"If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?"
Have you ever wanted to run faster then horses? Fly like the wind? Soar like the eagles? Feel the wind beating into your face, stealing your breath? Feel the exhilaration pumping through your body?
Look at the obvious context of this verse. If you want to race against horses, then you need to beat men first. Because if you can't last against a man, then you will go down against a horse.
Spiritually speaking, racing against "men" in this life will weary you if you do it in your own strength. All the "horses" the enemy throws at you will destroy you.
Either way, it would take something supernatural to run and not grow weary.
Paul told us to run the race set before us.
There will always be a race set before us that we need to run. And if we don't want to pass out from exhaustion, then we need God's strength (God in us). We need the Holy Spirit training (Scripture to back us up). We need some awesome running shoes (Application/We need to use His strength, and Scripture!)
I want to race against horses. I want to beat them, too. How about you?
---Joy
Saturday, June 29, 2013
"Stand Therefore"
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, ... Ephesians 6:13
There is a thought here at the beginning of this passage of scripture about the armor of God that I think often gets overlooked. After all the armor is pretty cool. Belts, helmets, breastplates, shoes, shields, and swords. Personally I think that it is just as important as any one of the pieces of armor.
He tells us to take up the whole armor of God so that we will be able to withstand because all those elements... truth, righteousness, salvation, faith, gospel of peace, and the sword are what equips us in the fight. Then he goes on to use these words, 'Having done all to stand. Stand therefore' and this is the thought that I would like to talk about today, Standing. I think its important because this is where the choosing takes place and this is what makes the whole armor of God effective in our lives.
He used these words, 'Having done all to stand. Stand therefore' and the word that stands out here is the word all. Having done ALL to stand. Stand therefore,' meaning when you've already been doing all you know to do to stand and to fight. Stand some more.' There is a choice here that takes place to stand, to not give up, or to be overcome. The choice to stand and to keep on standing no matter what. You've taken some hits, Stand! You don't know what else to do? Stand! That choice to stand is what makes our weapons of warfare possible.
We choose the gift of salvation. We choose to stand in truth. We choose to stand in righteousness. We choose to stand for the gospel of Christ. We choose to stand in faith. We choose to stand on the Word of God. We choose to stand and then stand some more. We choose to stand and to stay in the fight.
When I was reading this verse I remembered a scene in the first Rocky movie that I watched years ago. There was a scene at the end where he was all beat up. He was all swollen, bruised, bloody, and exhausted. There was a moment when he chose not to stay down. He decided he would do the impossible and go the distance. He stood there and would take the hit, go down and jump right back up, take another hit and get back up and he kept on till the hits had very little effect at all. My point here is, there was a moment when in his heart he made the choice, the determination to stand, to make it to the end. At the end of the fight the other guy was declared the winner but nobody really noticed that. Everybody treated Rocky like he was the winner because he went the distance when no one thought it was possible.
Point being... Victory is in going the distance! The choosing to stand and to stay in the fight!
There is a thought here at the beginning of this passage of scripture about the armor of God that I think often gets overlooked. After all the armor is pretty cool. Belts, helmets, breastplates, shoes, shields, and swords. Personally I think that it is just as important as any one of the pieces of armor.
He tells us to take up the whole armor of God so that we will be able to withstand because all those elements... truth, righteousness, salvation, faith, gospel of peace, and the sword are what equips us in the fight. Then he goes on to use these words, 'Having done all to stand. Stand therefore' and this is the thought that I would like to talk about today, Standing. I think its important because this is where the choosing takes place and this is what makes the whole armor of God effective in our lives.
He used these words, 'Having done all to stand. Stand therefore' and the word that stands out here is the word all. Having done ALL to stand. Stand therefore,' meaning when you've already been doing all you know to do to stand and to fight. Stand some more.' There is a choice here that takes place to stand, to not give up, or to be overcome. The choice to stand and to keep on standing no matter what. You've taken some hits, Stand! You don't know what else to do? Stand! That choice to stand is what makes our weapons of warfare possible.
We choose the gift of salvation. We choose to stand in truth. We choose to stand in righteousness. We choose to stand for the gospel of Christ. We choose to stand in faith. We choose to stand on the Word of God. We choose to stand and then stand some more. We choose to stand and to stay in the fight.
When I was reading this verse I remembered a scene in the first Rocky movie that I watched years ago. There was a scene at the end where he was all beat up. He was all swollen, bruised, bloody, and exhausted. There was a moment when he chose not to stay down. He decided he would do the impossible and go the distance. He stood there and would take the hit, go down and jump right back up, take another hit and get back up and he kept on till the hits had very little effect at all. My point here is, there was a moment when in his heart he made the choice, the determination to stand, to make it to the end. At the end of the fight the other guy was declared the winner but nobody really noticed that. Everybody treated Rocky like he was the winner because he went the distance when no one thought it was possible.
Point being... Victory is in going the distance! The choosing to stand and to stay in the fight!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Vows to the Most High
"Perform your vows to the Most High." Psalm 50:14b
Jesus is often referred to as The Bridegroom, and the church is referred to as the Bride of Christ.
The proposal: Jesus proposed to us when He sacrificed Himself for us on the cross. When we are saved, we are saying, "Yes!" to Him.
And there is our first vow to God.
We are vowing to love, honor, and cherish God forever. We are vowing to stand before everyone and proclaim our love for Him. We are vowing to spend the rest of forever with Him.
These vows should not be taken lightly! We meant these vows when we said them. Then the "wedding planning" began. We see how much preparation, detail, resources, and personal time go into planning a wedding to the Most High. We know we will need to change some of our rotten habits for The Bridegroom.
This is enough to make some believers completely turn away from The Bridegroom. They never perform their vows to God.
But what about you?
We have each made the same vow to God. And we all know we love Him. A man and a woman in love don't let the challenges of planning a wedding stop them. They press forward! And so it should be with our Heavenly Bridegroom!
Press forward! Perform your vows!
---Joy
(What can I say? Wedding analogies are a good reflection of us and God. And they are all just so apparent to me right now :D )
Jesus is often referred to as The Bridegroom, and the church is referred to as the Bride of Christ.
The proposal: Jesus proposed to us when He sacrificed Himself for us on the cross. When we are saved, we are saying, "Yes!" to Him.
And there is our first vow to God.
We are vowing to love, honor, and cherish God forever. We are vowing to stand before everyone and proclaim our love for Him. We are vowing to spend the rest of forever with Him.
These vows should not be taken lightly! We meant these vows when we said them. Then the "wedding planning" began. We see how much preparation, detail, resources, and personal time go into planning a wedding to the Most High. We know we will need to change some of our rotten habits for The Bridegroom.
This is enough to make some believers completely turn away from The Bridegroom. They never perform their vows to God.
But what about you?
We have each made the same vow to God. And we all know we love Him. A man and a woman in love don't let the challenges of planning a wedding stop them. They press forward! And so it should be with our Heavenly Bridegroom!
Press forward! Perform your vows!
---Joy
(What can I say? Wedding analogies are a good reflection of us and God. And they are all just so apparent to me right now :D )
Thursday, June 27, 2013
"Brave And Heroic"
I remember when, what feels like a 100 years ago, I was filling out my application to attend Bible College and it came to a part where there was an essay question. To be honest I don't really remember what the exact question was. It must have been something along the lines of, "Why do you want to attend Bible College?" I remember my response, and it may sound ridiculous to you, but my response was, "Zorro." My explanation was all about how as a child I loved Zorro. He was my hero. I loved how He stood up for the downtrodden against injustice in impossible times. He always prevailed against evil because he was skilled with his sword. I remember using sticks and sword playing with my brothers and sisters in the backyard pretending to be Zorro. I explained that now that I was grown up and saved I had a new hero, and that it was my desire to be trained and to become skilled with a different kind of sword, ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17 So anyways, I was accepted and here I am 26 years later about to use Zorro to once again illustrate what is in my heart.
I say all that not to even focus on any of that, but to give you a little background for the message I would like to share with you today. For that part of my life Zorro was my hero. Not Batman, not Superman, not Spiderman, etc. who all, like Zorro, battled evil, stood for good, and defended those that needed help. So why Zorro? We'll come back to the answer to that question in a just a bit.
I was reading in Daniel and asking Him what I should share today when He pulled out this verse. "I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you." Daniel 5:14 As you read the book of Daniel you see these words or words similar to them in numerous places to describe Daniel. His reputation was one of 'having an excellent spirit.' Read the book and you'll see it all throughout, but nowhere do you get the feeling that Daniel was full of himself or that he thought any more highly of himself, even though three different kings saw it and promoted him to positions of power. You don't get the impression that Daniel thought that he was anything more that your average guy doing his best to faithfully serve his God.Throughout the book you don't see a man that is using his positions of authority to lord it over anyone instead you see his humble attitude in all his encounters. Throughout his life others saw in him 'a greatness' that he didn't really see in himself.
So, as I was contemplating this verse in Daniel He reminded me about "Zorro." See, those early years when I picked Zorro as my hero it was because I could relate to him. Zorro wore a mask in order to be effective in his fight for justice and the people close to him, his family didn't even know that he was Zorro. By all outward outward appearances they thought he was weak and a coward, when in reality there was this other part of him that was brave and heroic. As a child I wanted to be that. Brave and heroic. Someone who would stand for what was right and good. I was quiet and shy, a tomboy, from a family without a lot of money, in a small town. Nothing special. Your basic insignificant nobody from nowhere special.
When I was nineteen, shortly after Jesus became my one true hero a new youth pastor came to our church. For some reason, after talking to me a couple of times he and his wife asked me to 'help' them with the youth ministry. Remember even as a child I had this secret desire to 'make a difference' so I agreed even though I didn't know how much, if any, help I would be. A few years later when I was running the Jr high program as well as helping with the high school he told me He was glad that he had asked me instead of listening to the advice of others. He told me that a number of people in the church had advised him not to ask me. They had told him I was, "too quiet, too shy, and I would never be able to do it."I asked him why he hadn't listened to them. His response was simple. He said that when he had talked with me he "saw" potential in me and decided to risk it. He said, "That he saw something in me." Thank God for those that have "spiritual eyes' to see what the world cannot!
When I went to Bible college I took a course were I had to do my first student teaching. It was supposed to be only 2 - 5 min. Something short on a topic of our own choosing. I picked, 'Taking the Lord's Name In Vain.' Don't forget, really shy, quiet, took 0's in school rather then do oral reports. So I'm really scared, nervous, basically terrified to do my first teaching. I get up there, got it all out and ended with, "I'm done. I have to sit. I'm going to pass out." I grab the first chair I can get to and put my head between my legs hoping I don't faint. Meanwhile, silence. Not a sound anywhere in the room. In my head, you know, the one that is down between my knees I'm beating myself up for blowing it! I didn't even rate the polite clapping everyone else got. The instructor hadn't come up front yet. After everyone else she had come to the front added a couple of comments and introduced the next one. She hadn't moved. I picked my head up she came forward and the clapping began. She said I was getting an A and thanked me for the anointed message.
So the point of today's personal ramblings? After all it is so not like me to share such personal details, especially with perfect strangers, from all over the world. Is it to lift myself up? Definitely not! I just told you that my first attempt at using the "sword of the Spirit" ended with my head between my knees. I told you all this because I know, because I know, because I KNOW, that there is someone out there right now reading this that needs to hear... That God sees you. He knows the real you. The you that is down inside. He sees your gifts, and your calling. He has a hope and a future in store for you.He doesn't look at you the same way that the world does! Outward appearance isn't how He measures a man. He knows you. He loves you. He'll make a way for you. He will even help you to be brave and heroic despite your fears and weaknesses! I'm still an insignificant shy nobody, but I now also know I am brave and heroic when I surrender my fears and insecurities to be used for His glory. Trust Him. He sees beyond your potential to the real, deep down you!
As a youth Daniel was first know as a 'captive from Judah'. After honoring God he was known for having 'light and understanding and excellent wisdom.' Don't let the world's definition define who you are. Go after Gods!
I say all that not to even focus on any of that, but to give you a little background for the message I would like to share with you today. For that part of my life Zorro was my hero. Not Batman, not Superman, not Spiderman, etc. who all, like Zorro, battled evil, stood for good, and defended those that needed help. So why Zorro? We'll come back to the answer to that question in a just a bit.
I was reading in Daniel and asking Him what I should share today when He pulled out this verse. "I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you." Daniel 5:14 As you read the book of Daniel you see these words or words similar to them in numerous places to describe Daniel. His reputation was one of 'having an excellent spirit.' Read the book and you'll see it all throughout, but nowhere do you get the feeling that Daniel was full of himself or that he thought any more highly of himself, even though three different kings saw it and promoted him to positions of power. You don't get the impression that Daniel thought that he was anything more that your average guy doing his best to faithfully serve his God.Throughout the book you don't see a man that is using his positions of authority to lord it over anyone instead you see his humble attitude in all his encounters. Throughout his life others saw in him 'a greatness' that he didn't really see in himself.
So, as I was contemplating this verse in Daniel He reminded me about "Zorro." See, those early years when I picked Zorro as my hero it was because I could relate to him. Zorro wore a mask in order to be effective in his fight for justice and the people close to him, his family didn't even know that he was Zorro. By all outward outward appearances they thought he was weak and a coward, when in reality there was this other part of him that was brave and heroic. As a child I wanted to be that. Brave and heroic. Someone who would stand for what was right and good. I was quiet and shy, a tomboy, from a family without a lot of money, in a small town. Nothing special. Your basic insignificant nobody from nowhere special.
When I was nineteen, shortly after Jesus became my one true hero a new youth pastor came to our church. For some reason, after talking to me a couple of times he and his wife asked me to 'help' them with the youth ministry. Remember even as a child I had this secret desire to 'make a difference' so I agreed even though I didn't know how much, if any, help I would be. A few years later when I was running the Jr high program as well as helping with the high school he told me He was glad that he had asked me instead of listening to the advice of others. He told me that a number of people in the church had advised him not to ask me. They had told him I was, "too quiet, too shy, and I would never be able to do it."I asked him why he hadn't listened to them. His response was simple. He said that when he had talked with me he "saw" potential in me and decided to risk it. He said, "That he saw something in me." Thank God for those that have "spiritual eyes' to see what the world cannot!
When I went to Bible college I took a course were I had to do my first student teaching. It was supposed to be only 2 - 5 min. Something short on a topic of our own choosing. I picked, 'Taking the Lord's Name In Vain.' Don't forget, really shy, quiet, took 0's in school rather then do oral reports. So I'm really scared, nervous, basically terrified to do my first teaching. I get up there, got it all out and ended with, "I'm done. I have to sit. I'm going to pass out." I grab the first chair I can get to and put my head between my legs hoping I don't faint. Meanwhile, silence. Not a sound anywhere in the room. In my head, you know, the one that is down between my knees I'm beating myself up for blowing it! I didn't even rate the polite clapping everyone else got. The instructor hadn't come up front yet. After everyone else she had come to the front added a couple of comments and introduced the next one. She hadn't moved. I picked my head up she came forward and the clapping began. She said I was getting an A and thanked me for the anointed message.
So the point of today's personal ramblings? After all it is so not like me to share such personal details, especially with perfect strangers, from all over the world. Is it to lift myself up? Definitely not! I just told you that my first attempt at using the "sword of the Spirit" ended with my head between my knees. I told you all this because I know, because I know, because I KNOW, that there is someone out there right now reading this that needs to hear... That God sees you. He knows the real you. The you that is down inside. He sees your gifts, and your calling. He has a hope and a future in store for you.He doesn't look at you the same way that the world does! Outward appearance isn't how He measures a man. He knows you. He loves you. He'll make a way for you. He will even help you to be brave and heroic despite your fears and weaknesses! I'm still an insignificant shy nobody, but I now also know I am brave and heroic when I surrender my fears and insecurities to be used for His glory. Trust Him. He sees beyond your potential to the real, deep down you!
As a youth Daniel was first know as a 'captive from Judah'. After honoring God he was known for having 'light and understanding and excellent wisdom.' Don't let the world's definition define who you are. Go after Gods!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Rainbows
"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all the flesh. and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."" Genesis 9:12-16
The rainbow was never seen until after the flood, and it came to mean that the earth would never be destroyed with a flood.
The rainbow has come to mean a lot more to me. When I see a rainbow, it's not just a, "Thanks God for not flooding the whole earth again." It has become a beacon that God is not going to flood my life. That no matter what good or bad thing that is happening to me, God is not going to let me drown. You know when people say that God will never give you more then you can handle? To me, the rainbow is the physical expression behind that statement.
God loves us. He cares for us. And the rainbow can be viewed as another way of reminding us.
It makes life so much easier when you remember that God cares for you. When you remember how He cares for the little birds, and realize, how much more does He care for you?
"Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Psalm 139:10
God has us. He cares for us. He holds us in His hands. Remember that.
---Joy
The rainbow was never seen until after the flood, and it came to mean that the earth would never be destroyed with a flood.
The rainbow has come to mean a lot more to me. When I see a rainbow, it's not just a, "Thanks God for not flooding the whole earth again." It has become a beacon that God is not going to flood my life. That no matter what good or bad thing that is happening to me, God is not going to let me drown. You know when people say that God will never give you more then you can handle? To me, the rainbow is the physical expression behind that statement.
God loves us. He cares for us. And the rainbow can be viewed as another way of reminding us.
It makes life so much easier when you remember that God cares for you. When you remember how He cares for the little birds, and realize, how much more does He care for you?
"Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Psalm 139:10
God has us. He cares for us. He holds us in His hands. Remember that.
---Joy
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
So Here We Are: "His Last Words"
"These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the
Beginning of the creation of God: "I know your works, that they are
neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then,
because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out
of my mouth.
Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - "I counsel you to buy gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:14-22
His last last words are up next: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Church its time, its time to hear! Its time to hear that He is speaking and He wants us to know That its Him! Church its time to choose Him wholeheartedly instead of with a lukewarm attitude! Its time to stop loosing focus by the of day to day distractions of life and instead look to Him as our source! Church its time to acknowledge His words of conviction, to repent and to be zealous for Him! Church it time to respond to His invitation and not to leave Him on there knocking! Church its time to welcome Him in with a renewed passion! Church its time to overcome and follow His example so that we too can be able to respond with, "I must be about my Fathers business!" Church its time to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!
Church its time for the church to once again 'be in one place and in one accord' and with one voice cry out, "Here I am, use me!"
Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - "I counsel you to buy gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:14-22
His last last words are up next: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Church its time, its time to hear! Its time to hear that He is speaking and He wants us to know That its Him! Church its time to choose Him wholeheartedly instead of with a lukewarm attitude! Its time to stop loosing focus by the of day to day distractions of life and instead look to Him as our source! Church its time to acknowledge His words of conviction, to repent and to be zealous for Him! Church it time to respond to His invitation and not to leave Him on there knocking! Church its time to welcome Him in with a renewed passion! Church its time to overcome and follow His example so that we too can be able to respond with, "I must be about my Fathers business!" Church its time to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!
Church its time for the church to once again 'be in one place and in one accord' and with one voice cry out, "Here I am, use me!"
Monday, June 24, 2013
Weapons Of Warfare
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
I just want to talk about spiritual warfare a little. Don't let the physical world blind you: we are fighting a war we can't see.
And our weapons of warfare have power to destroy enemy strongholds.
First, guard you heart and you mind. Ninety percent of your personal battles will be fought there. The enemy loves to attack there, and you won't believe what he will do and twist around to try and make you fall. Guard yourself.
Second, get some time, get into your prayer closet, and get on your knees. Spend regular time in prayer. That is our number one weapon against the enemy. Prayer affects things unseen. Just think about it: our prayers could sway a battle. Prayer has a divine power. A power that we need to stop ignoring! We need to give our all to battle prayers. We need to be available for God to use us, our prayers.
We need to start preparing for battle. We need to be focused on God. Because the battle is already at hand.
---Joy
I just want to talk about spiritual warfare a little. Don't let the physical world blind you: we are fighting a war we can't see.
And our weapons of warfare have power to destroy enemy strongholds.
First, guard you heart and you mind. Ninety percent of your personal battles will be fought there. The enemy loves to attack there, and you won't believe what he will do and twist around to try and make you fall. Guard yourself.
Second, get some time, get into your prayer closet, and get on your knees. Spend regular time in prayer. That is our number one weapon against the enemy. Prayer affects things unseen. Just think about it: our prayers could sway a battle. Prayer has a divine power. A power that we need to stop ignoring! We need to give our all to battle prayers. We need to be available for God to use us, our prayers.
We need to start preparing for battle. We need to be focused on God. Because the battle is already at hand.
---Joy
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