The House You're Building

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1-7 God's purposes: calls apostles set apart for the gospel brings promises to pass tells us things in His word declares in the power of the Spirit bring about faith in His name This is my purpose.  To see everyday that my calling is clear.  To ...

I Thessalonians 5 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. This weekend I just returned from a shopping trip with some of my best friends.  This group and I head down to Portland every year for Christmas shopping and in general, a break the responsibilities of motherhood.  We rent a hotel and enjoy good food and goo...

Galatians 4:23  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 5:4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. There are two camps in my heart; one who wants to try and fulfill God's requirements of holiness through human effort and one who will take a promise He made to save me.   Everyday I must come to Him and remember that I am free, or I will live like a slave.  Any attempt to justify myself by the law will separate me from Christ and cause a plummet from Grace.  Why would I ever want to leave grace?  It is the enjoyment of relationship, the enjoyment of peace, where I can be at rest.  If I am tempted to ...

Last night I was with a group of parents at my daughter's soccer party.  She has played with this team for a few seasons now and I've begun to develop some relationships.  Largely though, we know surface level facts about each other.  In a gathering like this, you really only get to talk to the people next to you.  Work, the holidays, the weather...all safe topics.  I'm not really one who thrives in this kind of environment; I sometimes don't know what to say... One thing I noticed that in all the conversations, everyone was mentioning how busy they were.  From blue collar work to the legislative branch (I was sitting between a truck driver and a lawyer), everyone has the same reaction to the pace of middle-class pace of life.  Last night when my husband got home at 9 from another late meeting, we were talking about how every season is busy.  Fall, school starts and sports.  Then the holidays come-pretty soon it's spring and with sports ...

John 18 6 When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go." 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one." Matthew 24 26 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?" 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled. In the garden, when the hour of darkness had come (Luke 22:53), when the betrayer was among Him, on His mind was to fulfill the scriptures.  In fact the words He speaks are scripture.  When He says He is the great "I AM" of Exodus in the burning bush (Exodus 3) they fall to the ground.  The...