Proverbs 3:3 Those who control their tongue will have a long life, a quick retort can ruin everything.
Sometimes I shoot my mouth off before I think, & sometimes a speak when I shoulda been quiet.
Anybody out there do the same thing?
And how do you manage a mouth that engages sometimes before your brain?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
we can think like Jesus
read this slowly & let it sink in
Romans 2:7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him."
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.
11 No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit.
12 And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
"Who can know the LORD's thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?"*
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
"we have the mind of Christ"
iow, we can think like Jesus thinks, if we plug in to the Holy Spirit.
wow
Romans 2:7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him."
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.
11 No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit.
12 And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
"Who can know the LORD's thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?"*
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
"we have the mind of Christ"
iow, we can think like Jesus thinks, if we plug in to the Holy Spirit.
wow
Thursday, July 29, 2010
who does the picking?
1 Corinthians 1:8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
Good to know as I turn 60 next month.
1 Corinthians 1:27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
It would make better sense to me to have called someone else besides me to be & do the things God's wanted & wants me to be & do.
I certainly wouldn't have picked me!
But He does. It still mystifies me.
As Lynn & I prepare to go as missionaries (
) to Blairsville, I have to hold on to the fact that God's the one who did the picking here. So if this is His idea, then He's the One in charge of making it happen.
Pastor John said something at staff meeting Tuesday that we often follow God's leading but feel we're the ones who have to "maintain" the thing He's called us to be & do.
If God calls us to something, big or small, HE'S the One provides the "maintenance", not us.
Someone remind me of this the next time I switch into "maintenance" mode.
Good to know as I turn 60 next month.
1 Corinthians 1:27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
It would make better sense to me to have called someone else besides me to be & do the things God's wanted & wants me to be & do.
I certainly wouldn't have picked me!
But He does. It still mystifies me.
As Lynn & I prepare to go as missionaries (
) to Blairsville, I have to hold on to the fact that God's the one who did the picking here. So if this is His idea, then He's the One in charge of making it happen.Pastor John said something at staff meeting Tuesday that we often follow God's leading but feel we're the ones who have to "maintain" the thing He's called us to be & do.
If God calls us to something, big or small, HE'S the One provides the "maintenance", not us.
Someone remind me of this the next time I switch into "maintenance" mode.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
overwhelming
Romans 16:25a God is able to make you strong...
Sometimes the things God calls us to be & do seem outside our skill set & beyond our power.
But God is able to make us strong enough to be & do all He dreamed us to be & do.
He's the powerhouse behind our efforts for Him.
As Lynn & I try to embrace His dream for us, it's good to know we're not the ones who have to "tote the load".
He's the One out there going ahead of us, preparing the way, as well as taking care of the consequences of our obedience behind us as we move from our now to our next.
I don't know what's going on in your life right now, but whatever it is, I know (because I'm experiencing it right now) that God is able to make you strong enough to face & walk through whatever is going on in your life.
Sometimes the things God calls us to be & do seem outside our skill set & beyond our power.
But God is able to make us strong enough to be & do all He dreamed us to be & do.
He's the powerhouse behind our efforts for Him.
As Lynn & I try to embrace His dream for us, it's good to know we're not the ones who have to "tote the load".
He's the One out there going ahead of us, preparing the way, as well as taking care of the consequences of our obedience behind us as we move from our now to our next.
I don't know what's going on in your life right now, but whatever it is, I know (because I'm experiencing it right now) that God is able to make you strong enough to face & walk through whatever is going on in your life.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
high stakes
Romans 15:19a I have won them over by the miracles done through me as signs from God - all by the power of God's Spirit.
Wikipedia says this about a miracle: "A miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention."
As I read this verse this morning, it seemed that God reminded me that all that has been especially the last 10+ years at Christ Chapel have not been because of me, but because of His Holy Spirit choosing to work through me.
But even more importantly, He seemed to remind me that all that will happen in the future for the good of His Kingdom & His children will be accomplished the same way - because of His Holy Spirit choosing to work through me.
My job?
Keep the vessel He chooses to use clean & unhampered, fit & ready to be used.
Proverb 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do."
I gotta guard my heart - the stakes are even higher now.
The devil is & will throw his best at me, push all the right buttons, & do everything to bring me down. I guess that could mean that he wants to disqualify, distract, &/or disintegrate me because He doesn't want what is gonna happen through me & around me to happen.
Hope that paragraph didn't sound as arrogant as it seemed to me.
Lynn & I are on the cusp of a new adventure with & for Him. Pray for us, will ya? The stakes as SO high!
Wikipedia says this about a miracle: "A miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention."
As I read this verse this morning, it seemed that God reminded me that all that has been especially the last 10+ years at Christ Chapel have not been because of me, but because of His Holy Spirit choosing to work through me.
But even more importantly, He seemed to remind me that all that will happen in the future for the good of His Kingdom & His children will be accomplished the same way - because of His Holy Spirit choosing to work through me.
My job?
Keep the vessel He chooses to use clean & unhampered, fit & ready to be used.
Proverb 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do."
I gotta guard my heart - the stakes are even higher now.
The devil is & will throw his best at me, push all the right buttons, & do everything to bring me down. I guess that could mean that he wants to disqualify, distract, &/or disintegrate me because He doesn't want what is gonna happen through me & around me to happen.
Hope that paragraph didn't sound as arrogant as it seemed to me.
Lynn & I are on the cusp of a new adventure with & for Him. Pray for us, will ya? The stakes as SO high!
Monday, July 26, 2010
2010 verses
It seems appropriate to restate the verses God's given me for 2010. It's interesting to look at what He gave me, what's happened since then, & where Lynn & I are in our lives right now as a result...
1 Thessalonians 5:18 No matter what happens, always be thankful; for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (Got this Wed., Dec 23, 2009)
Proverbs 3:5 (The Message)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
He's the One Who will keep you on track. (Got this Mon., Jan. 18)
Proverbs 4:25 Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil. (Got this Tues., Jan. 19)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
letting go
Romans 13: 14 Let the Lord Jesus take control of you.
And hold on for the adventure(s) of your life.
We don't let Him take control because we don't trust Him.
And we're selfish. We want what we want, & we want it NOW.
And we think we're smarter than Him about how our lives should be.
Well, He's more in control of my life than He's ever been.
Does He mess with me?
All the time!
Do I ever really "settle in"?
Nope.
Would I go back to being more in control of my life?
Nope!
We're soon gonna do what He whispered one day to me back in December, 2009 - "wouldn't it be kinda fun to pack everything up, go somewhere where you don't know anyone, & start all over?"
Won't it be painful to leave?
Yep - we've lived in middle GA for almost 30 years.
But it's gonna be REALLY interesting what He does next with us
Let the Lord Jesus take control of you.
I love my life ;-)
And hold on for the adventure(s) of your life.
We don't let Him take control because we don't trust Him.
And we're selfish. We want what we want, & we want it NOW.
And we think we're smarter than Him about how our lives should be.
Well, He's more in control of my life than He's ever been.
Does He mess with me?
All the time!
Do I ever really "settle in"?
Nope.
Would I go back to being more in control of my life?
Nope!
We're soon gonna do what He whispered one day to me back in December, 2009 - "wouldn't it be kinda fun to pack everything up, go somewhere where you don't know anyone, & start all over?"
Won't it be painful to leave?
Yep - we've lived in middle GA for almost 30 years.
But it's gonna be REALLY interesting what He does next with us
Let the Lord Jesus take control of you.
I love my life ;-)
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