Today’s Reading: Psalm 89, 92; Philippians 3
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21 NIV).
Do you ever get tired of this world? I know I do. There is so much hurt, so much pain, and so much imperfection. The devil tempts me on a daily basis, I look at pain in the eyes of my loved ones, and I wish for heaven above.
Not that I don’t love the life God has given me. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful home, and a baby on the way. I have ever so much to be thankful for.
Just the same, this world, and its imperfections drain on me. I truly don’t belong here. My soul longs for a better place.
John writes of this place in the book of Revelation:
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’" (vs. 3-4 NIV).
Can you imagine what that will be like someday? How wonderful will that be, to be rid of our earthly bodies with all their infirmities, and to take on our heavenly bodies? It’s hard for me to picture a world without sin and imperfection, because that’s all I’ve ever known. Just the same, that’s how it will be someday. We’ll live for eternity with Jesus, and be rid of all this earthly mess.
I can’t wait for that day. It will be so marvelous. It makes today, with all it’s imperfections, a little easier to handle.
Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Deuteronomy 5-7; Luke 3
“So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33).
I’ve known the Ten Commandments for as long as I can remember. They were ingrained into me as a little girl. They’ve been listed before me so many times, that I’ve started to forget how important they really are. Out of all the rules and laws, these ten were what God saw as the most important. They were the laws he wanted to set down for all generations to follow. Why? Because He knew that his people were an imperfect people in an imperfect world.
I like to thin that I’ve always kept the Ten Commandments, but that’s untrue. I slip up in one area or another on a regular basis. Without realizing it, I often put things before my God. This could be in a relationship, a hobby, a book, or even time spent in the internet. When I value these things above God, I am in fact “worshiping” them as a god. Ouch. I had a tough time even writing that last sentence, but it’s oh so true. For me it’s a daily battle of giving up myself and focusing on my Saviour instead. I’ll leave you today with a rather long passage of scripture that is oh so dear to me. Please, read through these scriptures, and contemplate the daily struggles of your life and then claim victory from them in Christ Jesus:
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippines 3:7-4).
Monday, October 26, 2009
Leviticus 26-27; Mark 11:19-33
"I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid" (Leviticus 26:6).
I’ve been thinking today about the stress in my life. At first glance it wouldn’t seem like my life isn’t all that bad. I spend my days taking care of the house, running errands, and freelance writing. As much as I think I’m relaxed, I allow myself to be stressed by my lists and deadlines and relationships. I stay busy every day, hardly ever stopping to relax. All the time I have a reminder of the stress in my frequent tension headaches. Doctors can’t help them, medicine can’t help them… it seems as if they’re without a cure. Yesterday at church I asked for prayer about my tension headaches. As my pastor was praying for me, he encouraged me to find peace in my daily life, with the hope that this would relieve the tension in my neck.
Peace. A word I honestly don’t know the meaning of. And so I began a search to see what God’s word has to say on this topic. In my search, I came up with 247 times that a form of the word peace was used in the New International Version of the Bible. This is what I found:
Our God is a God that promises peace for those who love him, as Leviticus 26:6 tells us. He desires for us to live peaceful lives. It’s a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22), a desired state of the heart: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Colossians 3:15), something we should seek: “He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it” (1Peter 3:11) and a way to guard our hearts from the evil one: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
I pray that each of you would have a renewed sense of peacefulness in your life today. It certainly is a wonderful thing to let go of the stresses of the world and to grasp onto the peace of God.
I’ve been thinking today about the stress in my life. At first glance it wouldn’t seem like my life isn’t all that bad. I spend my days taking care of the house, running errands, and freelance writing. As much as I think I’m relaxed, I allow myself to be stressed by my lists and deadlines and relationships. I stay busy every day, hardly ever stopping to relax. All the time I have a reminder of the stress in my frequent tension headaches. Doctors can’t help them, medicine can’t help them… it seems as if they’re without a cure. Yesterday at church I asked for prayer about my tension headaches. As my pastor was praying for me, he encouraged me to find peace in my daily life, with the hope that this would relieve the tension in my neck.
Peace. A word I honestly don’t know the meaning of. And so I began a search to see what God’s word has to say on this topic. In my search, I came up with 247 times that a form of the word peace was used in the New International Version of the Bible. This is what I found:
Our God is a God that promises peace for those who love him, as Leviticus 26:6 tells us. He desires for us to live peaceful lives. It’s a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22), a desired state of the heart: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Colossians 3:15), something we should seek: “He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it” (1Peter 3:11) and a way to guard our hearts from the evil one: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
I pray that each of you would have a renewed sense of peacefulness in your life today. It certainly is a wonderful thing to let go of the stresses of the world and to grasp onto the peace of God.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Love is... not self-seeking
1 Cor. 13:5 “it is not self-seeking”
This April has been an eventful one. At the beginning of the month my husband and I packed up our belongings and moved across the country. I love our new little place, and have been enjoying setting up house once again. At the same time, it’s been tough without friends or family close by. My husband truly is my only friend within a hundred miles. I’m depending on him like never before to fill all of the relationship gaps in my life. In 1 Corinthian 13:5, Paul tells us that love is not “self-seeking,” but I have to admit that that is exactly how I am from time to time. When my husband gets home from work at the end of the day, I want him to listen to me and get things done around the house. I want him to do the things “I” want him to do. I’m not necessarily putting his needs before my own. But putting his needs first is exactly what unselfish love looks like. As Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
This is what love is.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love unselfishly today. Reveal areas of my life that need changing, so that I can love those in my life whole-heartedly.
This April has been an eventful one. At the beginning of the month my husband and I packed up our belongings and moved across the country. I love our new little place, and have been enjoying setting up house once again. At the same time, it’s been tough without friends or family close by. My husband truly is my only friend within a hundred miles. I’m depending on him like never before to fill all of the relationship gaps in my life. In 1 Corinthian 13:5, Paul tells us that love is not “self-seeking,” but I have to admit that that is exactly how I am from time to time. When my husband gets home from work at the end of the day, I want him to listen to me and get things done around the house. I want him to do the things “I” want him to do. I’m not necessarily putting his needs before my own. But putting his needs first is exactly what unselfish love looks like. As Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
This is what love is.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love unselfishly today. Reveal areas of my life that need changing, so that I can love those in my life whole-heartedly.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Love is... not boastful or proud
1 Cor. 13:4 “it does not boast, it is not proud”
Dear friends, I hope you’ve been enjoying this journey through 1 Corinthians as much as me. The Apostle Paul was intentional in the way he pieced together this letter to the church of Corinth. Imagine reading this letter for the first time, close to two thousands years ago, wow! These words were meant for the church patrons of Corinth, but they still speak so greatly to Christians today as well.
We live in a world of distorted images. Movies, television, and books tell us that love revolves around beauty, money and success. Paul’s “Love Chapter” in 1 Corinthians 13 stands in strong opposition to this. Instead of being consumed with the things of the world, this type of love is self-sacrificial. As we have discovered already, this love is patient, kind, and doesn’t envy. In addition, this love does not boast and is not proud.
I have to admit that I am not completely guilt free in this department. I enjoy success as much as the next girl. I have been known to boast about my own accomplishments, instead of focusing on the needs of those around me. However, God calls us to be humble. I love these verses from Philippians 2:1-4:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
It is when I start looking to my “own interests” that I get in trouble. At times I get so preoccupied with my own accomplishments that I forget to consider the needs of others around me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful to recognize the things you and I have accomplished in Christ Jesus, this just shouldn’t get in the way of loving others. Paul reminds us to “consider others better than [our]selves.” This is one of the best ways to love. What does this look like? For me, this involves listening to my husband a little more, investing in friendships, and truly trying to serve those around me. What would this type of love look like in your life?
Lord Jesus, thank you for the way you unconditionally love me. Help me to consider the needs of others before myself today and every day, amen.
Dear friends, I hope you’ve been enjoying this journey through 1 Corinthians as much as me. The Apostle Paul was intentional in the way he pieced together this letter to the church of Corinth. Imagine reading this letter for the first time, close to two thousands years ago, wow! These words were meant for the church patrons of Corinth, but they still speak so greatly to Christians today as well.
We live in a world of distorted images. Movies, television, and books tell us that love revolves around beauty, money and success. Paul’s “Love Chapter” in 1 Corinthians 13 stands in strong opposition to this. Instead of being consumed with the things of the world, this type of love is self-sacrificial. As we have discovered already, this love is patient, kind, and doesn’t envy. In addition, this love does not boast and is not proud.
I have to admit that I am not completely guilt free in this department. I enjoy success as much as the next girl. I have been known to boast about my own accomplishments, instead of focusing on the needs of those around me. However, God calls us to be humble. I love these verses from Philippians 2:1-4:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
It is when I start looking to my “own interests” that I get in trouble. At times I get so preoccupied with my own accomplishments that I forget to consider the needs of others around me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful to recognize the things you and I have accomplished in Christ Jesus, this just shouldn’t get in the way of loving others. Paul reminds us to “consider others better than [our]selves.” This is one of the best ways to love. What does this look like? For me, this involves listening to my husband a little more, investing in friendships, and truly trying to serve those around me. What would this type of love look like in your life?
Lord Jesus, thank you for the way you unconditionally love me. Help me to consider the needs of others before myself today and every day, amen.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Peppermint lattés and envy
Here's a devotional I wrote back on 11/22/08. I stumbled across it today and thought I'd post it online. Enjoy!
Today I sit with a wonderful espresso creation called “Peppermint Patty.” It is warm and rich, so good that I’m wondering how it could possibly still be sugar free! As I sit sipping my drink, my thoughts turn toward the holiday season. With the Christmas season around the corner, my list of wants is starting to grow. For Christmas is the time of year when I have the possibility of getting all the things my friends have. As long as it makes the Christmas list, and enough hints are given verbally to my family, I stand a good chance on getting that new sweater or electronic device I’ve been wanting for so long. Greed and envy are big nemeses of mine. In the 21st century I am surrounded by the material day in and day out. Anything and everything I want is only a credit card away. Instant gratification is key.
Wow, I’m painting a really poor picture of myself here. A picture of a greedy, envious woman who would stop at nothing to get what her friends have. And this is what I would be like, where it not for the saving grace of God. He is the one that has to rein me in from time to time and remind me of the kind of person I could become. Consumed by envy and greed, I could live my life feeding on instant gratification, never really happy or fulfilled. But I’m not.
As Paul writes in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” What a promise. He will take care of me, not necessarily supplying all my wants, but my needs. God knows the difference between the $100 sweater I want and the boots I actually do need to keep my feet warm this winter. And he will continue to provide for me, reminding me of that wonderful chapter in Corinthians where Paul talks about real love. Paul writes that love does not envy (I Cor. 13:4). What a reminder to me, when I start to envy things my friends own. Instead of envying, I need to somehow learn how to love? But learning how to love will have to wait for another day. For today, I’m praying that God will create a new heart inside of me. One that is not consumed with what I do or do not have, but is thankful for the things he has given me, such as peppermint lattés.
Today I sit with a wonderful espresso creation called “Peppermint Patty.” It is warm and rich, so good that I’m wondering how it could possibly still be sugar free! As I sit sipping my drink, my thoughts turn toward the holiday season. With the Christmas season around the corner, my list of wants is starting to grow. For Christmas is the time of year when I have the possibility of getting all the things my friends have. As long as it makes the Christmas list, and enough hints are given verbally to my family, I stand a good chance on getting that new sweater or electronic device I’ve been wanting for so long. Greed and envy are big nemeses of mine. In the 21st century I am surrounded by the material day in and day out. Anything and everything I want is only a credit card away. Instant gratification is key.
Wow, I’m painting a really poor picture of myself here. A picture of a greedy, envious woman who would stop at nothing to get what her friends have. And this is what I would be like, where it not for the saving grace of God. He is the one that has to rein me in from time to time and remind me of the kind of person I could become. Consumed by envy and greed, I could live my life feeding on instant gratification, never really happy or fulfilled. But I’m not.
As Paul writes in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” What a promise. He will take care of me, not necessarily supplying all my wants, but my needs. God knows the difference between the $100 sweater I want and the boots I actually do need to keep my feet warm this winter. And he will continue to provide for me, reminding me of that wonderful chapter in Corinthians where Paul talks about real love. Paul writes that love does not envy (I Cor. 13:4). What a reminder to me, when I start to envy things my friends own. Instead of envying, I need to somehow learn how to love? But learning how to love will have to wait for another day. For today, I’m praying that God will create a new heart inside of me. One that is not consumed with what I do or do not have, but is thankful for the things he has given me, such as peppermint lattés.
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