens our hearts to hearing Him and following His lead.
I keep a prayer journal, which is a way of keeping me focused when I pray. I write everything out. It also gives me the ability to go back and see how God has answered my prayers. The other day, I was pouring my heart and soul out to God; pleading with Him for a clear answer and path that I was to take. Then at the most unexpected moment He shared His answer with me.
You see, I was asked at the last moment to go to the movies with some ladies. I am not one that does too many things on the spur of the moment. I like life planned out. However, there was no reason not to go to the movies and to spend time with amazing Christian ladies would be good. So off to the movies I went. I was watching the movie and about half way through, God relayed to me my answer that I had pleaded for just the day before. In fact, the last half of the movie was time spent conversing with God and Him sharing with me what it is He is asking of me.
Yes, I know God is talking to me because I hear him! Don't be afraid to share that God is leading your life! He has amazing plans that go beyond our wildest expectations! Be a bible thumper, Jesus freak, weirdo for Him! You never know how he will use you to reach other people.
BTW - Ladies, the book by Karon Phillips Goodman is a great one to have in your resource pile. It is one to pull out and reread, highlight, ponder, etc. It is no longer in print but you can find used copies on amazon.com.
Thank you to the ladies who invited me and didn't know God was using them to speak to me!
Cheryl
Let me explain. The Lord is indeed talking to us. In John 8:47 it states, "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." Then in John 10:27 it says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." This leaves us with one of two things. Either we are not hearing God or we are not giving God the credit for what He has shared with us because we keep quiet that God talks to us.
Karon Phillips Goodman states the conundrum quite well in her book, "You're Late Again, Lord!" (1984) She states, "I couldn't hear anything over my own demands. I didn't have time to belong to God - I wanted Him to belong to me." (pg.19) One of the reasons we are not hearing God is because we don't want to hear what He is asking of us, we want it our way.
Building a relationship with Christ is more than an hour a week in a pew. Building a relationship with Christ is spending time in His word and sharing with Him our joys, agonies, worries, thanks, and whatever it is on our hearts. Being in His word and conversing with Him opens our hearts to hearing Him and following His lead.
I keep a prayer journal, which is a way of keeping me focused when I pray. I write everything out. It also gives me the ability to go back and see how God has answered my prayers. The other day, I was pouring my heart and soul out to God; pleading with Him for a clear answer and path that I was to take. Then at the most unexpected moment He shared His answer with me.
You see, I was asked at the last moment to go to the movies with some ladies. I am not one that does too many things on the spur of the moment. I like life planned out. However, there was no reason not to go to the movies and to spend time with amazing Christian ladies would be good. So off to the movies I went. I was watching the movie and about half way through, God relayed to me my answer that I had pleaded for just the day before. In fact, the last half of the movie was time spent conversing with God and Him sharing with me what it is He is asking of me.
Yes, I know God is talking to me because I hear him! Don't be afraid to share that God is leading your life! He has amazing plans that go beyond our wildest expectations! Be a bible thumper, Jesus freak, weirdo for Him! You never know how he will use you to reach other people.
BTW - Ladies, the book by Karon Phillips Goodman is a great one to have in your resource pile. It is one to pull out and reread, highlight, ponder, etc. It is no longer in print but you can find used copies on amazon.com.
Thank you to the ladies who invited me and didn't know God was using them to speak to me!
Cheryl
Monday, August 15, 2011
Bible Passage for the Week
This week we will take a look at Jeremiah 16:7-8 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
A great passage to post around the house and remember when things are tough. We will bear fruit even in a drought when we plant ourselves by the stream; the stream being our Savior. A stream that continuously feeds and waters us. Share this week how the Lord has taken care of you despite all the things that are going on in the world.
Cheryl
A great passage to post around the house and remember when things are tough. We will bear fruit even in a drought when we plant ourselves by the stream; the stream being our Savior. A stream that continuously feeds and waters us. Share this week how the Lord has taken care of you despite all the things that are going on in the world.
Cheryl
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Giving to Others
The Lord has blessed my husband and I with three beautiful children that have amazing giving hearts. They are truly concerned about other peoples' feelings and needs. They hurt when other people hurt. They laugh when other people laugh. They jump in and help when someone needs help. However, as the kids get older I am noticing there is an internal struggle within them. Society says the world is all about them. Mom and dad say the world doesn't revolve around them.
As a parent, I don't want my kids to lose that willingness to help others. I want them to continue to see the needs of others and have that drive to give to others. One way to foster that growth is to pray for others. While reading the "Homelife" magazine there was a little box that said "Family Challenge". "Adopt" a family for a week and pray for them. Pray for their specific needs or pray for general needs. This opens the door for the kids to see there are other people in the world that are in need; even if that need is just rest and relaxation.
To take it a step farther, after you have spent the week praying for them "give" to them. Send them a card to let them you know they were covered in prayer for a week. If the kids are old enough have the kids write the card. You could bake them cookies if they live close by. No matter what "giving" you do it means a whole lot when you find out someone has been praying for you.
Not only are you "giving" of yourself, you are "showing" others Jesus' great love!
Cheryl
As a parent, I don't want my kids to lose that willingness to help others. I want them to continue to see the needs of others and have that drive to give to others. One way to foster that growth is to pray for others. While reading the "Homelife" magazine there was a little box that said "Family Challenge". "Adopt" a family for a week and pray for them. Pray for their specific needs or pray for general needs. This opens the door for the kids to see there are other people in the world that are in need; even if that need is just rest and relaxation.
To take it a step farther, after you have spent the week praying for them "give" to them. Send them a card to let them you know they were covered in prayer for a week. If the kids are old enough have the kids write the card. You could bake them cookies if they live close by. No matter what "giving" you do it means a whole lot when you find out someone has been praying for you.
Not only are you "giving" of yourself, you are "showing" others Jesus' great love!
Cheryl
Monday, August 8, 2011
Bible Passage for the Week
One of my favorite bible passages since I was a kid was Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice."
Take moments this week to rejoice in the Lord! Share with your family, friends, neighbors, facebook friends, why you are rejoicing in the Lord! The media wants to share the bad or negative - Let us share the good we have through Him!
Cheryl
Take moments this week to rejoice in the Lord! Share with your family, friends, neighbors, facebook friends, why you are rejoicing in the Lord! The media wants to share the bad or negative - Let us share the good we have through Him!
Cheryl
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Laughter Being a Part of Your Day
I'm sure most of us have heard "laughter is good medicine". Just think about when you laugh. It brings a smile to your face. It lifts your spirit. It puts a bright spot in your day.
Laughter is good medicine because God prescribed it. Proverbs 17:22 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 15:13 "A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed" Just think about when we don't laugh. We are drained. We have a dim outlook on life. We simply don't care anymore or as God puts it our bones are dried up.
While exercising the other morning in a hotel exercise facility the news was the "entertainment" for those of us walking miles and going no where. The guy on the treadmill next to me said "Is there ever anything good on the news?" It made me stop and think, we are a doom and gloom society. The "bad" stuff makes the news not the joyous stuff.
Therefore, we need to be diligent in taking a moment in life each day to laugh. Share that laughter with a spouse, friend, children, neighbor or simply laugh because you have a memory that brings happiness. My vision of laughter is my grandma. She laughs all the time. In fact, just thinking about it makes me laugh. Life was not easy for her, but she always found the joy in life and still finds that joy today. What a blessing she has given to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Laugh - God prescribed it! Share it - God asks us to share!
Cheryl
Laughter is good medicine because God prescribed it. Proverbs 17:22 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 15:13 "A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed" Just think about when we don't laugh. We are drained. We have a dim outlook on life. We simply don't care anymore or as God puts it our bones are dried up.
While exercising the other morning in a hotel exercise facility the news was the "entertainment" for those of us walking miles and going no where. The guy on the treadmill next to me said "Is there ever anything good on the news?" It made me stop and think, we are a doom and gloom society. The "bad" stuff makes the news not the joyous stuff.
Therefore, we need to be diligent in taking a moment in life each day to laugh. Share that laughter with a spouse, friend, children, neighbor or simply laugh because you have a memory that brings happiness. My vision of laughter is my grandma. She laughs all the time. In fact, just thinking about it makes me laugh. Life was not easy for her, but she always found the joy in life and still finds that joy today. What a blessing she has given to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Laugh - God prescribed it! Share it - God asks us to share!
Cheryl
Monday, August 1, 2011
Bible Passage for the Week
This week take a look at 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
A passage to remind us that all of our troubles are taken care of by our Lord Jesus Christ and in that we are able to pay the comfort forward. We can share the comfort Christ has given us with others who are hurting.
Take moments to look around you and see who needs to hear the words of comfort from our Lord. It is also an opportunity to pray for others.
Cheryl
A passage to remind us that all of our troubles are taken care of by our Lord Jesus Christ and in that we are able to pay the comfort forward. We can share the comfort Christ has given us with others who are hurting.
Take moments to look around you and see who needs to hear the words of comfort from our Lord. It is also an opportunity to pray for others.
Cheryl
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)