Sunday, September 28, 2008

Just for Today

JUST FOR TODAY
By Kenneth L. Holmes

JUST FOR TODAY...I will try to live through
this day only, and not tackle my
whole life problem at once. I can do
something for twelve hours that would
appall me if I felt that I had to keep
it up for a lifetime.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will be happy.
This assumes to be true what
Abraham Lincoln said that, "most
folks are as happy as they make
up their minds to be".

JUST FOR TODAY...I will try to
strengthen my mind. I will study.
I will learn something useful,
I will not be a mental loafer.
I will read something that requires
effort, thought, and concentration.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will adjust myself
to what is and not try to adjust
everything to my own desires. I will
take my luck as it comes and fit myself
to it.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will exercise my
soul in three ways; I will do
somebody a good turn and not get
found out; I will do at
least two things I don't want to
do--just for exercise. I will not
show anyone that my feelings
are hurt; they may be hurt,
but today I will not show it.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will be agreeable.
I will look as well as I can,
dress becomingly, talk low,
act courteously, criticize not one bit,
NOT FIND FAULT WITH ANYTHING,
and NOT TRY TO IMPROVE OR REGULATE
ANYBODY EXCEPT MYSELF.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will have a
program. I may not follow it
exactly, but I will have it.
I will save myself from two pests:
HURRY and INDECISION.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will have a quiet
half-hour all by myself and relax.
During this half-hour, sometime, I will
try to get a better perspective of my life.

JUST FOR TODAY...I will be unafraid.
Especially I will not be afraid to
enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe
that as I give to the WORLD,
SO THE WORLD WILL GIVE TO ME.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Housework

I'm about to do some housework this morning. I really can't stand doing housework. When I was growing up, my mom did everything for me. I would have helped but she was too quick and it was done before I could say I'll do it. She was an excellent housekeeper. Our house was always clean, laundry always completed, and always a meal on the table. However, she never really taught me to keep house and take care of a family. So I've had a very hard time in my 18 years of marriage. It has been a very big source of frustration for my husband! He longs for a clean house, clean laundry, and home cooked meals!

My sinful nature always come out when I do housework. I start complaining and getting irritated that no one else helps out around the house. Then I start getting angrier and angrier as I allow Satan to fill me with bitterness. It begins to take root and pretty soon I'm feeling so angry that I just want to yell at anyone who gets in my path. And I usually do end up blowing my top!

Today, however, I'm doing something different. I'm choosing to allow God to work through me so that I may do all things to His glory. In His infinite wisdom, He created me to bring glory to Him in all things. All things, not some things, but all things. As I begin to work with my thoughts on Christ, my attitude softens and I feel blessed to have this family for which to care. With every sock I pick up and every garment I wash, I pray for my family that they may become all they were meant to be in Christ. Oh that I would not hinder them by my resentment and disobedience. If my obedience brings my husband and my children closer to the will of God then how could I not be happy to serve. May my selfish desires and complaints never be in the way of the work God wants to do through me. Oh God, may I become a servant with a happy heart. Praising my Savior all the day long!

SOLI DEO GLORIA. To the glory of God alone. That I may praise Him in all things! For all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Even housework!!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Prayer

When I sat down to pray this morning and do some Bible study, I asked God to show me what he would have me to do. I really need guidance on this because I'm not very good at just opening the Bible and reading scripture on my own. I get so lost and go around in circles and then I get utterly frustrated. So I asked God for help in what to read and what to study. When I went to my bookshelf to find the perfect study, I ran across this book by Cynthia Heald called A Bible Study on Becoming a Woman of Prayer. The thing that really drew me to it, besides it being a book on prayer, was the Bible verse printed across the top cover of the book. It is Jeremiah 33:3. That, to me, was no coincidence. My recently adopted LIFE VERSE! HELLO! God is speaking to me and telling me to change my life through prayer. Does he need to be any more clear on this?

So I'm reading Chapter 1 entitled An Invitation to Intimacy. There is a quote on the very first page along with my life verse Jeremiah 33:3. The quote is from a man named Martin Smith. I think he is the same Martin L. Smith who wrote a book about prayer entitled "The Word is Very Near You."

What if God does not demand prayer as much as gives prayer? What if God wants prayer in order to satisfy us? What if prayer is a means of God nourishing, restoring, healing, converting us? Suppose prayer is primarily allowing ourselves to be loved, addressed and claimed by God. What if praying means opening ourselves to the gift of God's own self and presence? What if our part in prayer is primarily letting God be giver? Suppose prayer is not a duty but the opportunity to experience healing and transforming love?

Just think about it. Prayer is our way to allow God to love us, to speak to us, and to show us who He is as God. To allow Him to heal us and transform us. To pray is to allow God to nourish our lives. Prayer is for US! A gift from God to US! Don't we want that? Isn't that what we are seeking? How then can we not pray? How can we not want that intimacy with God?

Jeremiah 29:11 is a very familiar verse to us. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." But we really shouldn't stop there. We should read the next two verses as they give the key to the hope and the future that God promises. Jeremiah 29:12-13 reads "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." With all your heart. With ALL your heart. God is asking for our whole heart to be turned toward Him. We must open our hearts and pour out the things that are a hindrance to God. We must focus on Him completely. Seek Him with your entire heart, your entire being, and He will listen to you. That I may know the God of the universe intimately if I only open my whole heart to Him. Praise God that He wants that relationship with us. He passionately wants to know us. We are His passion, His creation, His joy!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Call to Me

I've been praying for God to change me lately. I want real change though. From the inside out. Not the kind of superficial change that comes and goes on a whim. I want deep down, radical change in my life. I want to be wide open so that people will know that I love the Lord. I want others to see that love and desire it for themselves. So I've been praying for change. Extreme change.

I was listening to Jason Upton the other day. His music brings such devotion. It will put you right at the feet of Jesus. Check him out sometime at http://www.jasonupton.com/. Anyway, his newest album has a song called "In the Beginning." This song really speaks volumes to me yet it only contains a few words. It essentially tells us to call on God and He will give us peace which we cannot know on our own. I've begun to realize that it isn't the kind of call that we make when we are sick or diseased but a constant daily call on God to help us with each decision that we make and each word that we speak. As I listened to the words of this song, I began to search out the verse in the Bible that was behind the words. I came to Jeremiah 33:3, which I believe I will take as my life verse. Jeremiah 33:3 is God speaking to Jeremiah and He says "'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." At this time, Jeremiah was imprisoned by Zedekiah, King of Judah, and God was speaking to him about the current situation in Judah. He was promising restoration to Judah and Israel.

I believe that He is promising restoration to us all. I want to be restored to the purpose of my being and that is to bring glory to God. I want to be restored to my relationships, my thoughts, my deeds, and myself. I want to see our country restored. Pray with me for this restoration. Call on God and He will tell you things you have not known on your own. Call on God and He will change you from the inside out. That is my prayer. Pray with me.