About (specific portions of) the Bible and what it says to us today.
Grab a mirror. No, seriously, do it. Look into that mirror. Who do you see? Who do others see? Who
does God see? There is a meme that floats around on facebook from time to time. It says something
along the lines of “nothing you do goes unseen.” Let’s think about that. Nothing you do is done
without God seeing it.
In Luke chapter 13: 10-13, we read about a woman who had been bent over by a spirit for 18 years. As I was reading, I was trying to imagine this woman’s circumstance…having only the ground and the dirt as her view. How horrible her walk through life must have been. Then I realized that this has been me so many times in my life. I have allowed satan to have free reign over my mind causing me to drop my head in shame or from a sense of unworthiness. Believing the lies of satan and coming into agreement with him, will only give us a hopeless view of ourselves and our lives. Why do we believe his lies? Why do we choose to give him so much power over us?
Silence….it is a wonderful thing when we are sleeping, reading or thinking…but when we are in the midst of a trial, silence from God isn’t what we want at all! We want to hear Him loudly and we want to hear Him quickly! Sometimes, most times, that just isn’t the way God operates. When we are going through a test it may be because God desires to have an encounter with us! It won’t be until we completely surrender to Him with our faith and obedience that the silence will be lifted and His voice will be heard.
BUSY! That word defined means “having a great deal to do” or “to keep occupied”. Just for a moment take a closer look at some of the synonyms: involved, absorbed, engrossed, immersed, preoccupied, distracted, diverted, concern; and on the list goes. This word BUSY is indicative of someone who is so wrapped up in an activity that they are given over to it. Busyness has captivated and consumed them to the point they may be missing something of even greater importance! Today’s lifestyle is fast-paced, hurried, and chaotic. The demands on our time and schedule are great. There is so much competing for our attention that priorities can often and easily become misaligned. Busyness can be evidenced all around us and in us. Busyness is a thief and a robber of our time, while cleverly disguising itself as productivity.
“I have nothing to wear!” are always my words when I have someplace to go. My clothes are stuffed in my closet, mind you, but I have not one thing to put on! Feel me? You’ve been there too and probably uttered these very words this morning!
“You can’t win them all.” Ever hear that? I have, and I hate it. Not only do I want to do it all, but I want to do it all perfectly. So is there a reason God gives us limitations?
“Do you consider yourself a bold woman of God? Are you a risk taker? Women wear a lot of hats inside and outside of the home-it is easy to get bogged down with the everyday rush. Take a moment today and think about what happened today. Did you live your life based on God’s Will? Did you carry yourself in a manner that is infectious to others?” Live a bold life for God, and all the other things will fall into place.”
One of the most important things the enemy is after in our lives is our true identity as daughters of the King. In Matthew 3 we find Jesus coming to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. After the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus the voice of His Father said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” God made it very apparent that
Jesus was His Son in whom He took great delight in. This statement from God the Father also established Jesus’ true identity that every teaching, miracle, and ministry would later flow out of.
If you are like me, you probably enjoy reading or looking at magazines. This is especially true if they feature home decorating ideas, recipes, and perhaps a do-it-yourself project or two. I just love trying out the little tips on organization, making the most of small spaces, setting a holiday table, baking braided bread, or how to make a shabby-chick silverware caddy from an old sewing machine drawer; and the pictures, oh, don’t you just love the perfect pictures?
“Our plates tend to get full quickly because we are trying to please everyone. We need to remember our own needs and the needs of the ones that are close to us. Sometimes we strive to fulfill the needs of others and overlook our own. Learning to say “No”, actually isn’t the end of the world.”