by Sharon O | Jan 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience…” Colossians 1:10-11 (NIV)
How do we live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way?
There are things we can do to encourage this process. Like a timed release capsule God’s love pours into us. Just as we would be faithful to take our ‘morning vitamin’, for it is good. Why are we not so faithful to partake in a daily dose of Gods word?
Our vitamin adds to our life. We become stronger, healthier and more able to fight off whatever would make us sick. How is that different from the word?
The word is a slow releasing of nourishment for a soul desperate for health. It becomes our dose of life that we can’t live without. We become strengthened, renewed, and more empowered.
We choose to be life giving, so why would we not partake in what would make that life better? We choose what is important to us. Is the word important?
We grow so we can endure. Life has a way of making us tired. Every day routines can remove our energy.
We partake in the word so we can become stronger and bear fruit in every good work.
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Galatians 5:22
I believe we cannot bear this fruit on our own. We fail in our efforts. We grow in the knowledge of God by partaking of his word. (definition of partaking: to have something of the nature or character) By the discipline of reading and partaking of the word, our nature and character becomes more like HIS. He empowers us. He strengthens us. By the Holy Spirit we become whole.
My challenge for the day is this. What kind of vitamin is important to you? What kind of supplement do you partake in, to empower you on this journey? Can we encourage each other to live a life worthy of the Lord, so we may please Him.
“Since we are living by the spirit, let us follow the spirits leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25
by Sharon O | Jan 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)
As I read this verse today I was moved to remember the various situations where this applied in my life.
The Lord convicted me? I am not sure. What I am sure of, is our words are like gifts to those who listen. We can build someone up with what we say. Affirming them for their goodness, their faithfulness, their kindness. Or we can criticise them, with unkind ways to hurt their heart. I often find myself saying ‘life is too short for this nonsense’ and really that is a Truth.
Life is indeed too short for offenses to ruin relationships.
God takes our offenses and erases them, forgives them.
“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22
another version says it like this: “I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”
We can be free from unkind ways. It is our choice.
As the verse says… those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Do we want them to be positive, encouraging and life giving? Or do want the consequences to hurt someone and kill their spirit.
I challenge us today, to think. To stop. To ask ourselves as we share with others. Is this positive? Is this good? Is this true? is there any benefit for them to hear this or know this?
We all need to challenge each other to be kind, gentle and compassionate.
Does this mean every morning, every day we must evaluate our heart and test our motives? I challenge us to think on these thoughts.
Lord, continue to show us ways we can grow deeper in relationships with you and with others. Help us to be wise.
by Sharon O | Jan 25, 2010 | Uncategorized
Rest for your soul.
As he was teaching, Jesus said, “unless you come to me as a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven”.
We know he did not mean ‘be born again’ by your mother. That’s impossible.
He meant, come to me…with ‘Freedom of heart’… Freedom from rules…Freedom from fear, with a child like spirit, spontaneous…with joy and excitement.
Come to me with innocence and a desire to learn.
Have you ever seen a child so joyful and so excited; they could not contain the feelings within them?
You say to them ‘calm down’ and they know they can’t. It is so exciting, and so wonderful.
They are in the moment. They share the joy with you not caring, who is watching or listening.
Jesus says to us, “come to me as a child”.
Who would not run to their Father especially if he was a safe person?
He wants freedom for us. He wants us to rush into His arms.
As a child who needs a protector. As a child who SO misses his or her daddy.
“Abba Father I have missed you. Please hold me as I rest in your arms.”
Would you run towards a God who is pleading for you to come, or would you run away?
I guess it would depend on your experience with your earthly father.
We know the days have been hard and the fatigue is surrounding us.
Jesus says, “come to me everyone; who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”.
He is not talking about sleep for a weary body. He is talking about rest for your soul.
Rest for a heart ravaged by life.
Rest for a soul so beaten down by adult responsibilities and duties.
Rest for a soul that is tired.
“Come to me. I can give you the rest you need. I am able to fill your heart with so much. Your needs will be met.”
Is your heart longing for the God who loves you?
I pray you will soon find.
Rest for your soul.
by Sharon O | Jan 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
The other day our son asked his almost 6 year old son a question as he was making lunch for them. He said “son would you like a whole sandwich?” the reply came quickly “no thanks I just want two halves”. Our son shared that he had to think about it for a minute. Being a parent is challenging enough, but when we get those kind of ‘answers’ it is good to stop and think. Take a moment and breathe.
They were saying the same thing only in different ways. It reminded me of the verse found in 1st Corinthians in the new testament of the Bible.
1 Corinthians 13:11 : When I was a child I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up I put away childhood things (some versions say childish ways).
They were saying the same thing.
Only maturity would know the difference.
How often do we do that? We say the same thing as someone else only in a different way. Our way becomes our truth or maybe our reality. My grandson wanted two halves. Two halves made a whole. He didn’t ask for a whole he asked for two. The same end result. Just different perspectives and thought processes. Life is like that, a challenge of perspectives and opinions. To be open and flexible is a gift we can give to others. My son handled the two halves in a mature, reasonable way and lunch was shared. (of course taking the experience in as another humorous moment in their lives).
Our willingness to see and experience another persons point of view helps us to grow in maturity.
Lord in our journey this week help us to be open to all that you allow us to be a part of. Give us wisdom to know how to not make a big deal out of something. When it really ends up with the same result.
And Lord… thank you for little boys.
by Sharon O | Jan 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
I woke up this morning feeling tired. It’s Saturday. A day to rest for me. Most weekdays require me to be up and moving… by 6 am. I was thinking about my little grand daughter. The three little girls spent the day with grandma. I had given them a snack in the afternoon. This time it was hard boiled eggs. They like ‘eggs they can hold’. She is almost 6 and very opinionated as they are at that age. So sure of themselves. I said to her ‘you know protein is really a good snack, it makes you have energy and helps you to feel good’. She looked at me as she was eating her hard boiled egg and said ‘we don’t eat protein at our house’… I said ‘OH’ looking a bit surprised wondering to myself, what is your egg? She said again firmly with a look in her eyes only she can give, ‘we don’t eat PROTEIN’… mommy doesn’t like it. I had to stop and think… well… she is very adamant about something she really is unsure of… being only 6 she might not know eggs are considered protein. My thought today is this… What are we really adamant about and why?? How firm is our feeling about it and how grounded are we in the truth. She was firm… in her thought, but the truth wasn’t alongside her firmness. Her reality was being adamant about something she didn’t know about. She will in time learn what protein is in the food groups, it wasn’t my job to tell her anything different. It was my job to let her come to her own awareness. And enjoy the moment with her. I love being a grandma I will get a lot of ideas from them. I challenge you and me today to examine ourselves. What are we adamant about and why? The Webster’s definition of adamant is : utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings etc. Something to think about today.
