When I go to bed
What should I say?
I don't know if
I "lie" or "lay".
Sunday, February 28, 2010
We...are being transformed...
--> "His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness."
Rev. Todd Evans, pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, gave an unforgettable analogy as the devotional at Community Bible Study two weeks ago. He told the story of a man whose parents were trapped in a fire inside their house. Their son dashed into the flames in an attempt to rescue his parents, but to no avail. His mother and father perished in the fire, and the heroic son was badly burned himself. His face was so marred, scarred, and ugly that he became a recluse, hiding from his family as well as everyone else. Food trays were set outside his bedroom door three times a day, and they disappeared into his room only after he felt confident no one was watching. This went on day after day, month after month, until almost two years had passed.
The man's wife made an appointment with a plastic surgeon. When she told him the story, the doctor assured her that he could help her husband, that he could rebuild his face. The wife replied that her husband wouldn't allow anyone to help him and then told the doctor that wasn't the purpose of her visit. She had come instead, she said, to ask the plastic surgeon to make her face like that of her husband's--marred, scarred, ugly. "Then," she said, "perhaps he will let me back into his life."
The doctor gasped in amazement at such sacrificial love but told the wife he was unwilling to do what she asked. He said he would be willing, however, to go and talk to her husband. The wife did not believe that her husband would listen but agreed to let the doctor give it a try.
The doctor knocked on the husband's door, introduced himself, and assured the husband that he could help him. No response. The doctor described the procedure by which he could remake the husband's face. No response. Then the doctor told the husband how his wife had visited him and the incredible request she had made. At last the doctor heard the slow shuffling of feet and saw the door knob begin to turn.
Jesus became like us so that one day we could become like Him.
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory....."
Thank You, Jesus!!!!!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Life's Little Frustrations
A woman just doesn't think like a man,
Because my husband can't understand
When my closet isn't literally bare
Why I say I have nothing to wear!
"...the eyes of your heart..."
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know.....his incomparably great power for us who believe." Eph. 1:18a, 19a
We come into this world as individuals, each wired differently. And any parent who has both boys and girls soon realizes that they come into the world wired very differently. We all know that boys arrive equipped with a flipper gene. Have you ever seen a room full of men with one television and one channel changer? You can almost see the fingers of each male present itching to push those buttons. The shopping gene is standard equipment for girls. When men need an article, they just go buy it, but women know that doesn't even come close to being a shopping trip.
There are many things we do that just come naturally to us. Some are good. Some are not so good, like anger, revenge, selfishness, etc. God doesn't want us to do what comes naturally but what comes supernaturally. The Christian life is meant to be a supernatural life. It is not God's desire nor intention for us to try to live the Christian life for Him in our own strength and wisdom and effort. In fact, we can't do it, and God knows that quite well. He has made provision whereby He will live the Christian life in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within each born again believer. It almost blows me away every time I realize that we actually have access to the same mighty power by which God raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in heaven. And James tells us in James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
It makes all the difference whose power and wisdom we access on a daily basis. God desires the very best for our lives. Surely we also want the very best lives we can have, but we are not capable of making that happen for ourselves. Only God can bring that about. Someone has so well said, "God is too good to do evil, too wise to make a mistake, and too powerful to lose control."
One man has described the Holy Spirit as "Resident Boss." If we make the resident Holy Spirit the Boss over our daily thoughts, decisions, and actions, God will live through us, and our lives will not be lived naturally but supernaturally.
Who should we trust to be in charge of our lives? Whom are you trusting today?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Life's Little Frustrations
Baby's food flies through the air,
On his chair and in his hair.
It goes east, west, north, and south--
Everywhere but in his mouth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)