"God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Say this to the people of Israel: "I am has sent me to you." Exodus 3:14
At the time God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses had just spent 40 years in the desert tending sheep. Gone was the self-confidence he once possessed as a prince of Egypt.
I've often thought that Christians should be the merriest people on earth. We have a relationship with the Creator, the God of the universe! His Holy Spirit lives within us! We have the abundant life in Christ now, as well as all of eternity with Him to which we can look forward. Of course there is a proper time for grief, and we should mourn over sin, but scriptures such as Proverbs 17:22 seem to support my theory that God approves of laughter.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:" 1 Peter 4:10
Have you ever thought of yourself as a steward of God's varied grace? If you are a follower of Christ, that's exactly what you are.
"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him." Mark 11:23
As a new Christian, many years ago, I was confused by Jesus' words in Mark 11:23. Was I to believe that if I wanted a physical mountain moved, all it would take is to believe it could be moved without doubting and God would do it?
He is Risen!
When we are in the midst of a trial and peace seems far from us, it's a perfect time to stop what we're doing and mediate on the goodness of our Heavenly Father.
"Make His praise glorious." Psalm 66:2
What does it mean to make God's praise glorious? According to Pastor Steven Cole, "making His praise glorious does not mean getting pumped up by group enthusiasm or by music that has a catchy beat. Rather, it is the overflow of our hearts when we are captivated by God’s all-satisfying glory in Christ."
To be captivated means to be attracted and held. So perhaps when we are so attracted and held by God's beauty, holiness and fullness in Jesus Christ that nothing else will satisfy, that is when our hearts overflow with glorious praise.
I desire to be a captivated worshiper every day. How about you?
Today's music video Here I Am To Worship sung by Tim Hughes is one of my favorite praise and worship songs. May it bless you and draw you closer to the One who is worthy of all our adoration.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
When I was a young mother I read a devotional by Gigi Graham Tchividjian that impacted me at the time, and which has stayed with me for many decades.
In her devotional she recounted how one day after getting her children off to school she walked into the laundry room and was overwhelmed with the amount of dirty clothes she faced. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered that she had just done three loads the day before. After getting the first load into the washer, she tidied up the house and headed for her son's bathroom where she began cleaning the tub. Once more she began to weep. She was tired and discouraged. She writes:
"Sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor, sponge and cleanser in hand and tears streaming down my cheeks, I found myself fussing, crying and praying all at the same time."
In that moment God met her right where she was and reminded her that even cleaning a bath tub is a way of serving Him.
The truth is that even the smallest and most mundane things we do can be an act of great service to the Lord, and used to bring glory to Him. As we launder clothes we can thank God that He has provided those clothes. Scrubbing the floors we can praise God for our homes. Putting fuel in our vehicle we can lift our hearts in gratitude to the Lord that we have transportation. All that we possess belongs to Him, and it is only by His grace that we have them to enjoy.
This morning I made an egg sandwich for breakfast. As I cracked the pretty pastel egg into the frying pan, I marveled at how my friend's hens (from whom I buy my eggs) lay beautiful pale green, beige and pinkish eggs. This is God's doing! He created those hens and gave them the ability to produce food encased in glorious color. The avocado I sliced for my breakfast was another reason to praise the Lord. He has given us food that pleases the eye, as well as our tummies. All for His glory, and for our good.
Today's music video Glory to God Forever by Maranatha Music is a praise song that I hope will lead you to worship.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
After I purchased my mobile home a little over a year ago, my outdoor focus was the patio. Honestly, I didn't give much thought at all t...
For as long as I can remember I've loved cottages. These cozy places, with abundant flowers and sunshine, give me a sense of peace and contentment. .
