Become Rooted and Balanced in God's STEM
Space
Time
Energy
Money
What did you learn from your SW when you Googled the words “scripture count it all joy?” The first Scripture reference that came up for me was from the King James Bible. The King James Bible was one of the earliest Old English translations of the Bible and it is a challenge to read and comprehend. The second reference came from the New King James Version, which is much easier to follow and understand. And as I have said before, The Life Recovery Bible, which uses the New Living Translation, is what The Holy Spirit has put on my heart to use when teaching the clutter healing model because of its easier read and appeal to one’s heart, especially if you are not accustomed to reading the Bible.
The Scripture reference for counting it all joy comes from James1:2-3.
♥ (King James Version)
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
♥ (New King James Version)
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience
♥ (New Living Translation)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Here is how I have highlighted and organized my thoughts as I have meditated on James 1:2-3 based on the above Bible translations:
1. As believers in Christ, which is what brethren or brothers and sisters are, we are to count all temptations, trials, or trouble as joy. This thought is certainly not a worldly view, but it is most assuredly God’s view for how we are to live in this earthly world. Having this kind of Godly perspective is what will help us to become rooted and balanced in God’s space, time, energy and money.
2. All temptations, trials, or trouble, are a testing of my faith. We talked about this faith testing when I presented CHG #9. Abraham was our example in learning how to focus and surrender control to God.
3. Why does my faith get tested? Because it produces the patience to endure.
This coming week, your SW is twofold:
♥ Ask the Holy Spirit to help you face your temptations, trials, and troubles with Joy, as you learn to patiently endure.
♥ Consider the difference between Joy and happiness.
July 3, 2013
June 19, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #10, Part Two
Become Rooted and Balanced in God's STEM
Space
Time
Energy
Money
First of all, I want to honor the man who has been most significant in my life. Today is his 80th birthday, so I want to say, “Happy birthday, Daddy, and I pray that this upcoming year brings you a renewed strength and balance as you enter into a deeper relationship with our precious Heavenly Daddy. Our Father loves you so very much and He created you to be His gift to the world. Thank you, Lord, for my earthly Daddy and the love he has blessed us with.”
This past week your SW was designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking God for His unchanging and grounded constancy and supportive direction. As you listened to the song, “Count it All Joy,” I asked you to identify in one sentence what the cause for a lack of joy could be in your life.
Every time I hear these words, “Count it all Joy,” I am taken back to the first and only time in my life when I felt like I had lost my joy. I had actually verbalized this feeling to my mother-in-law, after being separated from my husband who was her son. I will never forget how she responded, “Colleen, you will feel it again.” For more than a year, I lingered on her response of hope as I waited and wanted to believe in what she had said, even though I had no idea of how that would happen. But it did. The process was a slow and gradual one, but it did take place. It was the result of moving away from my wavering self dependence, and looking to the rock solid dependence of God, and more specifically, being open to God’s Son, Jesus, who I came into a relationship with over the next few months.
It was my relationship with Jesus, and His Word, that brought that feeling of joy back into my life. Up to that point, I did not comprehend that my feeling of joy had always been the result of God working in my life. I attributed joy to the people or circumstances that I wanted or that existed, but I discovered that joy has only one connection. Joy has no tie to people or circumstances that are welcomed or unwelcomed. I discovered through God’s Holy Spirit that Jesus is my only source of Joy, and I had been unaware of this Truth. Joy is not just a feeling. Joy is Jesus and His presence in my life at all times, no matter what I am facing. Now I am aware that my feeling of joy is because I know Joy! And because I now know this, it does not matter what I go through in this life, I can still feel Joy because I know Him. Jesus is the One I am rooted in and find my strength and balance in.
After posting last week’s blog, that introduced you to CHG #10, I read these words in my devotion the next day. It focused on Joy, and the word Joy was capitalized, because Joy is a person. Joy is a man and Joy is God. Joy is Jesus. And here is an example of the personal history and intimacy that we can have with Him. This devotion that focused on my journey with Joy was on the anniversary date of my divorce. Here is what God wanted me to hear in “Jesus Calling” for June 13th: “I am creating something new in you: a bubbling spring of Joy that spills into others’ lives. Do not mistake this Joy for your own or try to take credit for it in any way. Instead, watch in delight as My Spirit flows through you to bless others. Let yourself become a reservoir of the Spirit’s fruit. Enjoy My Presence, which permeates you with Love, Joy, and Peace.”
This week your SW is to Google the words “scripture count it all joy.” See what comes up for you and what you learn. We will talk about it next week. May you be blessed with Joy in this upcoming week.
Space
Time
Energy
Money
First of all, I want to honor the man who has been most significant in my life. Today is his 80th birthday, so I want to say, “Happy birthday, Daddy, and I pray that this upcoming year brings you a renewed strength and balance as you enter into a deeper relationship with our precious Heavenly Daddy. Our Father loves you so very much and He created you to be His gift to the world. Thank you, Lord, for my earthly Daddy and the love he has blessed us with.”
This past week your SW was designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking God for His unchanging and grounded constancy and supportive direction. As you listened to the song, “Count it All Joy,” I asked you to identify in one sentence what the cause for a lack of joy could be in your life.
Every time I hear these words, “Count it all Joy,” I am taken back to the first and only time in my life when I felt like I had lost my joy. I had actually verbalized this feeling to my mother-in-law, after being separated from my husband who was her son. I will never forget how she responded, “Colleen, you will feel it again.” For more than a year, I lingered on her response of hope as I waited and wanted to believe in what she had said, even though I had no idea of how that would happen. But it did. The process was a slow and gradual one, but it did take place. It was the result of moving away from my wavering self dependence, and looking to the rock solid dependence of God, and more specifically, being open to God’s Son, Jesus, who I came into a relationship with over the next few months.
It was my relationship with Jesus, and His Word, that brought that feeling of joy back into my life. Up to that point, I did not comprehend that my feeling of joy had always been the result of God working in my life. I attributed joy to the people or circumstances that I wanted or that existed, but I discovered that joy has only one connection. Joy has no tie to people or circumstances that are welcomed or unwelcomed. I discovered through God’s Holy Spirit that Jesus is my only source of Joy, and I had been unaware of this Truth. Joy is not just a feeling. Joy is Jesus and His presence in my life at all times, no matter what I am facing. Now I am aware that my feeling of joy is because I know Joy! And because I now know this, it does not matter what I go through in this life, I can still feel Joy because I know Him. Jesus is the One I am rooted in and find my strength and balance in.
After posting last week’s blog, that introduced you to CHG #10, I read these words in my devotion the next day. It focused on Joy, and the word Joy was capitalized, because Joy is a person. Joy is a man and Joy is God. Joy is Jesus. And here is an example of the personal history and intimacy that we can have with Him. This devotion that focused on my journey with Joy was on the anniversary date of my divorce. Here is what God wanted me to hear in “Jesus Calling” for June 13th: “I am creating something new in you: a bubbling spring of Joy that spills into others’ lives. Do not mistake this Joy for your own or try to take credit for it in any way. Instead, watch in delight as My Spirit flows through you to bless others. Let yourself become a reservoir of the Spirit’s fruit. Enjoy My Presence, which permeates you with Love, Joy, and Peace.”
This week your SW is to Google the words “scripture count it all joy.” See what comes up for you and what you learn. We will talk about it next week. May you be blessed with Joy in this upcoming week.
June 12, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #10, Part One
Become Rooted and Balanced in God's STEM
Space
Time
Energy
Money
As you examine CHG #10, let’s see what this CHG implies as being the basic cause of clutter when this guideline is not applied.
♥My clutter builds up when I am not rooted or grounded in God being my support.
♥My clutter builds up when I am out of balance with God’s plan for me.
♥My clutter builds up when I do not see that my space, time, energy and money are on loan to me from God, and He is One Who owns it all.
Therefore, when I am rooted and balanced in God, and acknowledge that everything (space, time, energy, and money) belongs to Him, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.
What does it mean to be rooted? To be rooted means to be anchored, nourished, nurtured, settled, and supported. Where can you find that support? You can find it in Christ. He is the One you can be rooted in.
What does it mean to be balanced? To be balanced means that you are in a state of equilibrium and harmony. Where can you find that equilibrium? You can find it in Christ. He is the One Who you can be in balance with .
The Scripture to support CHG #10 is from the Book of Malachi. The book is only three chapters long and it is the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi was a prophet, and his name means. “My Messenger,” The message for us today in Malachi 3:6 is the same message as it was for people living thousands of years ago, “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.”
What do you think Malachi 3:6 implies as being the basic cause of our clutter when CHG #10 is not applied?
♥My clutter builds up when I think that I know more than God.
♥My clutter builds up when I act like I am the Creator and owner of all.
♥My clutter builds up when I go through life without believing what God says.
When we consistently choose to live according to our own self sufficiency, it will eventually lead us down a path of self destruction. Today I hope you will choose to be rooted in God, Who is constant, Who has no beginning or end, Who is Sovereign, Who is the same today as He was yesterday, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. The love, grace, and forgiveness that God has for us never changes, and we can always find security and balance in these promises, and every promise, He has ever made. God has been, and always will be, a Promise Keeper.
This coming week your SW is designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking for God’s unchanging and grounded constancy, and supportive direction. As you listen to the following song, “Count it All Joy,” by BeBe and CeCe Winans, use it to help you identify, in one sentence, what is causing you to lack joy in the midst of what you are going through.
Space
Time
Energy
Money
As you examine CHG #10, let’s see what this CHG implies as being the basic cause of clutter when this guideline is not applied.
♥My clutter builds up when I am not rooted or grounded in God being my support.
♥My clutter builds up when I am out of balance with God’s plan for me.
♥My clutter builds up when I do not see that my space, time, energy and money are on loan to me from God, and He is One Who owns it all.
Therefore, when I am rooted and balanced in God, and acknowledge that everything (space, time, energy, and money) belongs to Him, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.
What does it mean to be rooted? To be rooted means to be anchored, nourished, nurtured, settled, and supported. Where can you find that support? You can find it in Christ. He is the One you can be rooted in.
What does it mean to be balanced? To be balanced means that you are in a state of equilibrium and harmony. Where can you find that equilibrium? You can find it in Christ. He is the One Who you can be in balance with .
The Scripture to support CHG #10 is from the Book of Malachi. The book is only three chapters long and it is the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi was a prophet, and his name means. “My Messenger,” The message for us today in Malachi 3:6 is the same message as it was for people living thousands of years ago, “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.”
What do you think Malachi 3:6 implies as being the basic cause of our clutter when CHG #10 is not applied?
♥My clutter builds up when I think that I know more than God.
♥My clutter builds up when I act like I am the Creator and owner of all.
♥My clutter builds up when I go through life without believing what God says.
When we consistently choose to live according to our own self sufficiency, it will eventually lead us down a path of self destruction. Today I hope you will choose to be rooted in God, Who is constant, Who has no beginning or end, Who is Sovereign, Who is the same today as He was yesterday, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. The love, grace, and forgiveness that God has for us never changes, and we can always find security and balance in these promises, and every promise, He has ever made. God has been, and always will be, a Promise Keeper.
This coming week your SW is designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking for God’s unchanging and grounded constancy, and supportive direction. As you listen to the following song, “Count it All Joy,” by BeBe and CeCe Winans, use it to help you identify, in one sentence, what is causing you to lack joy in the midst of what you are going through.
June 5, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Four
Focus
and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
In you
previous SW I suggested that you write down your definition for:
♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear
As we look at these words with
more depth, see how your SW answers from the CHG #9 Part Two, bring a deeper
understanding to healing your own clutter.
♥What
is focus?
Focus
= Attention
Focus
= Concentration
Focus
= No distraction
Focus
= Eye to eye contact
Without focus I get scattered in my thinking, my movements, my
direction, and my behavior, and this causes me to become overwhelmed. Abraham was focused. He kept his eyes on Father God. Isaac was focused. He kept his eyes on father Abraham and Father
God. Christ was focused. He always kept His eyes upward towards His
heavenly Father.
Focus
= Christ
The message from my devotional
time today really summed up what I have just shared with you. “When your focus
is firmly on Me (Christ), My Peace displaces all your fears and worries. Let trust and thankfulness stand guard, turning
back fear before it gains a
foothold.”
♥What
is Surrender?
Surrender
= Letting go
Surrender = Releasing
Surrender = Obedience
Surrender =
Discipline
Surrender =
Submission
Surrender
= Forgiveness
Surrender
= Delivery/Deliverance
Surrender
= Trust
Without surrender we will hold on to the pile up of “stuff,” dis-ease, disobedience, unforgiveness, slavery, and mistrust. Abraham
surrendered his son. Isaac surrendered
to Abraham, his father. God the Father
surrendered His Son, Jesus. And Jesus
surrendered to His Father.
Surrender
= Christ
♥What
is control?
Control = Authority
Control = Strength
Control
= Rule
Control
= Guide
Without a transference of control from my hands to God’s, I will lack the
supernatural strength, authority, ruling and guidance that only comes from Him. Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus were in control because
their focus was on God. And because of this focus,
they had learned to surrender their lives to His
control.
Control
= Christ
♥What
is Faith?
Faith = Confidence
Faith = Belief
Faith = Trust
Without Faith, a belief in
Christ, I simply exist, but with Him, I live! When I reflect on faith and
trust, I see them intricately intertwined with one another. And when I sort through this intertwining, I
recognize that faith is my belief system, my belief in Christ (the noun) and trust
is that faith in action (the verb).
Faith = Christ
♥What
is obedience?
Obedience = Surrender
Obedience =
Willingness
Obedience = Outcome
of listening
Here is what Christ said about
obedience:
1. John 14:15 “If
you love me obey my commandments.”
2. John 14:21 “Those
who obey me are the ones who love my commandments.”
3. John 14:23 “All
those who love me will do what I say.”
4. Matthew 5:17 “I
did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them.”
Do you see the one word that Christ consistently spoke
as He talked about obeying the commandments?
It is the word - love! Since God
is Love, our relationship with Him is essential to bringing love and order into
our lives. Ongoing disobedience, more
than anything else, will bring:
♥Desperation = Hopelessness
♥Devastation = Emptiness
♥Destruction = Destroyed
God = Love. And
choosing to love is a choice. Choosing God is a choice. Discipline and
obedience come out of love. Choosing to
be disciplined and obedient is a choice. God and His love for us came first. God with His law for us came second. To surrender
is to know true love. To surrender is to be
obedient because I love.
God Spoke to Abraham and God Speaks to Us.
When you choose to follow God, He will speak to you in very
personal ways. He will give you
instruction, and you will make a decision to follow Him or ignore Him. When you
love someone, you want to obey.
Disciple = Follower
Discipline = Instruction
Discipline = Self control
The word discipline comes from the word disciple. The disciples were followers of Jesus. They
listened to the instructions given by Jesus, and they became disciplined. The
Disciples started out as 12 and became 11.
One of them, Judas, chose to ignore the love of God, who came to earth
as the flesh and blood, Christ in his presence. We are also disciples learning
discipline through the instructions of God’s Word and choosing what we will do.
Obedience = Christ
♥What
is Fear?
Fear is the opposite of Faith
Fear = Intimidation
Fear = Timidity
Fear = Anxiety
Fear = Worry
Fear = Imaginary
Fear = Unreal
FEAR
is:
False
Expectations
Appearing
Real
Who is Fear?
Fear = A spirit
Fear = The enemy
Fear = Satan
Fear = 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit
of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.”
God’s Word tells us that we are
to fear the Lord, but this fear is not the spirit of fear.
Fear of the Lord = Respect of the
Lord
Fear of the Lord = Awe of the
Lord
Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 14:27 “Fear of the Lord is a life-giving
fountain: it offers escape from the snares of death.”
Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 19:23 “Fear of the Lord gives life, security,
protection from harm.”
A life without the Lord will be restless and lacking in
peace. It will be a life that is
ultimately rooted in fear.
As you review the four part postings
to CHG #9, I make this prayer request as you apply the content to this CHG in
your life. Please help us Lord, to do
what we do out of love and not out of our need to control. Help us to have a heart that is willing to
obey You, because of your love for us, and our love for You. And then we pray that our love for one
another will prove to the world that we are Your disciples.” John 14:33
May 22, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Three
Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
How challenging did you find the SW for CHG # 9? The surrender part of this guideline is what consistently gnaws at my heart. When I look at the 6 questions that this SW presented in light of the Scriptures that are about faith and obedience to God and my relationships, like the father/son relationship between Abraham and Isaac, I realize how much clutter I can still create when it comes to my personal relationships and acquaintances. Here is how I answered those questions with one word.
1. Who or what needs my focus? Mouth
My mouth is the “what” to this question, and it is in terms of what I speak, eat, or drink.
2. Who or what do I need to surrender? Mouth
The “what” in this question is just like the answer to my focus. It is my mouth, and I need to surrender it to God. My mouth can be disobedient to God’s plan in terms of what I choose to speak, eat, or drink. Feeding into those unhealthy choices can eventually have an adverse effect on my overall physical and spiritual health and it can bring emotional pain, not only to me, but to others as well. There are so many times when I think about the apostle Paul and identify with what he said in Romans 7:15, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.”
3. Who or what are you needing to let God control rather than yourself? Mouth
This time, the “what” to this question relates to my mouth and particularly my words. Too often my words need to be more kind and gentle. When I hear my daughter so sweetly correcting my grandchildren to speak with more gentleness and kindness, I realize that her message is for me as well, and that it reflects what God’s Word tells me in Galatians 5:22-23, “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” 20 years ago I had a dear friend who helped me to identify the need to be gentler, and 20 years later I am still working on being gentler. As we have learned from CHG #5, change is a slow and gradual process, but I can see the many layers that God has been peeling away as our family slowly and gradually heals from our long term history of hurtful words.
4. What keeps you from having faith? Doubt
At this time in my life, I would have to say that the doubt is linked to discipline, particularly with my exercising and what I consume. Over the course of my life time, my discipline in these areas has been pretty unwavering, but as of lately, there has been less conviction. I feel like I am at a crossroads both physically and spiritually, and I know that it is closely connected to the past two years and the diagnosis of two rare cancers. Writing down these thoughts and feelings is so important because experience has taught me that when I do this the answers will come, even though they are not there for me right now. Once again, I find myself identifying with a man whose story is told in the Book of Mark. Open up your own Bibles and read Mark 8:14-29. In these verses, you find a father whose son was possessed by an evil spirit and the boy got healed by Jesus. The story is about faith, and some people’s lack of it. In Mark 8:23, the father makes this comment to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me with my doubt!”
5. What lacks obedience in your life? Mouth
From my answers to these questions, you can see that that I have used the same one word to answer four of the questions. My mouth is what I have been focusing on as I surrender it to God’s control. Being obedient to God’s personal plan regarding how I need to speak and what I need to avoid with respect to what I eat, will enhance my health, and help me to be more kind and gentle in what I say.
6. What are you fearful of? Disobedience
My disobedience is related to my mouth.
Disobedience = Sin
Sin = Clutter
As I think about disobedience being equal to sin, and sin equal to clutter, it is a good time to also remind myself that I will always be dealing with the issues of disobedience and sin until the day I die. Remember when I first introduced you to the concept of clutter? I said that clutter never goes away. We can though minimize it and we can lessen it, and thus experience healing; that is what I need to remember and hold on to as I focus and surrender control to God.
This week your SW is to write down your definition for:
♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear
In closing, I pray Father, we come to you wanting to release our fears to You. Please replace those fears with the FAITH that only comes from believing in You and what Your Word tells us. Show us how to walk out in that faith by TRUSTING in You to meet our every need no matter how small or big it may be.
How challenging did you find the SW for CHG # 9? The surrender part of this guideline is what consistently gnaws at my heart. When I look at the 6 questions that this SW presented in light of the Scriptures that are about faith and obedience to God and my relationships, like the father/son relationship between Abraham and Isaac, I realize how much clutter I can still create when it comes to my personal relationships and acquaintances. Here is how I answered those questions with one word.
1. Who or what needs my focus? Mouth
My mouth is the “what” to this question, and it is in terms of what I speak, eat, or drink.
2. Who or what do I need to surrender? Mouth
The “what” in this question is just like the answer to my focus. It is my mouth, and I need to surrender it to God. My mouth can be disobedient to God’s plan in terms of what I choose to speak, eat, or drink. Feeding into those unhealthy choices can eventually have an adverse effect on my overall physical and spiritual health and it can bring emotional pain, not only to me, but to others as well. There are so many times when I think about the apostle Paul and identify with what he said in Romans 7:15, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.”
3. Who or what are you needing to let God control rather than yourself? Mouth
This time, the “what” to this question relates to my mouth and particularly my words. Too often my words need to be more kind and gentle. When I hear my daughter so sweetly correcting my grandchildren to speak with more gentleness and kindness, I realize that her message is for me as well, and that it reflects what God’s Word tells me in Galatians 5:22-23, “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” 20 years ago I had a dear friend who helped me to identify the need to be gentler, and 20 years later I am still working on being gentler. As we have learned from CHG #5, change is a slow and gradual process, but I can see the many layers that God has been peeling away as our family slowly and gradually heals from our long term history of hurtful words.
4. What keeps you from having faith? Doubt
At this time in my life, I would have to say that the doubt is linked to discipline, particularly with my exercising and what I consume. Over the course of my life time, my discipline in these areas has been pretty unwavering, but as of lately, there has been less conviction. I feel like I am at a crossroads both physically and spiritually, and I know that it is closely connected to the past two years and the diagnosis of two rare cancers. Writing down these thoughts and feelings is so important because experience has taught me that when I do this the answers will come, even though they are not there for me right now. Once again, I find myself identifying with a man whose story is told in the Book of Mark. Open up your own Bibles and read Mark 8:14-29. In these verses, you find a father whose son was possessed by an evil spirit and the boy got healed by Jesus. The story is about faith, and some people’s lack of it. In Mark 8:23, the father makes this comment to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me with my doubt!”
5. What lacks obedience in your life? Mouth
From my answers to these questions, you can see that that I have used the same one word to answer four of the questions. My mouth is what I have been focusing on as I surrender it to God’s control. Being obedient to God’s personal plan regarding how I need to speak and what I need to avoid with respect to what I eat, will enhance my health, and help me to be more kind and gentle in what I say.
6. What are you fearful of? Disobedience
My disobedience is related to my mouth.
Disobedience = Sin
Sin = Clutter
As I think about disobedience being equal to sin, and sin equal to clutter, it is a good time to also remind myself that I will always be dealing with the issues of disobedience and sin until the day I die. Remember when I first introduced you to the concept of clutter? I said that clutter never goes away. We can though minimize it and we can lessen it, and thus experience healing; that is what I need to remember and hold on to as I focus and surrender control to God.
This week your SW is to write down your definition for:
♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear
In closing, I pray Father, we come to you wanting to release our fears to You. Please replace those fears with the FAITH that only comes from believing in You and what Your Word tells us. Show us how to walk out in that faith by TRUSTING in You to meet our every need no matter how small or big it may be.
May 8, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Two
Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
What new information did your SW provide for you this past week as you examined the word obedience/disobedience in your life and in the life of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22?
For me, I will answer that question by saying first and foremost, the Bible is my #1 resource for referencing information to get God’s perspective, and then Google comes in at a close second when it comes to man’s perspective. Never in history has information been so instantly and readily available, and I mention Google, because it relates to my own disobedience and how it peaked for me over this past week. It is embarrassing to admit, let alone confess, but I have been in some very close mishaps when it comes to my driving skills that are related to stopping. I am convinced, as well as thankful, that my prayers to be more aware and cautious with my driving protected me from hitting a pedestrian in a cross walk this past week. But, I also realize that I need to be more focused on stopping when the sign says stop. Slowing down is not enough when I am approaching a sign that says stop or a flashing red light that indicates the need to stop. Stop means stop! And as I have become more aware of my own dangerous habits to slow down but not stop, I have also noticed just how common this cluttered practice has become as drivers slowly drift through a lawful sign that commands us to stop without ever stopping. Of course, another’s wrong does not make my wrong right, but I was curious about googling the driving rules for stop signs, and here is what I found out:
Modern drivers continue to be confused about this question: How long must you stop at a stop sign?
Full stop
When approaching a stop sign, it's not enough to slow down. Every year drivers get ticketed because they only slowed down for a quick look left and right but never actually stopped. A driver is expected to come to a full stop at every stop sign. Even if you are the only driver on the road, you are still expected to stop or you risk getting a traffic fine.
Length of time
While there is no time rule as to how long your car must remain stopped, several seconds is a good rule of thumb. This gives you enough time to look to your left, look to your right and look left again before accelerating. When a car is approaching, you are expected to wait until that car has either passed or also comes to a complete stop.
Over the years, I am frequently reminded of know how hard it has been for me to take responsibility for my own actions. And truth be told? I recognize that I am not perfect, though I would like to be. So, I pray, “God, continue to show me how to let You be the One who controls those parts of me that need improved upon, especially my need to stop in all areas of my life! Help me to be more aware of obedience to your law and to man’s as You continue to use the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 to remind me that I am always in the process of surrendering.”
What new information did your SW provide for you this past week as you examined the word obedience/disobedience in your life and in the life of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22?
For me, I will answer that question by saying first and foremost, the Bible is my #1 resource for referencing information to get God’s perspective, and then Google comes in at a close second when it comes to man’s perspective. Never in history has information been so instantly and readily available, and I mention Google, because it relates to my own disobedience and how it peaked for me over this past week. It is embarrassing to admit, let alone confess, but I have been in some very close mishaps when it comes to my driving skills that are related to stopping. I am convinced, as well as thankful, that my prayers to be more aware and cautious with my driving protected me from hitting a pedestrian in a cross walk this past week. But, I also realize that I need to be more focused on stopping when the sign says stop. Slowing down is not enough when I am approaching a sign that says stop or a flashing red light that indicates the need to stop. Stop means stop! And as I have become more aware of my own dangerous habits to slow down but not stop, I have also noticed just how common this cluttered practice has become as drivers slowly drift through a lawful sign that commands us to stop without ever stopping. Of course, another’s wrong does not make my wrong right, but I was curious about googling the driving rules for stop signs, and here is what I found out:
Modern drivers continue to be confused about this question: How long must you stop at a stop sign?
Full stop
When approaching a stop sign, it's not enough to slow down. Every year drivers get ticketed because they only slowed down for a quick look left and right but never actually stopped. A driver is expected to come to a full stop at every stop sign. Even if you are the only driver on the road, you are still expected to stop or you risk getting a traffic fine.
Length of time
While there is no time rule as to how long your car must remain stopped, several seconds is a good rule of thumb. This gives you enough time to look to your left, look to your right and look left again before accelerating. When a car is approaching, you are expected to wait until that car has either passed or also comes to a complete stop.
Over the years, I am frequently reminded of know how hard it has been for me to take responsibility for my own actions. And truth be told? I recognize that I am not perfect, though I would like to be. So, I pray, “God, continue to show me how to let You be the One who controls those parts of me that need improved upon, especially my need to stop in all areas of my life! Help me to be more aware of obedience to your law and to man’s as You continue to use the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 to remind me that I am always in the process of surrendering.”
When you look at CHG #9
to heal your clutter, by focusing and surrendering your
life to God’s control, what does CHG #9 imply as being the root cause of
your clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up when I lack focus.
♥ My
clutter builds up when I do not surrender.
♥ My clutter builds up when I need to control.
Explore the words in Genesis 22:1-2 that back up CHG # 9. They say, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac,
whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a
burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
What do these
Scriptures imply as being the root cause of your clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up because of my lack
of faith.
♥ My clutter builds up because of my lack
of obedience
♥ My clutter builds up because of my fears.
This week your SW is to
think about how you can lessen the clutter in your life through CHG #9 and its
Scriptures. Ask yourself the following questions, and then only give a one answer
reply.
1.
Who or what needs your focus?
2.
Who or what needs you to surrender?
3.
Who or what are you needing to let God control rather than yourself?
4.
What keeps you from having faith?
5.
What lacks obedience in your life?
6.
What are you fearful of?
May 1, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part One
Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
Our SW this past week, was to ask God to help us to hear that one word, the rhema word, that He had for each one of us, and then have the Scripture to back it up. For me, that one word was obedience. I was drawn to this word as I wrote last week’s posting that said, “Listening means that I do what God tells me to do. This is called obedience.’’
Listening = obedience.
As I was being gravitated to this word, my thoughts immediately went to Abraham of the Bible and CHG #9, which I am introducing to you today. CHG #9 tells us to focus and surrender our lives to the control of God. The Scripture basis of this CHG is found in Genesis 22:1-2, and it directly addresses obedience. It says, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
I am sure we all have our imaginations in full gear as we contemplate what was going on in Abraham’s mind and how he felt about God’s command. When I thoughtfully, carefully, and prayerfully examine this Scripture and study other Scriptures that tell me about the character of God, the character of Abraham, and the relationship that these two had with one another, I do come to appreciate how the relationship between God and Abraham is a prototype of the relationship that God wants to have with me, and the one that He wants to have with you.
Let’s break down Genesis 22:1-2 to reflect and meditate on how it can help us to lessen our clutter as we learn how to focus and surrender control to God by looking at the relationship between God and Abraham. Notice that the Scripture starts out by telling us that God had a test for Abraham, and it reminds me of how God has been in the business of testing since the beginning of time. What is a test? It is a critical examination, observation, or evaluation. Who is being tested? It is the student. What is being tested? Abraham, the student, is being tested on his faith and obedience. I appreciate the simplicity of how God gets Abraham’s focus just by the calling out of his name with an exclamation. What follows is Abraham acknowledging the history he has shared with God by giving this simple response back, “Yes. Here I am.” It takes time to build relationships that go through numerous trials and errors, and they can only become rock solid when there is mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual love. Abraham and God had that kind of relationship.
When God tells Abraham, “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac whom you love so much,” I see the heart of God expressing a compassionate command that reminds, reinforces, and emphasizes the lessons that Abraham has learned through his trials and errors with God. Though God had promised a son to Abraham and his barren wife Sarah, Abraham took matters into His own hands when he did not see God coming through with His promise within the time that he had anticipated. And because Abraham did not wait on the Lord’s timely promise, he and Sarah arranged an intimate night for Abraham to be with Sarah’s bondservant who provided Abraham with a son, and that conceived child was named Ishmael. Later Isaac was indeed born to Abraham and Sarah, but this promise actually took 25 years to be fulfilled! If you want to find out just how much clutter this caused, go to Genesis 11 where the story of Abraham begins. And if you are really industrious, research the history on this family to discover how their clutter continues to impact the world on a global level.
Abraham is directed to take Isaac to Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. In the Hebrew, Moriah means ordained. Abraham was God’s ordained man, and through the years Abraham learned to appreciate what that meant. He knew he could believe God, trust Him, and obey Him, even when it made no sense. He had learned that God was God and he was not.
This coming week, your SW is to examine the word obedience:
1. How has dis-obedience caused more clutter in your life?
2. How has obedience made your life less cluttered?
3. Read Genesis 22 to find out how this story about Abraham and Isaac plays out.
Pleases keep in mind that no matter how familiar a story may be to you, or how often you have read certain Scriptures, remind yourself to slow down, focus, and drink them in with a fresh new openness. Receive them with a child like excitement, and you can look forward to the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
Our SW this past week, was to ask God to help us to hear that one word, the rhema word, that He had for each one of us, and then have the Scripture to back it up. For me, that one word was obedience. I was drawn to this word as I wrote last week’s posting that said, “Listening means that I do what God tells me to do. This is called obedience.’’
Listening = obedience.
As I was being gravitated to this word, my thoughts immediately went to Abraham of the Bible and CHG #9, which I am introducing to you today. CHG #9 tells us to focus and surrender our lives to the control of God. The Scripture basis of this CHG is found in Genesis 22:1-2, and it directly addresses obedience. It says, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
I am sure we all have our imaginations in full gear as we contemplate what was going on in Abraham’s mind and how he felt about God’s command. When I thoughtfully, carefully, and prayerfully examine this Scripture and study other Scriptures that tell me about the character of God, the character of Abraham, and the relationship that these two had with one another, I do come to appreciate how the relationship between God and Abraham is a prototype of the relationship that God wants to have with me, and the one that He wants to have with you.
Let’s break down Genesis 22:1-2 to reflect and meditate on how it can help us to lessen our clutter as we learn how to focus and surrender control to God by looking at the relationship between God and Abraham. Notice that the Scripture starts out by telling us that God had a test for Abraham, and it reminds me of how God has been in the business of testing since the beginning of time. What is a test? It is a critical examination, observation, or evaluation. Who is being tested? It is the student. What is being tested? Abraham, the student, is being tested on his faith and obedience. I appreciate the simplicity of how God gets Abraham’s focus just by the calling out of his name with an exclamation. What follows is Abraham acknowledging the history he has shared with God by giving this simple response back, “Yes. Here I am.” It takes time to build relationships that go through numerous trials and errors, and they can only become rock solid when there is mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual love. Abraham and God had that kind of relationship.
When God tells Abraham, “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac whom you love so much,” I see the heart of God expressing a compassionate command that reminds, reinforces, and emphasizes the lessons that Abraham has learned through his trials and errors with God. Though God had promised a son to Abraham and his barren wife Sarah, Abraham took matters into His own hands when he did not see God coming through with His promise within the time that he had anticipated. And because Abraham did not wait on the Lord’s timely promise, he and Sarah arranged an intimate night for Abraham to be with Sarah’s bondservant who provided Abraham with a son, and that conceived child was named Ishmael. Later Isaac was indeed born to Abraham and Sarah, but this promise actually took 25 years to be fulfilled! If you want to find out just how much clutter this caused, go to Genesis 11 where the story of Abraham begins. And if you are really industrious, research the history on this family to discover how their clutter continues to impact the world on a global level.
Abraham is directed to take Isaac to Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. In the Hebrew, Moriah means ordained. Abraham was God’s ordained man, and through the years Abraham learned to appreciate what that meant. He knew he could believe God, trust Him, and obey Him, even when it made no sense. He had learned that God was God and he was not.
This coming week, your SW is to examine the word obedience:
1. How has dis-obedience caused more clutter in your life?
2. How has obedience made your life less cluttered?
3. Read Genesis 22 to find out how this story about Abraham and Isaac plays out.
Pleases keep in mind that no matter how familiar a story may be to you, or how often you have read certain Scriptures, remind yourself to slow down, focus, and drink them in with a fresh new openness. Receive them with a child like excitement, and you can look forward to the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
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