Archive for August, 2010
Happy Birthday
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Blog-Wise Wednesday.23
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
It’s Blog-Wise Wednesday - the day I link to a guest post that I believe will challenge you in a good way.
We’re growing wise together.
This week’s post is by Lyn Smith at Lynsmith.org. Whenever I read Lyn’s blog posts, I am drawn to God. What a powerful thing to be able to say about a person’s writing. I like Lyn even though I haven’t met her (maybe someday?). I suspect she’s the real deal – you can tell by the way she steps up to the plate and challenges us to love God and people more actively. This week I’m featuring her post, God vs. Your Sacred Cow (I love that title don’t you?). It’s a straight shooter entry that should cause you to ask the Holy Spirit how you’re doing. Not how you think you’re doing. How you’re really doing.
Got any thoughts on Sacred Cows?
In Lyn’s own words:
A native of C
alifornia, Lyn accepted the Lord into her life at the age of seven. While growing up in a warm, loving Christian home, she experienced the deep wounds of sexual abuse. ”In the midst of a lot of pain and confusion, the one thing God gave me was the haven and safety of the church.” In elementary and middle school, Lyn learned to find comfort in her relationship with the Lord as He grew her. Dealing with the trauma of her previous experience with abuse, she began learning what freedom in Christ truly meant, which is why she’s so passionate about sharing this victory with others today. Lyn is now a dynamic bible study leader committed to laying foundational biblical truth in people’s lives to encourage freedom and solid living. For more of her story, go here.
Become Yourself
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010Dance your dance – the way God made you!
We need you to!
That’s what makes community so powerful!
Thanks Gateway Church & Freedom Ministries for your awesome video and your heart to see the world changed!
The Blessing and Favor of the Lord
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
There is something I have noticed in my Christian walk. I call it “The Blessing and Favor of the Lord”. I hesitated to write this post since I am not sure I can fully explain it, and I don’t want to be misunderstood or give a false impression about the Christian life.
But there is something upon me or in me now that makes me different from most other people…special in a very real way. I’ve noticed it. Others have noticed it too and commented to me about it.
God is with me.
I don’t want to give the wrong impression. There is nothing special about me in the natural. I am just a regular person, a sinner with a tendency to mess up, in need of God’s redemption and glad to get it. God said there would be suffering and hardship in life and I’ve had my share of that. Bad circumstances. Pain and suffering. Sin.
And yet, there’s favor on me. God’s favor. I can feel it on me. Other people notice it. It actually rubs off on the people around me, believers and un-believers alike, and I see that they receive benefit from it. I met up with a Christian friend of mine for a camping trip recently. She had already been there for a day or two and the weather had been awful, cold, rainy and muddy. The first thing she said to me when I arrived was, “I know things will get better now that you are here. God is with you”. I laughed that off but her comment stuck with me. It got me pondering this idea.
This thing I’m describing can be found in the scriptures.
The blessing and favor of the Lord rested upon Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph among others in the Bible. During the time of Abraham and Isaac, the King made treaties with both men, even though neither one was a warrior, because he could see that the Lord was with both of these men. The King had seen the Lord’s power and had a healthy respect for these men and did not want to be in conflict with them or cross them in any way. Jacob and Joseph had similar responses from the people around them, due to their association with the Lord.
Genesis 21: 22 says:
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. … so Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a treaty.
Genesis 26: 26 says:
Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to him (Isaac) from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces. Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?”
They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you so we said ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’ – between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you that you will do us no harm”.
Genesis 30: 27 says:
But Laban said to him (Jacob), “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you. He added, “Name your wages and I will pay them”.
Genesis 39: 2 says:
The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
Genesis 39: 20 says:
Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Genesis 50: 26 says:
So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
My study notes say: Ancient Egyptian records indicate that 110 years was considered to be the ideal life span; to the Egyptians this would have signified divine blessing upon Joseph.
It is interesting to note that none of these men had a particularly easy life. There was hardship, conflict, sin etc. And yet, God was with them. They believed God and obeyed Him and God put His favor and blessing on them. Others noticed it, even benefitted from it.
To me, these scriptures show that God is serious about His servants. Serious about enabling them, protecting them, making provision for them, and giving them a platform. It also shows a desire on God’s part to reflect His blessing and goodness on others by way of His servants.
I’ve got a bounce in my step and a prayer of gratitude on my lips. I’ve got the blessing and favor of the Lord on me. What about you?
8/23/10
Monday, August 23rd, 2010Unconditional Surrender
Monday, August 23rd, 2010As I drove into Sarasota, Florida last week, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to come 
upon a 
huge sculpture planted in the middle of a busy boulevard intersection surrounded by high rises and an upscale marina. “Unconditional Surrender” is a twenty six foot statue depicting the famous Alfred Eisenstadt Life Magazine photo taken in Times Square in 1945. The statue was created by noted sculptor Seward Johnson. Eisenstadt never got the names of the original celebrants and more than one nurse and sailor have claimed to be the kissers in the photo. Sarasota became the statue’s original home in 2005, but the kissing couple moved to San Diego for a while before returning in 2008.
In both cities, there have been people who have loved the statue, and those who have vehemently opposed it. Where one person sees meaning and historical significance, another sees a garish, in your face, obnoxious eye sore.
I find this same dichotomy when it comes to faith in Jesus. A person’s perception of Jesus sets their agenda for Him.
Does He carry historical significance and eternal meaning, or is He an annoying larger than life figure that would be best removed from the landscape of life.
Interesting that the statue’s name is “Unconditional Surrender”. Yep. Good name.
Holy Jeans
Saturday, August 21st, 2010Today a random conversation brought back the memory of the day I was mugged at Wal-Mart. It was a couple of years ago at Christmas
time. A crowded parking lot in broad daylight didn’t stop what was about to go down. As I left the store, I passed in front of a car with three young men in it. I looked at the men and a thought passed swiftly through my mind like a chilly breeze on this warm day. “They’re rough”.
I continued to my car, my attention drifting to the people I had invited to my home for dinner that night. As I turned to unload my cart, one of the men came running toward me. “NO” I screamed as he grabbed my purse and took off toward the getaway car I had seen him in earlier. Contrary to everything my parents taught me, I chased him. No thinking twice about it. I went after him, grabbing hold of his shirt as he was jumping into the back seat of the car. The car sped away, dragging me a few feet until I could no longer hold on. The car, my purse, and the three young men disappeared into the Christmas season traffic. I stood up, started crying, and wet my pants.
But it’s what happened next that I remembered today. It’s the important part of this story.
I heard God say something right after it happened.
“I’m more interested in those men than what they just did”, He said.
As soon as He said it, something came over me and settled me down. It must have been grace. It was a weird experience – kind of out of body. Before I knew it, I was praying fervently for those thugs I now call “my boys”.
The jeans I wore that day have become my “holy” jeans, and God did something extraordinary with those pants. He made them a monument to some boys He deeply loves. I kept the pants, and every time I slip them on, I pray for those men. They’ve become my favorite jeans – a crazy other worldly token of the love of a very gracious God for messed up people.
He’s the God who’s more interested in us than what we do.
p.s. Wherever you boys are - give it up. A relentless, loving God is pursuing you!
Siesta Key Video
Friday, August 20th, 2010
Free Hugs Campaign
Thursday, August 19th, 2010My sister and niece reminded me of this campaign last night. I remember being introduced to this message online a while back. It’s so creative – such an example of the spirit of life God has placed in all of us. Juan Mann, the founder of the movement, got it right. When you find yourself alone or depressed, or frightened, or just down - reach out. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Take our one question Free Hugs survey below.
Click here to take survey
Here’s the link for more information on the Free Hugs Campaign.
Blog-Wise Wednesday.22
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
It’s Blog-Wise Wednesday - the day I link to a guest post that I believe will challenge you in a good way.
We’re growing wise together.
I just recently discovered this week’s featured blog. The blog is written by a pastor, and I really like the stuff he brings up for us to think about. Ron Edmondson’s blog - Thoughts on Leadership, Church, and Culture is well written and challenging in it’s scope of topics. The post I’ve chosen this week is actually a guest post on Ed’s blog. Drew Snider , a pastor at Gospel Mission in Vancouver, B.C., Canada raises a relevant question in today’s culture - Should Pastors Perform Marriages for Couples Living Together?
How would you answer?
In Ed’s own words:
Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader. He is passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. He enjoys time with his wife Cheryl and their amazing boys, Jeremy and Nate.
You can find Ed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ronedmondsonand Facebook at www.facebook.com/ronedmondson. Ron’s devotional site is www.mustardseedministry.com and his church is www.gcomchurch.com.
You can find more about Pastor Drew Snider at http://leadership.clarksvillenow.com/category/drew-snider/ and http://revdowntown.blogspot.com/ or follow him on twitter http://twitter.com/drewdsnider.
