07/11/2014 "IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!"

IT’S ALIVE!!!!!! Hebrews 4:12-13New International Version(NIV)

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

These verses reminded me of a Small Group Study called “Not a Fan” that our small group followed a while back. The study asked if I was a fan of Christ or a follower of Christ? Was I the type that stood on the sidelines & hollered “You go God!”? Or was I a true follower of Christ that lived, slept, breathed & followed HIS Word?

In the DVD, it showed a person that went to church every Sunday & acted “Christ Like” on Sunday, but the rest of the week, he went about work & life without praying, or following Christ. He stole a client from a friend at work & the friend said are you the same person I sit with every Sunday? The man answered, no that’s Sunday, this is real life. It’s everyone for themselves!

Really? Read again the verses above. “The word of God is alive and active.” It’s not just on Sundays. News articles & television may inform us; Books might entertain & motivate us; Movies and television shows might captivate us; but only the living, active Word of God can actually change us.

We are fooling ourselves if we think that just coming to church on Sunday makes us a Christian. The verse says the word is “sharper than a double edged sword & penetrates through soul, spirit, joints and marrow and judges our thoughts and attitudes of our heart.” “Everything is laid bare before God.”

We can’t hide our sinful thoughts, hidden agendas and attitudes from God. He knows what we are thinking or saying even before we think or say it.

Some might think that’s (using pastor’s words) scary fear. I think that’s awesome. The Word of God gives life & it is up to us to receive it or reject it. If we receive the word, it transforms & cleans us from the inside out. To believe God, to trust God, we must hear His Word. We must hear the good news and know the promises that He makes for us to believe because as the verse says His Word is “living and active.”

In our small group study, the man finally realized that the Word was not just for Sundays. It is alive and active every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year. The man ended up quitting his job and opening a homeless shelter to feed, clothe & minister to all that would listen. When he died the testimonies of the people that he changed their lives was proof that God lived through the man.

Following God and living His Word is not just on Sunday. As the verses say we can’t hide from God,so I am trying to open my inner being and Live with Faith. I am trying (and this is really hard for me) to not control but let God lead me. As pastor said yesterday, it’s not about training me, but accessing God’s word & letting Him lead me.

As the verses say, all things are open and exposed. What will I do with what is exposed and what He now is watching? Do I turn from the deceptive promises of sin, and trust in the all-satisfying promises of God?

I am going to try with all of my heart and soul. Will you try? Will you help me try? I would love to hear from you.

Jerry

My dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You now to be restored in You to be renewed in You, to receive your Love and Your Life and all the grace & mercy I so desperately need this day! I surrender every aspect of my life totally & completely to You –my spirit and soul, my body, my heart, my mind & will!

I deliberately and intentionally come under Your rule and reign Jesus and come in the name of Jesus against the kingdom of darkness and every form of evil that is come against me, my family, my kingdom and domain! I put on the Truth like a belt (surrendering to Your truths and You as Truth)! I put on Your Righteousness like a breastplate (not depending on my own at all)! I put on Readiness that comes from Your Gospel peace in my life! I take up Faith as a shield (trusting You over my will and thinking)! I receive salvation like a helmet over my mind and life! I wield the Word of God like a sword totally empowered by Your Holy Spirit in me-fill me afresh! And I pray….!

Amen

Am I too "proud" to put on the armor?

"Dear Father, help us to read Your Word, meditate on it, and apply it to our lives this day.  Amen."

James 4:6-8

⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

What do these verses have to do with putting on the Armor of God?

“He gives us more grace…” He is such a loving Father, and He knows that we are constantly in a battle against the forces of evil. So, He has provided a gracious answer to fighting this battle – the armor. Every piece He meant for us to put on. He Graciously covers every part of our heart, soul, and mind. And to refuse this Gracious gift of protection against the enemy makes no sense. That is like buying a home that is fully equipped with a security system – but not learning how to turn it on! Or learning how to use it - but being too lazy to set it as we go out the door.  It’s there to be used as protection – but it must be engaged.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble…. Submit yourselves, then to God…”

How am I being "proud" by not putting on the armor God provided? Is it pride that thinks "I don’t need it? Am I "proud" by minimizing the spiritual battle going on around me and to me? Am I "proud" by thinking I can do all of the fighting on my own? If God has told me to put on the armor – yet I don’t “bother” – is that a form of pride?

Is it being humble to admit that I need help – and then take the warning seriously and put on the armor?

By being humble enough to receive the Gift of armor that God has given me – and put it on – trusting Him to take care of me – is that “humbleness?”

Is it pride and a lack of submission to be too busy to bother to put on the armor? I wouldn’t step out the door without clothes on, shoes on, teeth brushed, hair combed, with my glasses, car keys, money, and purse in hand. So why have I gone for so many years without putting on the Armor of God?  Is hearing the Word, then Obeying Him by putting on the armor an act of "submission?"   Does putting on the armor every day equal "submission?"  Is that what this means?

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you…” On my own, I cannot stand against the devil and his wicked schemes against me. I will not be able to resist him for long. He will have no reason to flee from me just by myself. I need God’s armor in order to resist him. With the armor on, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, he must flee.

So, I think God is teaching me today, that when I do not heed His warning and put on the Armor He has graciously given to me - I am being proud.  And He resists the proud.  If I am under attack, I certainly don't want Him to resist me!  I need Him on my side!  I need Him in this battle.  So, I willingly submit all reasons of laziness, apathy, ignorance, and pride, and I commit to daily putting on His amazing armor - custom fit for me this day!  Thank You, Father.   Amen!

-dawn

(what are these verses saying to you this day about pride and submission in regards to the Armor?)

7.8.14 We are God’s Handiwork to Do Good Works!

Dear Lord, As we read this passage today, help us to hear your message for us. Amen.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

For by God’s grace we  have been saved! 

Through  faith – belief in God and his word.

Whenever I read this verse I immediately feel freer,  like a heavy weight, being lifted off of me and I can breathe again.   It gives me great comfort and peace.

As a teen, God, opened my eyes,  so I could see that he was real and that he loved me!  He wanted me to know that I am, forgiven, for my multitude of sins; even ones I have yet to commit!   Jesus, His only Son paid the price for this gift; to save me from eternal death, away from God.

God did this for each and everyone of us; we did not, nor could not, do it for ourselves. I cannot take any credit for my salvation.  Our part is to believe it and receive it from Him, and then to live our lives for God.

I love the next line:  For we are God’s handiwork, …

He designed each one of us, and though we are made in his image and are physically similar, we are each uniquely made and are wired differently.  That is so incredible to think about.

…Created in Christ Jesus to do good works. 

God spells out our purpose right there!  We were created to do good works!  Which  God prepared in advance for us to do!

What specific good works has God created you for?

What has he prepared in advance for you to do?

What,  if anything holds us back and prevents us from getting involved,  reaching out to others,  sharing God’s love tp those around us?

Is it just us using our own freewill to only look to our own interests and those who are closest to us?

Or ,

Is it the Enemy influencing us, and our letting him gain power over us in our minds and hearts?

He doesn’t want us out doing good works for God and he will do anything to stop us!  Our doubts and fears hold us back as we remember our past mistakes.  He uses them against us to convince us we are not good enough, smart enough or worthy enough to do what God has called us to do.

In Pastor’s message, this week, about the Shield of Faith – he said, “when Fear surrounds you and holds you into your little box – Remember the Faith you have in God and be freed from the Fear box”.

God has graciously done this for me over the past few years.  I used to sit at home feeling safe and secure. I was afraid to go out, and get involved, and afraid of what might happen to me and my family.  I had let these fears grow deeper over the years until they had made me useless.  And that is how I felt.

As my faith in God grew stronger, I gave more of  myself over to God, he gently encouraged me to venture out, and meet people.  He helped me find other believers to talk to and pray with.  This helped me to feel more confident and see what I am able to do with God’s help.

We can’t let the enemy stop us from doing what God is calling us to do.

No matter where we are in our faith journey we can each do something right where we are.  The struggles we went through last year may help us to understand and help someone else who may be facing the same struggles.  Blessing others through our prayers and kindness is something we all can do.

Dear God, our Heavenly Father and Almighty Creator,

Thank you for your gift of grace and for saving us through faith.

Thank you for freeing us from our fears.

Thank you for creating us in Christ Jesus to do good works.

Please show each of us Lord, the good works that you have prepared for us to do.  Help us each to serve you with joyful hearts and do our best for your honor and glory, Amen.

Patrice

7.7.2014 Where is your Faith?

Dear Heavenly Father,   You are our creator and you have given us life. Your words are powerful and can create something from nothing. Thank you for loving us. Help us to quiet our minds for the next few minutes to dwell on you and your life giving words. Teach us the truths you have for each of us from this passage. In Jesus name we pray, Amen Hebrews 11:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

² This is what the ancients were commended for.

³ By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

What is Faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us faith is being sure that the things we hope for will happen and knowing something is real even if we cannot see it because we trust the one who told us.   In order to have faith we must trust the one we are putting our faith in. Truth is the bases of trust. We must believe the person who tells us something is reliable. If we don’t trust a person we will not believe him. We can trust the things we see but we must trust the promise maker to have faith in what he says. The people mentioned in Hebrews 11 were commended for their faith because they trusted God and His promises and lived their lives like the promise was true. They never saw the fulfillment of the promise yet they had faith in God to do what He said. They gained God’s approval because of their faith.

How do we get faith? The Bible tells us in Romans 10:17.

¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

When we read the Bible we see the promises God made to His people. Some of the promises have been fulfilled and because of that we can trust God’s faithfulness and that He will fulfill the rest of his promises. God is unchanging, His words are true, and His promises are always fulfilled. We have faith in God when we believe His promises.

At the beginning of the year I choose a word to pray for the year. I choose the word contentment. Through time in His word God has shown me that to have contentment I must trust Him and His promises. I needed to determine if I would find contentment in my surroundings or in God. Do I trust Him completely in all things? I can have peace, joy, hope and contentment through Jesus and anything else is empty. Jesus has won the war with Satan. As Pastor said yesterday All our battles are winnable because of Jesus. God has promised to be with me and to give me all I need.   I need to take my eyes off of the glitter of the world and focus on the truths and promises of Jesus to find contentment, peace, joy and hope. Regardless of what the world says I can choose to have faith and believe Jesus’ promises. I have no reason not to be content.

Where is your faith?

Is it on Jesus or your circumstances?

Do you need a fresh faith focused on the truths and promises of Jesus?

Dear Heavenly Father,   Thank you that you have given us everything we need to have complete trust and faith in you. Thank you for the assurance that you always keep your promises. Help us keep our focus on you to find fulfillment and contentment. You are trustworthy and have won the battle for us. Thank you for being with us, loving us and giving us all we need. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Charleen

7.3.14 Rejoice in the Hope!

Thursday, July 3, 2014 Rejoice in the Hope

Good morning. May the meditations of hearts be lead by Jesus, now and throughout our day.

Romans 5:1-5

The New King James Version (NKJV)

5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The Message (MSG)

5 ^1-2 By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

^3-5 There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Wow…the expectations of our heavenly Father, for you and me, afforded to us through faith in the Son and brought to reality in our lives by way of His love and mercy…His grace! I think that’s what Pastor would have us characterize as Big”T” Truth!...and through grace we have access to the Father…to be in relationship with Him…through the doors of our lives being opened by way of Christ..opened to the fullness of life, basking in the glory of God the Father through His doorway…which was always open. Thank you Jesus!

The part about standing really caught my attention this morning. Especially in relation to where we are in Pastor’s message series in Eph. 6 “Stand firm then..” and what all that entails.

You see, how Paul describes “standing firm” is not how the world or satan would have us see it…much less experience it. In this world of instant gratification that we live in, we want to get right to the “hope” part, and then define that hope based on how we feel at the moment. But our heavenly Father’s expectations for his children is much, much bigger than that. The hope that you and I have is brought to and amplified in our lives through patience, perseverance, and good character that is forged in the true virtues of Christ...by way of his sufferings and grace, we get to live a life of expectancy each and every day. So, together, let’s suit up and ask…What do you have for me this day, Lord?...and let’s do it with the assurance that in our sufferings we can “…rejoice in hope of the glory of God”.

Sure would like to hear from you.

Blessings to you and yours,

jim

7.2.14 Jesus is the Way to the Father!

Jesus is the Way to the Father  

Heavenly Father, thank you for this time we have together.  I thank You for the many blessings You’ve poured into my life, known and unknown, and praise You for the work you’ve begun in me.  Quiet my mind and thoughts, that I can hear only You.  Amen.

John 14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

In this age of information, we are hearing more and more about the world’s faith life.  Do they believe in God?  Do they believe in “our” God?  I have heard many people declare that we mustn’t judge other people’s “gods” – how do we know their god isn’t the same as ours?  Well, to me, these verses make it very clear.  To be called a true Christian, we must believe not only in God the Father, but we must believe in God the Son, Jesus.  It reminds me of some conversations I had two years ago.

I had the honor of sharing God’s Word in Kitengela, Kenya two years ago.  Our group was there operating a vision clinic – we examined people’s eyes, and determined if they needed glasses.  One of the “stations” at the clinic was called “triage”, where we would share the Gospel with Kenyans and pray with them.  We would sit and talk (sometimes through a translator, either a Kenyan pastor or “vicar”), and we would ask them if they believed they were going to heaven.  We also gave them a coin that had the verse, John 3:16, on it in English on one side and Swahili on the other.  Sometimes they were uncertain about going to heaven, and they would say, “Well, I think so”, or “I hope so”.  I would ask them why they were uncertain, and they would tell me about their troubles in life – a shaky marriage, or children addicted to drugs, or unemployment.  I would ask them to read the coin, and then ask, “Does it say “For God so loved the word that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever “has a perfect marriage” or “is rich” or “has successful children” or “has a great job” has eternal life? J  They would smile and say no, the verse says that we must believe that God gave His Son as a sacrifice for us.  I would hug them (and usually cry), and then we would pray and take their personal challenges to Jesus’ feet.

We must daily do the same, remembering that God sent His Son for us – it is nothing we do that that secures life in heaven with Him except our faith in Jesus, his sacrifice, and his resurrection.

Heavenly Father, please send your Holy Spirit to remind me daily that Jesus is the only way to you.  Make me bold as I walk through this life to share this simple but profound truth.  We thank You and we praise You for this gift of love and grace.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

kristi

*Spoiler Alert! The Devil Lies!*

Our Scripture for today is John 8: 31 & 32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

How easily do you fall for a lie? Do you sniff them out easily, or are you more likely to want to see the good and try to believe what someone is telling you could be true? Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to believe people have the best of intentions. It is when that wanting overshadows common sense and our hearts or spirits get damaged by someone’s deceit. When we are lied to enough we are in danger of that lie becoming truth in our lives; we might reason, “He/she keeps saying that…maybe it is true. Maybe I really am (insert lie here).

The flip side of that coin is never believing the truth. Sometimes we have been hurt so badly we are skeptical of everyone and everything. We might think, “Oh heck no, I will never let anyone close to me again! He/she/they taught me that I can’t trust anyone!” We all fall into each category at different times in our lives, it seems.

Jesus is telling us, without question or hesitation, in our verses today that He IS Truth and He WILL set us free from the lies and hurts we gather as we travel through life. We have to commit to spending time in His Word, getting to know Him. The New Testament is filled with stories of Jesus’ love, His perfect and complete Love, which He shares readily with us! The “formula” is so simple: Read the Bible, talk with Jesus in prayer, really get to know His heart and follow Him!

The thing is there is a 3rd party throwing a wrench into the works keeping us out of our Bibles when he can. He is our enemy; he hates us with venom we cannot even begin to comprehend. He is a devil, his name is Satan, and he is real. Satan is so hostile toward us and God that he will do anything to make us believe we are NOT loved by God – he will lie, trick us, break our hearts, steal our joy…anything it takes to get us to believe God’s Love isn’t for us. The devil’s joy comes through our heartache and pain – he is the father of lies (John 8: 44).

However, Satan cannot stand in the presence of God; he will never be welcomed where God is Present. Ask God to be present with you every morning, spend even a few minutes in His Word, and communicate with Him throughout the day - Satan will have no choice but to flee! Below I will add an excerpt from the Daily Prayer by John Eldredge that Pastor has mentioned many times in worship. It is a truly transformational prayer!

Let Jesus love on you today; God delights in His kids (that’s you and me, by the way) and wants our attention, as well as to lavish us with His attention! What better way to say, “I love you, Jesus! You are my Truth, my Light, my Everything!” than to share space in our hearts and minds with Him?

Blessings friends, Jennifer

A Daily Prayer by John Eldredge

My dear Lord Jesus, I come to you now to be restored in you - to renew my place in you, my allegiance to you, and to receive from you all the grace and mercy I so desperately need this day. I honor you as my sovereign Lord, and surrender every aspect of my life totally and completely to you. I give you my body as a living sacrifice; I give you my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and I give you my spirit as well. I cover myself with your blood –my spirit, my soul, and my body. And I ask your Holy Spirit to restore my union with you, seal me in you, and guide me in this time of prayer. In all that I now pray, I include (my spouse, and/or my children, by name). Acting as their head, I bring them under my authority and covering, and I come under your authority and covering. Holy Spirit, apply to them all that I now pray on their behalf.

Dear God, holy and victorious Trinity, you alone are worthy of all my worship, my heart’s devotion, all my praise and all my trust and all the glory of my life. I worship you, bow to you, and give myself over to you in my heart’s search for life. You alone are Life, and you have become my life. I renounce all other gods, all idols, and I give you the place in my heart and in my life that you truly deserve. I confess here and now that it is all about you, God, and not about me. You are the Hero of this story, and I belong to you. Forgive me, God, for my every sin. Search me and know me and reveal to me any aspect of my life that is not pleasing to you, expose any agreements I have made, and grant me the grace of a deep and true repentance.

6.30.14 "Dead to Sin! Alive through Christ!"

Colossians 2:13-15 ¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made youalive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Several images came to mind for me while reading this passage.  First, the story of Dorian Gray, the timeless literary piece about a young man blessed with stunning good looks which eventually consumed him.  As the story goes at the time of his prime Dorian sat for a portrait that managed to capture his incredible likeness.  Dorian became depressed when faced with the truth (little “t” as Pastor put in the sermon yesterday) that the picture would always be stunning, but he would eventually age and die.  In the flesh he wished with all his heart that it could be he that remained handsome and ageless while the portrait took on the inevitable.  In the story, the wish was granted and with no consequences for his actions, Dorian went on to live a life of unspeakable sin, crime, and decadence, sneaking glimpses occasionally of the portrait which of course hideously bore the weight of his deeds.  But ultimately, all that sin was transferred from the portrait to the flesh and the well-deserved consequences for Dorian’s choices was a very painful end.   How would you respond if suddenly there were no consequences for your actions?  Would your choices be different than those of the character Dorian Gray?  Would GOD forgive?

The second image is one that has become an Ash Wednesday tradition at PoG.  If you look very closely at the cross displayed at the left front of the sanctuary of the church you will notice it is covered with holes, more specifically nail holes.  Part of the PoG Ash Wednesday tradition involves a station that allows participants to reflect on their sins, write them down on a piece of paper, and nail them to that cross.   That cross is indeed holy but are our sins really transferred to that cross?

Laboring very intently just under the surface of both these images is what Pastor calls the 3^rd party.  The story of Dorian Gray is particularly dark with the presence of a force encouraging selfish indulgence and wickedness.  On the faces of those of us who sit at that station on Ash Wednesday and contemplate what we’ve done and what we’ve left undone is the question why?  Why do we do these things?  Indeed we too have been encouraged to participate in the wiles of the flesh.  But, does GOD forgive?

The message of this passage provides the answer and the answer is good news.  We are most certainly forgiven, no matter how bad, no matter how many times!  Think of the toy “Etch a Sketch” which allows you to create drawings on a slate using knobs and by just flipping it over and shaking it, all of the drawings are gone!  The slate is clean, no matter how bad, no matter how many times.  We simply cannot out sin the grace of our GOD through the sacrifice of HIS Son JESUS CHRIST!

Great and Magnificent GOD of the universe we thank and praise YOU this Monday morning no matter where we are, no matter what the situation.  Remind us that we need not fear or worry because YOU have already handled the consequences; YOU are in charge of the day.  Put us in that place LORD that ensures us of YOUR mighty presence and most importantly, YOUR incredible love!  In CHRIST name we pray. Amen.

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 70

1 Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me. 2 May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. 3 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” turn back because of their shame. 4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!” 5 But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.

Share your thoughts! What is God saying to you today?

A Crafty Serpent

The scripture for today is Genesis 3: 1-7 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Dictionary.com defines the word crafty as “skillful in underhand or evil schemes; cunning; deceitful; sly”.  As I picture the serpent slithering toward Eve, I hear the hiss of his voice, sense the plotting mind seeking to destroy her precious relationship with God through subtly twisting and distorting the truth.  Note how subtly he questions her – “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Eve replied that they could eat from the trees in the garden, just not the one in the middle.  If they touched it, they would die.  The serpent then tells Eve that they won’t die; instead they will become knowledgeable of good and evil, like God.  Notice how sly the serpent is, using her desire for knowledge and power to deceive her into disobedience.

Just like Eve, we are vulnerable to the serpent, Satan.  He knows enough about our sinful natures to craft lies and deception that feed right into our weaknesses.  In his book, “Gods at War”, Pastor Kyle Idleman teaches that we all have a God-shaped hole that can only be filled by God. When we seek to fill that hole with something other than God; pleasure (food, sex, entertainment), power (success, money, achievement), and love (romance, family, me) – we are allowing our sinful nature to lead us into idolatry and away from the Father who loves us.

Pastor preaches on an unholy trinity – our sinful nature, the world, and the forces of evil. This was a new teaching for me and I have found myself reflecting on that teaching since I heard it.

Satan is the prince of this world and the world is full of his deception.  We are bombarded with images and advertising that tell us that we must be beautiful, wealthy, famous, and educated; we must have the fancy car, clothes, and house; we deserve the latest electronic gadgets, the vacation of a lifetime, and the most fulfilling job.  Our sinful nature and its tendency toward idolatry are fed by the world around us.  Satan, the force of evil, is so clever.  He recognizes our desire for status, knowledge, and power – the human tendency to want to be gods of our own lives.  He then uses our sinful nature and human frailty to create lies – lies that destroy our relationship with God, with ourselves, with our families, with our friends and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Rather than focusing on our value as a beloved child of God, made in his own image, we focus on the lie that we aren’t successful enough, beautiful enough, talented enough, and powerful enough, etc.

Father, I pray that I can take up YOUR armor, put it on and stand confidently against the powers of evil.  Remind me each day that I am YOUR precious child, washed clean by the blood of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am “enough” – I do not have to conform to the value that the sinful world around me places on me.  My enemy, Satan, is a defeated enemy.  In YOUR Son, I am victorious against the powers and principalities of this world.

 Kelly

6.26.14 "Devour!"

Welcome to the PoG blog! The scripture for today is 1 Peter 5: ⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

"Devour" is a powerful word!  It is like we discussed on Sunday in the message at PoG, "The evil one is relentless and conscienceless!"  The idea that there is an enemy out there that is prowling around seeking to devour me and those important to me - well that is a little shocking.  It seems Peter wants to get our attention with this comment!

My mind goes to yesterday's scripture when Jesus said, "...the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy..."!

Devour...destroy... this enemy is real and relentless!  I think Peter and Jesus want me to first of all take this enemy seriously.

Secondly, Peter and Jesus want me to take the resources I have at my disposal and use them in the battle!  The good news is that I can "resist him, standing firm in the faith, knowing I am not alone but fellow believers around the world are fighting as well and that God will restore me and make me strong, firm and steadfast."

If I take the battle seriously then I have to take God's solution seriously!  It is only God's weapons and resources that will work.

As I write this I am feeling a little attacked.  I sense the enemy trying to steal joy, devour hope, kill love and destroy relationships today!  Right now I am rising up to believe - to stand firm in the faith - to trust that Jesus has conquered him and that in His Name I can resist the devil.  "In the name of Jesus I come against Satan and all forces of evil that are trying to mess around with me and my family today.  I come under the reign of Jesus in this moment and declare the kingdom of God, the rule and reign of Jesus over my life - my body, soul and spirit, my heart mind and will!  I stand firm in my faith in Jesus in this moment! Amen" 

I want to get better and better at resisting the devil and standing firm in the faith in every aspect of my life! I look forward to growing as a soldier in the battle!  In Jesus I can become stronger and more firm and steadfast!

What about you?  How is the battle going?

Please share!

delton

6.25.14 "What tempts us to turn away from Jesus?"

Dear Heavenly Father,   You alone are God and you alone are the Giver of all life. Dear Lord, quiet our thoughts and open our hearts to help us fully focus on you.   Teach each of us Lord, the truths we need to learn from this passage and show us how to use it in our life.

In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

John 10:7-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus tells us in this passage that He is not only our Shepherd, who leads us, provides for us and protects us He is the door we go through to join the flock and to have Jesus as our own Shepherd.  Then He warns us that there is a thief that comes to steal and kill and destroy the abundant life He promises.  Satan stole the abundant life Adam and Eve had in the Garden with God.  Satan enticed them with lies and they chose to yield to the lies and believe they could have a better life.  He does the same thing to us.  He tempts us with the “bling” of the world like houses, cars, travel, money, status and more.  We can choose to listen to Satan and believe our life will be better if we have them.  However, in trying to achieve them we lose the abundant life Jesus promises such as time to spend with Him, our relationships with our spouse, children, parents, and others Jesus has placed in our live.  We struggle to get to the top, to achieve success in the world’s eyes, and lose our peace and joy and feel abandoned and alone.

There was a book I read years ago called Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus.  It is a story about 2 caterpillars who observed many other caterpillars crawling somewhere so they followed to see where everyone was going.  Then, they saw it, a huge caterpillar column rising so high the top was lost in the clouds. All the caterpillars were trying to get to the top but they did not know what was at the top because it was lost in the clouds.  Finally the one called Strip could take it no more.  He had to know what was at the top so he left everything and started to climb.  But, when he got to the top, nothing was there.  Then flying around him, as a beautiful butterfly, was his friend Yellow who he had left behind.

Jesus offers us the abundant, joy-filled, peace-filled, love-filled life with Him.  He is faithful.  He will do everything He has promised and He will never ever leave us.  He never promised us an easy life but He does promise us that He will always be with us through everything and that we will have abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven.  We have the choice just as Adam and Eve did.

When I made the choice in my life to let the plans I had made, since I was a little girl, go and reach out and trust Jesus with what He had planned for my life it changed.  I had a purpose and a job to do that I loved.  I have been blessed by that choice beyond what I ever deserved and have had joy and love poured out on me.  God told me to trust Him with my dreams and He promised me that I would find fulfillment in Him.  He never filled my dreams that I started with but changed them, over time, to His.  I am very thankful that I stepped out of myself and reached out and accepted His calling for my life.  I would have missed sooooo many benefits and blessings.

What is God asking you to choose between?

How is Satan trying to tempt you and steal the abundant life Jesus promises now and for eternity?

Dear Lord Jesus,   We thank you for your faithfulness to us.  Thank you for the abundant life you have promised us.  Forgive us for not turning to you with every decision we have. We love you and desire to choose the plans you have for us and not the bling of the world Satan offers.  Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and keep Satan from our thoughts and our decisions.  Thank you for your love, for your, peace and for your joy that you give us every day.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Charleen

“The Lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”  

2 Thessalonians 3:3

6.24.14 "Healing Cloths and Standing Against Evil"

Acts 19:11-16

11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,  12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.  They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches,  I command you to come out.”  14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priests, were doing this.  15 One day the evil spirit answered them,  “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”  16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.  He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 

The first thing that catches my attention is that people are being healed and set free from demons just by touching the cloth that Paul touched!  Wow!

I don’t remember reading or hearing this story before!

It is so incredible and unbelievable,  that I don’t want to believe;  but I do believe it, because it was written by Paul,  and by the power of the Holy Spirit, who helped him to make an account of all that he experienced and witnessed.

If  we believe that the Bible is God’s Holy Word, and that it is all true then this story that Paul shares is true.

The second part of this story is also true about the sons of the chief priest attempting to drive an evil spirit out of a man, and the evil spirit spoke to them and then attacked them!  That sounds like a horror movie!  Why didn’t it work for them?  What did they do wrong?

In Matthew 9:22  A woman is healed just by touching the hem of Jesus’s robe and he tells her it is because of her faith that she was healed.

I think that the sons of Sceva, had no faith in Jesus as God’s Son, they had no faith in the Holy Spirit, therefore the Holy Spirit was not with them to protect them from the demon-possessed man.

In yesterdays, blog we read that we need the full armor of God to protect us from the enemy.

And as Pastor said in his message this week,  we are not strong enough on our own to stand against the evil one.

This is because our holes and brokenness make us vulnerable to evil.

I let down my guard when I don’t pray, then I go about my day with my own thoughts and feelings leading me along, and not really paying attention to what God is telling me to do.

I let doubts come in when I’m not in the word regularly. I forget the message he has for me in his word.  I sometimes doubt that it is true and that God is real.

I give the enemy a foothold when I give into my emotions and let them control me and my actions.    By the grace and protection of the Lord I have been spared many times from many dangers all around me.

It only takes a second of  taking my focus off of  Jesus,  to get turned around, to feel defeated and to want to give up.   That’s what Satan wants us to do.

But when I call on Jesus, he is there right beside me.  With Jesus I can stand against evil.  With Jesus I feel peace and I am strengthened in my spirit, because of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me.

Evil is real and we need to recognize it when it invades our space!

But we do not have to fall victim to it!

In the Name of Jesus we stand against the enemy and all the evil that he tries to attack us with.

Dear Lord

We need you, and we ask you to protect us from the enemy by reminding us to stay close to you each day through prayer, through reading your word and in fellowship with other believers who encourage us in our faith.   Amen.

6.23.14 "The Armor of God"

Ephesians 6:10-13 The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Not really having a reason why, I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. It wasn’t because something happened or that I was feeling ill or anything, just something that came over me and felt like it was holding me, my spirit, and my will hostage to my bed. Only through prayer did I finally manage to roll myself out of bed and start walking around. It was so hard, even after I got up, to stay up and then to begin to get ready for the day.

And then I read the scripture I’d be blogging about today. WOW! Talk about a moment when scripture really deals with something that is happening in the now! It amazes me how scripture can never be outdated because it’s so relevant to our every day. Especially this one! This one literally speaks to our every day walk in this world because putting on the armor of God is something we need to do daily.

I remember this scripture as being one of the first I heard when I started going to church. I carried a lot of baggage in that building with me! I wasn’t a Christian until 5 years ago, so I had a lot on my heart when I first came to Point of Grace. Pastor mentioned on Sunday about the Winning Against Evil series he preached on 5 years ago. That was the series that had started when I first came, and he was right - it was an immensely powerful series. Literally life changing for me! Between that series and the Alpha course, I came to have this understanding of Jesus in a way no one ever told me about before. So for God to even out my day from the evil I was powerless against in the morning, to the peak of understanding I needed today, all with this little, but powerful passage, I’m so grateful.

Have you ever had scripture stand out to you when you really needed it to speak to your situation? Please share!!

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of Your love and of Your power every day. I pray for the strength to walk through this day, and every day remembering to suit up in Your armor and to not be afraid. With You, in You, I am not powerless. I love you so much! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Toni

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 32: 1-7

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. 6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Share your thoughts! What is God saying to you today?

6.20.14 "FATHER Knows Best!"

1 Peter 5:5-7 ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

It was a warm and humid day in early June, not unlike those we’ve had around here lately.  School had just let out and I was feeling pretty good about myself.  I had made it through my sophomore year of high school, managed to get a great little job for the summer, and had achieved some independence via the purchase of my first vehicle, a very old but to me a very awesome VW Beatle.  Life was good and since I had a couple of days before I started my summer job I decide to drive down to the local soda shop and spend a few hours hanging out with my friends.  I remember finding my Mom in the backyard removing some sheets from the clothes line (Yeah it was that long ago).  I told her about my plans and she got that look.  You know the one, the Mom one.  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she said.  “Storm’s coming.”  Alls I could see was just a few fat puffy white clouds in the sky, nothing at all serious.  So then I got that look.  You know the one, the kid one.  “I won’t be long, promise,” I pleaded. She relented but not before warning me to be vigilant in watching the sky and to keep the visit short.

About half way through my double chocolate chip milk shake a serious clap of thunder rattled the windows of the old soda shop and flickered the lights.  It was only then that I noticed how dark the sunny afternoon had turned.  I had forgotten all about the time, but now I could hear my Mom’s voice in my head.  It began to pour just as I got inside the car and as I made my way home the wind and torrent intensified tossing the car around like a toy.  Still I was only slightly agitated that I had not heeded my Mom’s warning.  That all changed when the hail began to fall and just as my agitation grew to anger the rain and hail suddenly stopped.   In that instance I heard the warning siren go off and looked in my rearview mirror into a swirling mass of total darkness.  Now I felt a different emotion swelling up as I realized what it was that I had just seen.  I floored the little car and zoomed around tree branches and trash cans being tossed around in my path like paper cups.   Refusing to look back in the rearview mirror my concentration was on one thing, getting home.  I remember turning onto my block and only then realizing that it had stopped raining and it seemed to be relatively calm.  I had driven out of the storm and it had tracked away from my neighborhood.  In the distance I could see our house and there she was standing on the front porch looking and waiting…Mom.

I thought about that late spring day when I read the passage for today.  There was no Doppler or Satellite images back then, yet she knew.  Mom was a small woman and I towered over her but when she embraced me as arrived back home I felt tiny in her arms, stupid, and so very safe.  Smaller still under the massive storm cloud and so blessed when I saw the damage it caused and how fortunate I was to escape it.  Our GOD has wonderfully arranged the order of things to work in our best interest and to HIS great glory even when we think we know better.  This passage also reminds me of the title of an old TV show that seems appropriate, “FATHER Knows Best”!

Heavenly FATHER we thank and praise YOU for this day and for the opportunity to share YOUR awesome love and power with the world.  When the storms come, give us YOUR gracious understanding and grant us confidence and peace in the midst of it all.  Remind us that we have nothing to fear because of who we are and because of who YOU are.  In Christ name we pray!  AMEN

Jim L.

6.20.14 "Submission, Respect and Humility"

We are blessed with two blogs today! What a treat!

1 Peter 5:5-6

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Submission, Respect and humility

As I write today’s blog, it’s 4am in the morning and I’m in my room in the 31^st floor of a downtown Tokyo hotel.  Correspondingly, at the top of my mind is Japan and work.  I can’t help but apply these verses from 1 Peter to what I’ve recently learned about the Japanese culture and what I’ve learned over the years about humility at work and in life.

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders.

One of the strengths of Japanese culture is the tradition of respect for the elderly.  Every year on the 3^rd Monday in September, Japan has a national holiday called “Respect for the Aged” Day to celebrate and honor its elderly citizens, to recognize their contributions to society, and to celebrate their long lives.  In Japanese multi-generational families the elderly hold places of honor and respect.  While they don’t always live up to this ideal (just look at who’s sitting and who’s standing on a typical subway), most do profess to value and respect the elderly.  This is a wonderful example of acting on Peter’s advice.

^5b All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

The definition in Wikipedia says “Humility is variously seen as the act or posture of lowering oneself in relation to others …”.  Being humble - - how difficult that is sometimes.  Worldly thinking is that the way to succeed is to do great things and to get recognized for it.  “See me!”  “Be like me!” “I am the greatest!” are common attitudes among the celebrities and athletes that are so admired in our culture.  However, this attitude is contrary to biblical teaching.  Humility is the way.  As examples, in whatever task you take you take on; do so without fanfare, without excessive pride or vanity.  Simply do the best job you can.  Take on tasks that no one else wants to do.  Be open to new ideas … no matter how long you’ve “been around”, you probably don’t know everything.  Listen to everyone as if they mattered.  When you succeed, be sure to share that success with others.  I believe that this humble approach to work will lead to a success both in life and in your career … and in a manner more consistent with biblical teaching.

Blessings, jdh

My First Job in a Varied Career

The Scripture for today is Ephesians 6: 5-9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.  Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

  And masters, treat your slaves in the same way.  Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

I vividly remember my first job.  I was fourteen years old and worked at Bruno’s Little Italy, an Italian restaurant in Little Rock, AR.  Most of the time, I bussed tables.  Bussing tables is not glamorous work.  I didn’t really enjoy cleaning up soiled dishes and linens, wiping down the table and booth or worst of all, cleaning up after a tiny tot’s spaghetti dinner.  That job required plenty of elbow grease – it is amazing how much spaghetti ended up heaped on the floor and smeared all over the high chair, not to mention on the little person.  However, to the waiter or waitress whose tips provided their livelihood, it was critical that I do a good job and do it quickly so that the table could be sat with another group of paying customers.  At the end of a long night of bussing, my feet ached, I smelled faintly of marinara sauce and to be honest, I just wanted to go home and tumble into bed.   Although the work was tiring and demanding, the servers that I bussed tables for were kind and generous.  In exchange for helping keep their tables clean and ready as soon as possible, they shared a small percentage of the tips they received.  For a fourteen year old kid working for the first time, this was a very good example of the importance of team work, cooperation and service.  In addition, the family that owned the restaurant was kind, generous, and compassionate.  Our evening shifts began with a freshly prepared meal served family style.  Patience and courtesy were modeled – even when things didn’t go smoothly or mistakes were made by the employees.  Discipline was administered fairly – you were held accountable to do your work, however, they never berated their employees.

As I reflected back on Delton’s teaching on Sunday and thought about the “slave and master” relationship that the apostle Paul taught the early church, I realized how my early experiences as a teenager working for the first time illustrated this relationship.  My job was to work hard (even when no one was looking); to demonstrate respect for the customers, my co-workers and employers; and to follow the directions that I was given.  My employers’ job was to treat me with kindness, administer discipline fairly, and to pay the wage that was promised.

I have had many jobs since that first one and find that this wise and practical teaching has applied to all of them.  I have been in leadership roles as well as subordinate roles.  I have had glamorous jobs and jobs that weren’t so glamorous.  As a Christ-follower, I can’t control the actions of those around me but I can respect my employer and submit my will to their authority.  I can have a sincere heart that genuinely desires their success and that of the rest of the organization.   I can serve with joy and gladness, remembering that I have the privilege as a child of God to serve my Lord each day in my home and vocation.  I can seek opportunities to mentor, counsel, comfort, serve, and teach others in addition to my professional duties.

     Father, I ask you today to bless the work of my hands.  Give me a servant heart to love and encourage others; wisdom and discernment to determine where you are working and where I might join you; energy and enthusiasm to carry out my duties to the very best of my ability and humility to honor and obey those placed in authority over me.  I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus.  Amen

Kelly

6.16.14 “A Counter-Cultural Calling”

The Scripture for today is Ephesians 6: 1-4 Children, obey your parents as believers in the Lord. Obey them because it’s the right thing to do.2 Scripture says, “Honor your father and mother.” That is the first commandment that has a promise.3 “Then things will go well with you. You will live a long time on the earth.” (Deuteronomy 5:16)

4 Fathers, don’t make your children angry. Instead, train them and teach them the ways of the Lord as you raise them.   

The last two Sundays, Pastor has taught on passages from Ephesians and Colossians regarding submitting and obeying.  In our culture today, those words are hard to hear and hard to act on.  Our culture and freedom says it’s great to get everything we want and it’s ok to do whatever we want, whenever we want.  Our culture today is all about us...and that makes the word “humility”, hard to swallow.  Even in the culture these words were written in, the words submit, obey, humble yourselves, and serve were hard to live by and understand because of the way women, children, slaves, and the poor & sick were looked upon.  And yet the “counter-cultural” Jesus, set a new standard of living for us through submission, service, love, sincerity, inclusion for all, and no favoritism.  This new way of living, although to some may seem weak, offers true freedom and strength for those who trust Jesus and live according to this calling.

There’s a reason why Jesus calls us to this higher standard of living with each other.  Power and domination breeds more power and domination.  It squelches out love and respect for others and leaves our families and relationships empty and unfulfilling and broken.  I used to be over-sensitive to the passage about wives submitting to husbands.  It felt old and out of date to think about submitting or obeying my husband...and it scared me because I felt like I would lose my identity or my voice if I submitted.  I alsoI have a rebellious nature about me, which doesn’t help!  But I realized through study and teaching and life, that submitting means none of that.  Submitting is respect and doesn’t rob me of anything...but instead offers something strong and encouraging to my husband and confirms my identity in Christ which is the most important identity I have.  Out of my submission (respect) to my husband, flows love and appreciation back to me from him.  It’s a win/win situation and God knows that we work that way because He created us to work that way.  It brings unity!

Today’s passage is about children obeying and honoring their parents.  It’s a hard thing to do with peer pressure and temptations being so strong in our society. Its more likely a child will honor parents if they see respect and humility at home, so I want my children to see me honoring their father.  I have grown children - all out of the home, but it’s just as important they see us living out this higher calling now, than it was 10 years ago when they were home. We are still training up our children even though they are adults now.  It will be a continuous process as long as we are alive, which makes these passages about  submission, honor, respect and love, even more powerful and fresh everyday!

Father, help me to be humble.  Help me to submit to you and your authority on marriage and relationships.  Help me to trust you fully and to submit to Mark as my husband and family leader on earth, for his sake, for our children’s sake, for my sake, and for your Glory! Use this counter-cultural way of life to set an example for others and to lead them to you.

How does this passage speak to you today?  What goes through your mind as you read and contemplate God’s word’s through Paul?

Denise

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog!Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Share your thoughts! What is God saying to you today?