The first prayer

Sometimes I wonder if we make knowing God too complicated.
In the end, doesn't it really boil down to what we learned at the beginning
-- in one of our first prayers:

"God is Great.

God is Good."

Because He is GREAT, He is able.   

Because He is GOOD, He is willing.

Maybe that is all
childlike faith

really ever
needs to know.

Good, Pleasing, Perfect

Romans 12:2 (NLT)  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

God's will is good.  God's will is pleasing to Him. God's will is perfect. For all His children, always. 

That means that what God desires for me isn't just good for me. It is also good for others. He won't call me to do something that isn't of benefit to others in His Kingdom. 

In Jesus Name

John 15:16  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 

I was teaching a Sunday School class of 80+ year old women. We were talking about what it means to pray in Jesus' name.  Mrs. R. told of the time after her husband passed away and she was trying to get her own credit card for buying gasoline. She was denied because as a home maker she had no work history. In other words, she had no credibility. But her son, a business man, was able to get her one in his name. He had the credibility and she could buy her gas using his name.

When I pray, I come to God on the merits of Christ's relationship and obedience to the Father.  He has the credibility and I may confidently approach God in Jesus' name.

Hidden Gems #1

Within the Scriptures are verses I like to call the 'hidden gems' -- profound truths that are not often preached on or quoted or memorized, but when discovered they have brought great treasure to my life.

Ponder these awhile:

Jonah 2:8,  New International Version:
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

Zechariah 4:10, New Living Translation:
"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..."

 Matthew 22:19, New Living Translation:
Jesus to the Pharisees:"...Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God..."


MORE "HIDDEN GEMS"    And be sure to share your hidden gems, too!

Weaving

Apart from Christ I can do nothing, but His power shows up in my weakest moments. God equips me to do everything He wants me to do. He does this through Christ who is at work in me both to want to and to do whatever serves Him best. Since it is really Him working through me, I can let my 'light shine' around others so they can see what I'm up to, but then together we can give all the glory to God.

Fathering moments

 Celebrating my Father's day

It was a Fathering moment
     when He gave a new, abundant life to me.
It was a Fathering moment
     when the Elder Brother was sent to set me free.

It was a Fathering moment
    when His discipline taught me truth.
It was a Fathering moment
    when His love replaced rebuke.

It was a Fathering moment
     when He embraced this wander-weary child.
It was a Fathering moment
     when He held me close and smiled.

Sacrificial Offerings

2 Sam 24:19-25 tells of the time when King David needed to build an alter to make a sacrifice to the Lord so He would stop a plague. Araunah offered to give David the building materials. David refused with this stunning reply, "I will not offer to my God that which cost me nothing."

I am reminded of the story a Ugandan Bishop related about his congregation being overwhelmed by the generosity of a sister church in America when they sent box-loads of supplies after a natural disaster in Uganda. But later when the Bishop visited the American church he noticed that everyone still had blankets and many clothes. He ended this story by saying, "Though we still appreciated the items, we recognized the donations where not provided in the spirit we had expected. For the providers did not give. They got rid of."

There is a time to 'get rid of' and share from my excess.  But I must not be deceived into thinking that that is an offering to God.

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My puny God

“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God..."  Deuteronomy 10:17 (NLT)

Forgive me, Lord, that today I lived parts of my day as though MY God is puny, impotent, and mundane. I have dishonored your glory by acting as though you are not able take care of the things on my mind or strengthen me for the challenges of my day.

Each time I worried -- every time I was afraid -- any time I became anxious -- in those moments I forgot that You, O God -- MY God -- are great, mighty, and awesome.

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Flourishing Faith

Sometimes in reading Scripture it is helpful to take a new look at a familiar word.  One I came across recently is the word "flourish".  A quick look in the dictionary confirms my impression:

1. to thrive; prosper

2. to be at the peak of condition
3. to be healthy

"Flourish" brings to my mind a picture of abundance, extravagance, lavishness. I think of a flourishing garden. A flourishing economy. A child flourishing under a kind and skilled teacher.

That quick review of the word prompts three questions for insights into this portion of 2 Thess 1:3 (NLT):     "...we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing ..."

• What does a flourishing faith look like? 
• Is my faith thriving, prospering, healthy, flourishing?
• What have been the situations in which my faith experienced a growth spurt and flourished? [Worth considering: Paul's comment here is aimed at those who are enduring through persecutions and hardships (see also James 1:2-4).]

I'd love to learn of your thoughts on these questions. Please put a note in the in the 'comments' portion below. (see how)
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Perfect Storm

The waves were pounding. The wind was whirling.
Jesus was there, walking on the sea, in the midst of it all.
He invited Peter to join him.
So Peter got out of the boat.
Onto the waves. Into the wind. 
The others stayed in the boat and watched.
But when they saw what happened,
they worshiped Jesus.

How more perfect can a storm be?


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