Sep

30

Building blocks

By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off


…we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up,  but love builds up.        1 Corinthians 8:1b

I know that Christ died for my confessed sins so I may have eternal life. I know the Spirit dwells within me. I know God is long suffering and slow to anger.  I also know how to pack and move a household in two weeks to a new city, how to give a cat a pill, how to submit a blog.  We know lots of things, but if we do not share our knowledge when God calls us to, what good is it?

Knowledge puffs up. I know people who like to tell everyone how smart they are and how much trivia is etched into their grey cells.  They throw their shoulders back and clear their throats and smirk as they begin to enlighten the rest of us.  Where is the focus? On them -  their brains all puffed up with useless facts and figures.

Then there is the woman who dropped out of high school years ago and has never worked for more than minimum wage. She silently walks the halls of the nursing home, even though her mother is no longer there. She hugs her mother’s old roommate, the one no one else ever comes to see, and brings her a rose. There is another who teaches a motherless girl next door how to braid her hair because her dad wouldn’t have a clue. And one who delivers the leftover home-baked goodies from the church meeting to the firemen because her uncle was one. They have knowledge as well. They know loneliness, sorrow, commitment and service. They know the love of God and how it can build a person back up.

God gives us experiences in our lives, good and bad so we may use that knowledge to His glory by sharing it in love with those He sends to cross our paths.  Those are the building blocks to bridge Him  to others. That is a special knowledge – the knowledge of Truth that the hurting, broken world is crying out for every day, even when they don’t realize it.  And you have it to share. You have experienced God’s love in your life- pass it on. Let it lift someones spirits and wrap them like a warm blanket.  Tell of God’s grace and mercy  . . .  AND if necessary- use words.

Question- They say actions speak louder than words. What have you done in the past week to build someone else up?  To puff you up?

Sep

30

Spinning Wheels

By Jan Ross | Comments Off


Do you ever feel that you’re “spinning your wheels” as fast as you can go, yet nothing seems to be working right for you? Do you ever feel like you’ve done everything you know to do, you’ve followed all the formulae, you’ve read all the “how-to” books, you’ve even sought the counsel of those you felt were more knowledgeable, yet your problem still exists?

Perhaps we’ve neglected the most important thing—to draw our strength from the Vine.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Just like a branch that has fallen off a tree will dry up and die within a very short time, so will we if we do not stay “attached” to the vine. We draw our life, our sustenance from the Vine and without Him we are nothing, we can do nothing . . . we are helpless.  Life would be easier for us if we would learn the lesson quickly . . . apart from the Vine, we will die.

But, let’s look at it another way.  Attached to the Vine we can do all things.  Philippians 4:13 reminds us, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Without Christ we can do nothing—with Him we can do ALL things.  Without Him we will die, with Him we have life and life everlasting.

I’m so thankful for the Vine.  I’m thankful that He abides in me.  Without Him I can do nothing . . . with Him I can do all things.

Father, all too often I attempt to work things out on my when all along You are there waiting for me to just ask! Lord, help me to remember that as long as I draw my strength and nourishment from You, then I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Lord, teach me to abide – to stay firmly attached to the Vine at all times in every area of my life, amen.  You must be Lord of all, or You’re not Lord at all. In the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ my Lord, amen.

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Sep

29

Silence-Is it Golden?

By Julie B Cosgrove | 1 Comment


If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.  Psalm 94:17

Ahh. Silence. They say it is golden.  You may think having a few precious moments of pure silence would be blessed.  It’s so hard to find. We fill our world with noise, don’t we? When we get in the car we flick on the radio. When we get home we flick on the TV.  During the day our cell phones are in our ears, our computers have music playing in the background so we can drown out the office noise.  If we have kids, we learn to filter out their noise, only letting  the arguing or cries penetrate through- the things that need our attention.When we don’t hear them at all we become suspicious. They are too quiet- what are they up to?

But there are people who live in silence.  I’m not talking about the physically deaf but the emotionally deaf.  The din of the world has been tuned out by their angst and sorrow.  Depression has plugged up their ears to everything except the screams of their own exaggerated heart beat. Loneliness and sorrow has crowded out the memories of sounds a loved one used to make, or of a child no longer there, or a missed pet.  For them, silence is not golden, it is as cold as iron. It is deafening.   Then there are those who can’t hear God. 

If God had not saved him, the Psalmist’s soul would have have soon lived in a land of silence? Death?  Or life  not worth living? Without God in our lives, both are scary outcomes.  But for the Christian, having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us means we are never alone.  Even when we can’t pray, He groans for us. God speaks to us through Him. Christ died so we could have open communication with the Creator of the Universe – He never hangs up. 

But, when we sin and do not confess it, when we turn our thoughts to ourselves and not doing His will, then He can keep silent. That is to get our attention.  Any parent knows the way to get a kid to hush and listen  is to be silent.  (Of course the stare helps , too.)  He can’t be our help until we cry out for Him again and fill the silence with our prayers.

The very next one, Psalm 95 starts with the call to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. How wonderful it comes after the 94th.  Because when His love breaks through the silence, that is our response. We shout for joy- “He  lives, He loves. . .me!”

Question- Do you fear silence?  Do you fill it with  idle noise or with prayer, which includes listening for God?

Sep

29

Eternal Purposes Fulfilled

By Jan Ross | Comments Off


Years ago when still in my teens, the doctors told me it was impossible for me to have children.  Obviously, I was devastated. After we married, my desire for children became somewhat of an obsession.  Every month we prayed it would be THE month.  This went on for several years while we continued to believe God for a child.  We applied for adoption.  We did everything we could think of that was within our ability to do.  Then, suddenly, despite every natural fact, we had our firstborn son.  Thirty-three years later, we have six grown children (three are adopted) and fourteen amazing grandchildren.  What a miraculous thing God has done!

When I take time to contemplate it all, I can’t help but be reminded of Abraham and the family God had planned for him, even when he was considered to be unable to father a child because of his advanced age.

“Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” (Hebrews 11:12)

From one man, whose body was old and as good as dead (in our eyes we would have considered him to have no more possibility of fathering a child than a dead man would have), sprang forth a nation chosen of God, ordained by God, and loved by God. The entire Jewish nation came from that one man who dared to believe God.  As the reward of His faithfulness he was made the father and founder of an entire nation that continues to increase even today.

One wonders if Abraham even had a glimpse of what God’s purpose for his life really entailed. Just the thought of it would make us wonder if we really have any clue of what God purposes through our own lives.

Abraham’s obedience to God made a way for God’s eternal purposes to be fulfilled.  OUR obedience to God makes the way for God’s eternal purposes to be fulfilled. Abraham, the Father of Faith, was human just like us, but his obedience and faith opened the door to many blessings too numerous to count. Our obedience and faith will do no less.

Take some time today and examine your life.  Look for areas where you can become more obedient to His Word. He is looking for submitted vessels through which He can accomplish His will in the earth.  May He find them in us!

Father, once again I have examined my life and find areas in which my obedience and submission to You are sorely lacking. Forgive me, Lord, and help me to live a life of submission pleasing to You. Father, I long to look into Your Word and see myself as in a mirror, revealing all the areas of my life that are not pleasing to You. Lord, take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Amen.

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Sep

28

Unfathomable Mercy

By Jan Ross | Comments Off


David is a wonderful example of God’s mercy which was continually displayed throughout his life. When he deserved judgment, mercy was granted; when he deserved punishment, mercy was applied. As a matter of fact, David was so assured of God’s eternal mercy that he could boldly proclaim himself as numbered in the ranks of the righteous . . . his sins had been thoroughly purged and cleansed.

“Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.” (Psalm 118:19-20)

It is so easy to allow our past to keep us from the presence of the Lord. I can think of so many things that I’ve done in my past which should keep me from entering into His presence and worshipping at His feet. But, it’s His mercy. It’s His grace.  It’s His blood that makes me righteous in His eyes.

If we were honest with ourselves, we would have to admit to things that seem to “surface” while praying or worshipping in His presence. These “things” are a trap set by the enemy to rob the Father of our worship. If he can keep us concentrating on how bad we are, we’ll never be able to truly worship Him for how magnificent He is.

David’s testimony of God’s grace is our key to victory over the snare of the enemy. Would that we all could grasp His understanding of God’s unfailing love and tender mercy.  It goes deeper than we can comprehend.  His mercy reaches farther than we are aware.  Fathomless.  Boundless.  Eternal.

Take some time today to consider the depth of God’s undeserved and incomprehensible mercy.  Walk in freedom through His gates and into His holy presence where we will find fullness of joy.

Lord, help me to comprehend the depths of your merciful love toward me so I can unashamedly enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart for all you have done for me. Help me to remember when my thoughts return back to my past that You were there in my past, You are here in my present, and You will be with me in through my tomorrows. And, yet, You have accepted me and forgiven me . . . thoroughly.  Remind me, dear Lord, that my life (including my past, present and future) is not about me in any way; it’s about You. In Your precious, holy name, amen!

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

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