The House You're Building

Hi blog readers!  It's been so long since I posted.  I apologize if you've missed my posts but know that this space was always meant for me to be a place to share what God is teaching me when He prompts me to share it with others.  Seems like there are seasons when He has more of that planned.  Rest assured I have been hearing Him speak into my life often, but for whatever reason have not felt called to share it.  So don't worry if you don't hear from me regularly; God willing I'll be back with more of what He speaks when He asks me to share it. Today He asked me to share so here I go... But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.  On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15: 10 ESV  Let's take this a phrase at a time and break it down, reading it slow to suck out everything we can! We are what we are by grace.  Do you e...

Recently I've been going through the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation found in chapters 2 and 3.  This is for us too as though each letter is a word from Jesus, to an angel, and transcribed by the apostle John (Revelation 1: 1-2) and addressed to a single church, the letters end with the phrase "the Spirit says to the churches."  This means that it is news for us even today. Today I read about Smyrna in Revelation 2: 8-11.  As it is so short, I will post it here. 8  “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of  the first and the last,  who died and came to life. 9  “‘I know your tribulation and  your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander [ a ] of  those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10  Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison,  that you may be tested, and for  ten days  you w...

Hi blog readers! Sorry for my extended absence.  I've been doing some new things with women and the Lord and haven't felt His calling to write the past few months as He's had me invested on other things but brought you to mind the last few days so wanted to share some thoughts about dealing with temptation.  Our verse to consider today is: No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and  he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10: 13 One of the groups I am involved in has been looking closely at what the bible says about our sexuality and how to deal with temptation.  Though a lot of what I am studying is connected to sex, these truths about temptation can be applied to any area we struggle in.  So whatever you area of weakness is, I pray that you will find truth and encouragement today to stay s...

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself.  You might be needing forgiveness before the day is out.  Galatians 6:2 MSG Really into the Message translation this year...such a fresh and unique way to hear God's word in a way that speaks to me differently.   I am susceptible to being critical to others.  I judge them in my heart for making different choices than mine.  In part I suppose it's because I have always felt this need to make my own worthiness and have elevated how I think and act to be the "right way."  When you make yourself your God then you have to put all other ways down for yours to be supreme.  When you aren't supreme, you lose worth.  Thus all the ways that aren't mine are wrong, which really isn't true, but it helps me maintain some sort of imaginary significance.   When reading this morning, God showed me a few things.  First that often what I take for ano...

Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace.  2 Corinthians 4:16  MSG Have you ever done origami?  If you get one of those step-by-step unfolding books they can be really  hard to understand.  Though it goes a step at a time, the drawings are two dimensional and it's hard to tell the direction to fold, even with clear illustrations.  It's often puzzling how what you are doing will create the picture you see in the long run. In this verse in 2 Corinthians, Paul describes the Christian life as one big folding puzzle.  On the outside, it's hard to know what God is doing.  It is sometimes impossible to imagine how the circumstances surrounding your life will lead to a beautiful outcome.  Yet because of grace, His well chosen, meticulous work has purpose to create in us something we can see as it unfolds daily.  Ye...

Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.  Proverbs 16:3 MSG When I read this I laughed because moments before reading it I was hoping today's verse (this year instead of reading through the bible I am selecting devotional plans from YouVersion and reading their verse of the day) would give me something to chew on.  Then I read this and was so grateful that God has answered me.  What a reminder of what a personal God He is.  It is probable because the desire to have Him flood my work with His presence and truth today came from His spirit speaking and prepping me for how to walk with Him today.  He is the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2); He will bring His work in our lives to pass. So this one speaks right to the heart because I am a planner.  I fill up our calendar with social events, decide what I'm making in advance before I go grocery shopping--I've even made dinner reservations at restaurants for a tr...

And the Valentine's theme continues...not purposefully...just reading what God is showing and seeing what He has to say. The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out.  But I, GOD, serach the heart and examine the mind.  I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things.  I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.  Jeremiah 17:10. According to this verse, to be lead by our heart is a dangerous thing.  It is not full of light, showing you the way.  In fact it fools and tricks you.  Why is that?  Don't people recommend to follow your heart.  According to this verse that would be a foolish thing to do.  For one, the sin nature is there, making your feelings selfish and biased.  The other problem is the heart only knows one perspective: yours.  It doesn't have the benefit of eternal existence, holy thinking, and all knowledge like God's guidance.  To us it's an ...