Thursday, March 29, 2007
Well....I've FINALLY updated!
I am posting quite a few posts today. I hope you enjoy them. A good friend challenged me to post some recent devotions I have written, so they follow, and will continue in the weeks to come. Through her gentle reminder, I am challenged to "let my light shine before men", therefore, I declare, I will not hide my light under a bushel, I will let it breakforth like the dawn!
What are your wages??
The scripture I want to share today is found in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As the boys and I were doing our devotions this morning, we read out of Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind for Teens" book. This morning's chapter was entitled: "I'm not a very good person, so I don't deserve God's blessings." The above scripture verse was woven throughout the chapter in the most interesting way.
During our devotions, the boys and I talked about wages. What are wages? Some answers we discussed were, "something you earn", "something that is yours as a payment for your work". How would you describe wages?
Now apply your description to the scripture verse, "For the WAGES of sin is death". Again, going back to the discussion with my boys contributed the following thoughts: "We've earned death". "Our sin has earned us deathly wages." This is true, BUT, THANK GOD that the verse doesn't end there.
"But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Free is free!! The boys and I then discussed this thought. Think about being someplace where they are giving something away. Let's say you were in a group of about 100 people. They had 5 paintball guns to give away and they asked who in the crowd would like a free gun. How would you respond?? Would you sit quietly and silently hope they picked you. Heck no!! You would jump up and down with your hand in the air and yell, "Pick me, Pick me!" I want it, it's free!!
God wants to bless us! Sure, we don't deserve this, but the beauty in God's forgiveness is that it allows us to respond with, "I know I don't deserve Your blessings Lord, but I ACCEPT them anyway!" If blessings could be earned, they wouldn't be blessings!
As the boys and I were doing our devotions this morning, we read out of Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind for Teens" book. This morning's chapter was entitled: "I'm not a very good person, so I don't deserve God's blessings." The above scripture verse was woven throughout the chapter in the most interesting way.
During our devotions, the boys and I talked about wages. What are wages? Some answers we discussed were, "something you earn", "something that is yours as a payment for your work". How would you describe wages?
Now apply your description to the scripture verse, "For the WAGES of sin is death". Again, going back to the discussion with my boys contributed the following thoughts: "We've earned death". "Our sin has earned us deathly wages." This is true, BUT, THANK GOD that the verse doesn't end there.
"But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Free is free!! The boys and I then discussed this thought. Think about being someplace where they are giving something away. Let's say you were in a group of about 100 people. They had 5 paintball guns to give away and they asked who in the crowd would like a free gun. How would you respond?? Would you sit quietly and silently hope they picked you. Heck no!! You would jump up and down with your hand in the air and yell, "Pick me, Pick me!" I want it, it's free!!
God wants to bless us! Sure, we don't deserve this, but the beauty in God's forgiveness is that it allows us to respond with, "I know I don't deserve Your blessings Lord, but I ACCEPT them anyway!" If blessings could be earned, they wouldn't be blessings!
Spring cleaning
Spring time is a time when I typically get into "spring cleaning". I get eager wanting to get our home ready for a different season. I'm ready for change; warmer weather; different clothing; out with the old and in with the new! It is during this time that I am gently reminded to allow GOD to do some spring cleaning in my own life. There are areas in all of us that need a little dusting off and a little cleaning out. Please agree with me that this year, we would allow the Lord to work in us and through us, to burn away chaff and direct our steps.
This morning I was reflecting on a teaching I recently heard. The Pastor spoke about his son and how his hair was extremely kinky. The son desperately wanted his hair straightened. So, the father sat the son down in a chair, rubbed this 'crème' on his head, and told the boy to wait. After a while, the father noticed beads of sweat upon his son's brow. The son asked, "Dad, is this suppose to burn?". The father smiled and said, "Son, the longer you stay in the process, the straighter you will be!"
Oh, the process!! Sometimes, the process is painful. Sometimes, the process is hot. BUT, what I do know is, as long as the process is ordained by the Lord, it's worth it!
This morning I was reflecting on a teaching I recently heard. The Pastor spoke about his son and how his hair was extremely kinky. The son desperately wanted his hair straightened. So, the father sat the son down in a chair, rubbed this 'crème' on his head, and told the boy to wait. After a while, the father noticed beads of sweat upon his son's brow. The son asked, "Dad, is this suppose to burn?". The father smiled and said, "Son, the longer you stay in the process, the straighter you will be!"
Oh, the process!! Sometimes, the process is painful. Sometimes, the process is hot. BUT, what I do know is, as long as the process is ordained by the Lord, it's worth it!
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