A Favorite - The Perfect Intersection

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 NLT

I cannot always wrap my mind around the depth of God’s love for mankind or the lengths to which He goes to prove His unconditional love for the vilest of mankind, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God is everything Scripture proclaims Him to be. I thought I might need to preface today’s promise with that declaration of faith because I may throw something out here that maybe you’ve never thought about. On the other hand, maybe I’m the last to realize it. I finally realized today that God understands - on a very personal level - the stress in life when dealing with people.

In today’s society, there’s much to be said about stress. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Frederick Saunders, author and poet, provided this famous quote ~ "Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea."

American theologian, Danzae Pace, said this about stress - "Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life."

I agree with both of those, but the quote that actually comes closer to my personal definition of it is this - Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of whoever is not following one’s preferred plan…

God knows what it feels like to be angry. He knows first-hand the frustration and stress caused by people not following the preferred plan. It started in the Garden of Eden, remember? And how about those Israelites in the wilderness? And then in the Promised Land? Have you read the book of Jeremiah?!?

I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed in or about a situation and it becomes prolonged, I want to rid myself of it. Cut it off, kill it – whatever it takes to be gone. I want to be done with it. If I get to that place and I can see no change in sight or no hope of change, then I find myself at a crossroad – an intersection where I can choose what suits my flesh (which is to cut and run) or I can choose to follow God. If I choose to follow God’s example, I have to properly weigh all the components to determine the best outcome of love in action for all involved. First and foremost, I must recognize and understand what hangs in the balance.

That's what God did. He weighed it all - all the sin and evil and wickedness of all mankind for all time - and chose His love over killing all of us and wiping out the human race.

When we hit that intersection, we must recognize and understand what hung in the balance. It was His Son.

The Cross. The intersection of holiness and love - the perfect drop-off location for our load of stress.

Prayer:

Father,

        Thank You for creating the ultimate intersection and loving us in spite of our selfishness. Set us free from our own road hazards. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Anti-trust

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
Luke 12:22-26 NLT

Whatever you're stressing over right now - whatever you're worrying about, you need to stop. I know it doesn't make sense in our finite world, but in the heavenlies, all that stress and worry is seen as anti-trust - as NOT trusting God. Did you know that? Maybe you didn't... Now you do. 

Take that same energy and use it to praise God with everything you are. Focus your heart and mind to praise Him because you KNOW He's going to provide. Worship Him because you know He's worthy of all praise and honor and glory and power forevermore. Proclaim His Truth - His Word - to yourself and to the world around you. 

Numbers 23:19b NLT Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Don't be guilty of antitrust.

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for allowing stress and worry to take our eyes off You and the Truth of Who we know You to be! We choose to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting You in all things, for all things. No more antitrust actions or thoughts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Crossroad

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 NLT

I cannot always wrap my mind around the depth of God’s love for mankind or the lengths to which He goes to prove His unconditional love for the vilest of mankind, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God is everything Scripture proclaims Him to be. I thought I might need to preface today’s promise with that declaration of faith because I may throw something out here that maybe you’ve never thought about. On the other hand, maybe I’m the last to realize it. I finally realized today that God understands - on a very personal level - the stress in life when dealing with people...

God knows what it feels like to be angry. He knows firsthand the frustration and stress caused by people not following the preferred plan. It started in the Garden of Eden, remember? And how about those Israelites in the wilderness? And then in the Promised Land? And then...?

I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed in or about a situation and it becomes prolonged, I want to rid myself of it. Cut it off, kill it – whatever it takes for it to be gone. I want to be done with it. If I get to that place and I can see no change in sight or no hope of change, then I find myself at a crossroad – an intersection where I can choose what suits my flesh (which is to cut and run) or I can choose to follow God. If I choose to follow God’s example, I must be sure to properly weigh all the components to determine the best outcome of love in action for all involved. First and foremost, I must recognize and understand what hangs in the balance. 

That's what God did. He weighed it all - all the sin and evil and wickedness of all mankind for all time - and chose to love over killing all of us and wiping out the human race. When we hit a similar intersection, we must recognize and understand what hung in the balance. It was His Son.

The Cross. The intersection of holiness and love - the perfect drop-off location for our load of stress.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for creating the ultimate intersection and loving us in spite of our selfishness. Set us free from our own road hazards. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Evidence of Himself

We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.
Acts 14:15c-17 NLT

How often do we turn to the things of this world for comfort? How often do we just want to "veg out" in order to de-stress from the daily grind of our lives? Or try to do or buy something to make us feel good?

If we're seeking it from the world, at best it is fleeting - a momentary fix. The Truth is God Himself has made provision for all of it. The Holy Spirit IS our Comforter - and as part of the Holy Trinity, He is everlasting. Christ left us HIS peace. He even made the stipulation "not as the world gives it" (John 14:27). And as our Scripture for today points out - He never leaves us without evidence of Himself and His goodness!

Prayer:

Father,
          You are a good, good Father! We cannot thank You enough for all the ways You lovingly provide for us. Thank You for the evidence of You and Your goodness in our lives. We want more of You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - I Have to...

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.

Luke 10:39-40 NLT

And after reading the text, all the "Marthas" groan collectively. Relax. I'm not here to beat you up or down. I was just thinking of how many conversations I've heard this week that contained the words, "I have to..."

I have to complete this project. I have to get this out the door by... I have to pick up... I have to drop off... I have to go... I have to come in... I have to take... I have to give... I have to... I have to... and all of it with an underlying tone of stress. As if the things that had to be done weren't enough, then there are the...If this happens, then I have to do that... If that happens, then I have to... Sound familiar?

We all do it. Subtle satan at his best or worst, depending on how you look at it.

In this present time, where we're all trying to be king and queen of the multi-taskers and see how much we can get or get accomplished, and figure out how we're going to keep it - Jesus' words still hold true. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

What do you have to do? Which part will you choose?

Prayer:

Father,

           I want to sit at Your feet. I want to soak in Your Words. I want to bask in Your presence. I have to. Keep me focused, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Vacation Week- Reposting some favorites

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.
Luke 10:39-40 NLT

And reading the text, all the "Marthas" groan, collectively. Relax. I'm not here to beat you up or down. I just was thinking this morning of how many conversations I've heard this week that contained the words, "I have to..."

I have to complete this project. I have to get this out the door by... I have to pick up... I have to drop off... I have to go... I have to come in... I have to take... I have to give... I have to... I have to... and all of it with an underlying tone of stress. As if the things that had to be done weren't enough, then there were the...if this happens, then I have to do that... if that happens, then I have to... Sound familiar?

We all do it. subtle satan at his best or worst, depending how you look at it...

In this present time, where we're all trying to be king and queen of the multi-taskers and how much we can get and / or get accomplished, and how we're going to keep it - Jesus' words still hold true. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

What do you have to..?

Prayer:

Father,
          I want to sit at Your feet. I want to soak in Your Words. I want to bask in Your presence. I have to! Keep me focused, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Evidence of Himself

We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.
Acts 14:15c-17 NLT

How often do we turn to the things of this world for comfort? How often do we just want to "veg out" in order to de-stress from the daily grind of our lives? Or try to do or buy something to make us feel good?

If we're seeking comfort from the world, at best it is fleeting - a momentary fix. The Truth is God Himself has made provision for all of it. The Holy Spirit IS our Comforter - and as part of the Holy Trinity, He is everlasting. Christ left us HIS peace. He even made the stipulation "not as the world gives it" (John 14:27). And as our Promise for Today points out - He never leaves us without evidence of Himself and His goodness!

Prayer:

Father,
          You are a good, good Father! We cannot thank You enough for all the ways You lovingly provide for us. Thank You for the evidence of You and Your goodness in our lives. We want more of You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Just for Today

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:34 NLT

When we don't have the answer. When we don't even know the question. When we can't figure out how, when, or why we're going to fix "it". When the "if-I-don't-fix-it-now-what-will-it-be-in-another-week-month-year... years-from-now" stress kicks in. Stress. Doubt. Fear. Is there any room for God in there?

I was busy (read 'angrily') telling the God of the universe (who, by the way, has NOT posted for an assistant, nor does He need one) that the particular situation in my life is NOT something I can see myself having to contend with for the next 20 years or so. And I railed that I just could NOT do it - it was that plain and simple. I.Can't.Do.It...!!

Then immediately, I heard Him say, "I'm not asking you to do it for 20 years or so. Can you do it for today? Just for today?" and instantly, I was reminded of today's Scripture promise. And with it came the assurance He would be with me. Today and every day... one day at a time. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

We can do it - by His grace that is sufficient for all things - and with His promise that He will never leave or forsake us. We CAN do it - just for today.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for Your infinite wisdom and for always planning out the details of our lives. You are trustworthy. Remind us always to listen for Your voice and seek Your peace in the midst of the chaos of daily living. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* I Have to...

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.

Luke 10:39-40 NLT

And after reading the text, all the "Marthas" groan collectively. Relax. I'm not here to beat you up or down. I was just thinking of how many conversations I've heard this week that contained the words, "I have to..."

I have to complete this project. I have to get this out the door by... I have to pick up... I have to drop off... I have to go... I have to come in... I have to take... I have to give... I have to... I have to... and all of it with an underlying tone of stress. As if the things that had to be done weren't enough, then there are the...if this happens, then I have to do that... if that happens, then I have to... Sound familiar?

We all do it. subtle satan at his best or worst, depending how you look at it.

In this present time, where we're all trying to be king and queen of the multi-taskers and how much we can get and / or get accomplished, and how we're going to keep it - Jesus' words still hold true. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

What do you have to..?

Prayer:

Father,

           I want to sit at Your feet. I want to soak in Your Words. I want to bask in Your presence. I have to. Keep me focused, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Managing Your Stress

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1^st Peter 5:7 NIV

Recently, I received an email about stress management. It was one I had seen before, but this particular version had been modified from the one I had read previously. It started with an illustration. You may have seen it before, too.

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.  
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long you try to hold it.  If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.  If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.  If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.  In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management.  If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on...”

I immediately thought of our text for today. Of course, the secular world has all kinds of suggestions on how to make it better, and I thought about doing a comparison of the original suggestions to see how many of them were based on Scripture, but I thought I’d just rather do this.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul...Psalm 23:2-3 KJV

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… Isaiah 53:4a NKJV

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him… Isaiah 53:5c NKJV

The syllabus for our stress management course is called The Bible… Pay close attention to what is written in red.

 Prayer:

 Father,

          We pray according to Your Word in Psalm 25,  Show us the right path, O Lord; point out the road for us to follow.  Lead us by Your truth and teach us, for You are the God who saves us. All day long we put our hope in You. Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and unfailing love, which You have shown from long ages past.  Do not remember the rebellious sins of our youth. Remember us in the light of Your unfailing love, for You are merciful, O Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

* The Perfect Intersection

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 NLT

I cannot always wrap my mind around the depth of God’s love for mankind or the lengths to which He goes to prove His unconditional love for the vilest of mankind, but I believe with every fiber of my being that God is everything Scripture proclaims Him to be. I thought I might need to preface today’s promise with that declaration of faith because I may throw something out here that maybe you’ve never thought about. On the other hand, maybe I’m the last to realize it. I finally realized today that God understands - on a very personal level - the stress in life when dealing with people...

In today’s society, there’s much to be said about stress. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Frederick Saunders, author and poet, provided this famous quote ~ Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea. 

American theologian, Danzae Pace, said this about stress - Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.  

I agree with both of those, but the quote that actually comes closer to my personal definition of it is this - Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of whoever is not following one’s preferred plan… 

God knows what it feels like to be angry. He knows first-hand the frustration and stress caused by people not following the preferred plan. It started in the Garden of Eden, remember? And how about those Israelites in the wilderness? And then in the Promised Land? And then...?

I don’t know about you, but when I get stressed in or about a situation and it becomes prolonged, I want to rid myself of it. Cut it off, kill it – whatever it takes for it to be gone. I want to be done with it. If I get to that place and I can see no change in sight or no hope of change, then I find myself at a crossroad – an intersection where I can choose what suits my flesh (which is to cut and run) or I can choose to follow God. If I choose to follow God’s example, I have to properly weigh all the components to determine the best outcome of love in action for all involved. First and foremost, I must recognize and understand what hangs in the balance. 

That's what God did. He weighed it all - all the sin and evil and wickedness of all mankind for all time - and chose His love over killing all of us and wiping out the human race. 

When we hit that intersection, we must recognize and understand what hung in the balance. It was His Son.

In the book And the Angels Were Silent, Max Lucado defines it best - Calvary is a hybrid of God’s lofty status and His deep devotion. The thunderclap which echoed when God’s sovereignty collided with His love. The marriage of heaven’s kingship and heaven’s compassion. The very instrument of the cross is symbolic, the vertical beam of holiness intersecting the horizontal bar of love.

For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s Blood on the Cross. 

The Cross. The intersection of holiness and love - the perfect drop-off location for our load of stress.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for creating the ultimate intersection and loving us in spite of our selfishness. Set us free from our own road hazards. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen