In class this week, we listed the good and the bad of the four kings- Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. They started out wholeheartedly following God but then they compromised. When God told each one to remove the 'high places' the idols in their lives, they compromised. They would obey God to a point, then they decided they had a better plan.
Listen, if we leave, ignore sin in our lives, it does not stay dormant. Sin always destroys. Even a little hurts. And it hurts not only us but those around us. As we read about King Ahaz, sin grew so, that he even burned his own sons in a fire as a sacrifice to idols!
'I would never do that', you may say, but remember these guys were not dumb. They had just been duped! They began to believe a lie, that one little sin didn't matter, and while their backs were turned, they were overtaken.
No one starts out with the intention of falling away from God. Or no one ever thinks they will be duped by the enemy. And NO one every thinks they would sacrifice their own sons, but think about it a little longer. Where have we compromised in our own lives? Where have we known there was something there that was displeasing to God and thought, 'it really doesn't matter, its so small'? Where have we sacrificed our children to compromise with the world's value system including entertainment. Where have we hidden a little something that didn't seem like a big deal.
Ask God to show you this week. Just ask Him. He is so great about helping us where we stumble. You might be surprised what He shows you. :)
Friday, January 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Breaking Free!!
Ok, so here we go! Teaching the Breaking Free bible study by Beth Moore is one of my very favorite things to do. This is my 9th class! (not counting the 4 times I have completed the book with a girlfriend one on one). I have to say that this bible study has been one of the most important, life altering resources I have been exposed to. I know I like to tell big stories but seriously, this is different. I have seen God use the material in this study to really change the course of a family. MANY TIMES.
I want to encourage you as you begin your homework this week to have a 'made up mind' to complete it. It will not be easy. You will not just drift over to our workbook and open it. You will have to be intentional.
It is going to be great!
I want to encourage you as you begin your homework this week to have a 'made up mind' to complete it. It will not be easy. You will not just drift over to our workbook and open it. You will have to be intentional.
It is going to be great!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The girlfriends in my accountablility group have been reading through a book titled "Reaching for an Invisible God" by Phillip Yancy. We have been 'reading' thru this book for a year now! It seems we just can't zoom past all the thought provoking insights Mr Yancy shares. Like this one:
"After considering the various words used of the Holy Spirit, both in Greek and English, James Houston summarizes them in the simple word, 'friend'. A true friend always has my best interest at heart. . . . . When I think of the fear and discomfort summoned up by mentioning the Holy Spirit, I have to laugh at the irony of being spooked by the Comforter."
It strikes me as funny too! Why would I be scared of a 'friend'! Being raised in church (in the South), it seems I missed somehow, the teachings about the God who lived inside of me was for me not against me. Even as an adult, it is overwhelming to me that God loves me from the inside out.
If God thru the Holy Spirit, lives on the inside of me, doesn't it make sense that if I want to see more of God in my life, then there simply needs to be less of me?
Blessings
"After considering the various words used of the Holy Spirit, both in Greek and English, James Houston summarizes them in the simple word, 'friend'. A true friend always has my best interest at heart. . . . . When I think of the fear and discomfort summoned up by mentioning the Holy Spirit, I have to laugh at the irony of being spooked by the Comforter."
It strikes me as funny too! Why would I be scared of a 'friend'! Being raised in church (in the South), it seems I missed somehow, the teachings about the God who lived inside of me was for me not against me. Even as an adult, it is overwhelming to me that God loves me from the inside out.
If God thru the Holy Spirit, lives on the inside of me, doesn't it make sense that if I want to see more of God in my life, then there simply needs to be less of me?
Blessings
Saturday, March 21, 2009
You need a sanctuary
A sanctuary is more than an escape; it's a place of refreshment.
I read that statement recently on the back cover of a new devotional bible I'm reading.
It may not strike you as that much of a big deal, but it did me! I just loved it. You know that I am a bible study (reading the word), nut. The truth is, we really do find refreshment (strength, energy, insight, help), from spending time with God.
Remember that we study the bible to know Christ! The more we know Him, the more real He becomes in our lives. When He becomes our greatest reality, instead of what we see (and sometimes what we can't see like fear), the way we live life is highly impacted!
Things like worry, anguish, despair, narcissism, and anxiety seem to diminish. Wow, that's what I need more of.
How about you?
God invites you into his sanctuary!
Blessings
Bekita
I read that statement recently on the back cover of a new devotional bible I'm reading.
It may not strike you as that much of a big deal, but it did me! I just loved it. You know that I am a bible study (reading the word), nut. The truth is, we really do find refreshment (strength, energy, insight, help), from spending time with God.
Remember that we study the bible to know Christ! The more we know Him, the more real He becomes in our lives. When He becomes our greatest reality, instead of what we see (and sometimes what we can't see like fear), the way we live life is highly impacted!
Things like worry, anguish, despair, narcissism, and anxiety seem to diminish. Wow, that's what I need more of.
How about you?
God invites you into his sanctuary!
Blessings
Bekita
Thursday, March 19, 2009
It really is a heart matter
As I have been reading about Mary and Martha, I have come across something interesting. Growing up hearing the story of Mary sitting at Jesus feet and Martha busy in the kitchen, it seemed to always be communicated to me that Martha was the 'bad one' and Mary was the 'good one'. Reading several commentaries on the story found in Luke 10, I found that people interpret it differently.
Your 'grid', how you interpret or 'see' things, is made up by your personal circumstances and environment. Our response to anything is determined by how it fits into our grid.
I don't think any of these commentaries are necessarily wrong, it is just how that writer sees!
That explains much.
What I come away with from the story of Mary sitting and Martha working is this: Martha was doing/serving Christ the way she knew was her responsibility. The problem wasn't in her serving, the problem was in her attitude that she was serving and Mary was not doing it her way! Jesus saw through both their actions and looked at their hearts. I would suggest to you that he would have rebuked Mary just as quickly if he had saw in her heart that she was just sitting there at his feet to 'look religious'! I really do think He would.
Martha was the oldest of the siblings, most likely, and she was the owner of the house, most likely. It would have been her responsibility to take care of the guests in her home. Jesus had rebuked a man earlier in whose home He visited because of the owner's lack of detail in caring for Him. Was it really the lack of detail that Jesus was concerned about? No, it was the man's heart in not realizing his own great need for a Savior (Luke 7). Jesus simply speaks the language we hear! He knows the intentions of the heart-
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It really is a heart matter!
Blessings
Bekita
Your 'grid', how you interpret or 'see' things, is made up by your personal circumstances and environment. Our response to anything is determined by how it fits into our grid.
I don't think any of these commentaries are necessarily wrong, it is just how that writer sees!
That explains much.
What I come away with from the story of Mary sitting and Martha working is this: Martha was doing/serving Christ the way she knew was her responsibility. The problem wasn't in her serving, the problem was in her attitude that she was serving and Mary was not doing it her way! Jesus saw through both their actions and looked at their hearts. I would suggest to you that he would have rebuked Mary just as quickly if he had saw in her heart that she was just sitting there at his feet to 'look religious'! I really do think He would.
Martha was the oldest of the siblings, most likely, and she was the owner of the house, most likely. It would have been her responsibility to take care of the guests in her home. Jesus had rebuked a man earlier in whose home He visited because of the owner's lack of detail in caring for Him. Was it really the lack of detail that Jesus was concerned about? No, it was the man's heart in not realizing his own great need for a Savior (Luke 7). Jesus simply speaks the language we hear! He knows the intentions of the heart-
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It really is a heart matter!
Blessings
Bekita
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
He knew?
Not long ago, I attended a brunch honoring visiting missionaries to my church. I was sitting next to a wonderful older woman who was a fellow member. We were discussing life circumstances and how things seem to just 'work out' and she made the statement, "It's like God knew it was going to happen!" Then as soon as she realized what she had done, she said, "Well, of course He knew".
It was so funny to me because this woman is such a godly woman and she said it so matter of fact, that we were all nodding our heads in agreement without even thinking! As I was driving home, I started laughing out loud. We are influenced by those around us just like anybody else. This lady meant no harm and certainly had a concrete faith that included God as the All Knowing One, but it reminded me not to take any conversation for granted, including my participation in a group of 'sweet christian women' assembled for a good reason.
Ephesians 6:18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Something to think on!
Blessings
Bekita
It was so funny to me because this woman is such a godly woman and she said it so matter of fact, that we were all nodding our heads in agreement without even thinking! As I was driving home, I started laughing out loud. We are influenced by those around us just like anybody else. This lady meant no harm and certainly had a concrete faith that included God as the All Knowing One, but it reminded me not to take any conversation for granted, including my participation in a group of 'sweet christian women' assembled for a good reason.
Ephesians 6:18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Something to think on!
Blessings
Bekita
Friday, February 13, 2009
Spitting cobras
I have a few friends that live on the other side of the world, giving "all of them" to advancing the Kingdom of Christ. I love them! I was just reading an email from my friend Terri and it was describing two incidents they had recently involving snakes. Not just any snakes but spitting cobras no less. One was hiding under a tire as she walked around their vehicle and one was crossing the concrete in front of their door.
In both cases they were protected from harm. They were obviously praising God.
Something occurred to me as I was reading her story. How many 'spitting cobras' are hiding, lying in wait, for us? We are going about our business, doing our thing, and hiding just out of sight is our enemy! Ready to strike.
Brian, Terri's husband, said he thanked God for making them aware of the impending aggressor so that he could slay it. Brian was looking up! Oh, his eyes may not have been directed towards the sky but his heart was! That's what looking up means-being constantly aware of God's presence through talking and listening AND believing that He IS!
Believing that He IS what? Beth Moore, in the bible study "Believing God" says it this way:
1. God is who He says He is
2 God can do what He says He can do
3. I am who God says I am
4. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
5. God's Word is alive and active and living in me!
If you say each one of these holding up your hand out in front of you and counting off each; you will end up with a picture of your shield of faith (Ephesians 6:10-18). With the shield of faith, you can 'extinguish the fiery arrows' of our enemy! (Kind of like a strike from a spitting cobra!)
I have an enemy that is lurking in the shadows (did you notice that one of snakes was under the vehicle?) and seeks to harm me. He will strike when I am not paying attention.
Can I share with you what the strikes may look like?
-you have a thought -God isn't interested in you; doesn't have time for you; is disgusted with you! NOT TRUE-"His love endures forever" Psalm 136
-you have a thought that God doesn't care about you! NOT TRUE-"God is close to the brokenhearted." Isaiah 61
-thoughts of 'this marriage is never going to work' NOT TRUE-God says "Is anything too difficult for me?" Jeremiah 32:27
These are a few 'strikes' but there are many more! The point is the 'strikes' come in the way of thoughts many many times.
We can 'slay the enemy'! How?
1. aware that he is there; (be alert; your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion seeking to devour you. 1 peter 5:8)
2. make a deliberate intentional decision to know Christ better; (Philippians 3:10-11 Amplified Bible-For my determined purpose is that I may know Him that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness even to His death, in the hope, That if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead [even while in the body].
At the beginning of Ephesians 6:10-18, it says that 'our battle is not against flesh and blood'-not people! If we aren't 'life long learners of Christ' then we won't see/recognize the 'snakes' for what they are. I love that last sentence in the verse printed above, 'that lifts me out from among the dead, even while in the body'. Ever heard of 'walking dead men'? That's what comes to my mind when reading it. I have seen many Christians who have endured so many 'strikes' from the enemy that they are just as if walking dead men/women. THERE IS A RESURRECTION!
"Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5
"Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the RENEWING of your mind. Romans 12:2
I don't know about you, but I need to know what God says to me about my life! It's just that simple. I won't know if I don't choose to make my quest, Him! I can promise you, I would be in a loony bend or worse if I hadn't chosen to make my life about Him in my early twenties, because the 'strikes are just too hard. They are just too poisonous-deadly'. But praise be to God, He resurrects the dead and dying!
I LOVE IT THIS WAY. It's Romans 12:2 from the Message!
Place Your Life Before God 1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Blessings
Bekita
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