May
19
Shuffle, Trudge or Skip?
By Julie B Cosgrove | 1 Comment
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore . . . urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
How are you walking, today?
Are you just shuffling along, barely lifting one foot in front of the other. yawning and tired? You have little energy and each day seems the same old same old. You need to be revitalized, but not with a super caffeine drink. You need a dose of promise. The remember that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning, ( Lamentations 3:2 3)and each day is another chance to renew your faith, increase your spiritual energy ( Isaiah 40:31) and look around for the blessings on this path. Look up from your feet and notice.
Are you bent over with a burden? Does your back and shoulders ache and you are not sure you can move one more step? Remember Jesus says if you are heavy laden to come to Him and He will refresh you. (Matthew 11:28) Take Him up on the offer. Take a load off. Let Him carry it.
Are your feet killing you? Sit down and rest. Dwell awhile in prayer and slowly that throbbing will cease. There is a balm in Gilead, the hymn says, that sooths the hurting soul. Let God heal you awhile. In fact, let Him carry you a bit. (Deuteronomy 1:31)
Have you stubbed your toe on a stone you didn’t see in the path? The Psalm says God’s Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light into your path. (Psalm 119:105) Ask God to reveal the obstacles and show you the way around them, or to remove them.
Life can be burdensome, hurtful, tiring and filled with things that block our path. But, we have a God in Heaven who understands that. He want to walk with you today. So throw your shoulders back, feel the Son’s warmth on your back rejuvenating you. You are a child who is loved. You have blessings ahead you cannot imagine. Skip happily down life’s road, and when you come across an obstacle, walk confidently knowing there is nothing that you cannot handle when Christ is by your side giving you the strength. (Philippians 4:13) If there is something precarious, know He can give you the sure foot of a deer (Psalm 18:33 ), your feet won’t slip. (Psalm 121:3).
Read these Scripture passages and realize once again who loves you and guides you as you walk down the path of life. That ought to put a spring in your step. Walk in the manner worthy of your calling. Walk like the child of the King- confident, without fear. Soon others who are trudging along will stop, watch and follow.
Feb
19
Pursued
By Julie B Cosgrove | Comments Off
Psalm 35:5-6 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
In the Psalms, David often cried out to God to smite his enemies. I am sure that is his intent here in Psalm 35. But as a dear loved one of mine who has yet to accept Christ as her Savior lies dying in a hospital far away, this verse has taken on a new meaning for me.
The old way of harvesting wheat, done for centuries before modern farm equipment came on the scene, was to throw the wheat up in the air. The chaff would separate from the grain and fly off in the wind. The good grain would be relieved of that burden clinging to it and fall to the ground. But can the reverse also be true? Can the grain be our burdens, shortcomings and hurts that have been growing for years and years in our heart? Can God, in His mercy, release us from that burden so we can, like chaff, feel free and light as air. Then our souls can soar carefree on the wind of faith, and be led where God wants, with angels driving it away from whatever was in the past that blocked us from God’s grace.
Often times, it is when things are the darkest and slipperiest that people finally realize they need a force in their life stronger than themselves. They at last call out to this Jesus they have heard about, this loving God that their friend or family member always turns to for strength. As my loved one slips into death, I pray that God is sending angels to pursue her and be there at the end, so when her soul is released she can be at peace and soar like the chaff into eternal arms. I pray, then, finally, those nail scarred hands will at last hold her tight until we meet again at the foot of His throne.
Jan
8
Psalm 118:4-7 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can anyone do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper . . .
There are times we all need an extra pair of hands. We have too many things to try to hold on to and juggle. Work, housework, finances, relationships, illnesses, tragedies . . . and we haven’t even turned on the TV to see what the News is reporting as happening that day in the outside world or checked our emails to see what friends need prayer! Maybe we have taken on too much, or may too much has taken on us. Doesn’t matter. We always have Our Lord right there at our side to help.
What can you turn over to the Lord? How about everything? Life isn’t an assignment chart on the fridge – God, why don’t you do these chores and I can handle the rest, thank you very much. God has a better plan. He says, “Give it all to me and let me take the whole load. I’ll hand them back to you, giving you just what you need to accomplish each one. If you feel overwhelmed later, we’ll adjust. It’s Okay. No worries.”
His arms are there to carry us, and carry out our needs. They always are. And they are so vast, they can hold all of our life situations and us too in a warm protective hug when we need it. His arms can bolster us, prod us and pat us on the back. He is our ultimate side kick, our number one fan, our coach that pushes us and trains us to excel. He is the shoulder we can cry on and the extra hand we need and the band-aid applier when we get hurt. Paul said it well, if I can paraphrase Romans 8:31. With God on our side, who can be against us? Jesus told his disciples in the book of Matthew, Chapter 11, to let him carry their burdens, to yoke up with Him at their side. Why should we not do the same?
Dec
1
Pour It Out
By Jan Ross | Comments Off
Have you ever found yourself struggling with the right words to pray when things are tough? Do you find yourself guarding your own words so you don’t say the wrong thing or become too vulnerable in your prayers? One of the hardest things for us to do is to be down-right honest and transparent with our Father when we’re hurt, in trouble, or facing major difficulties.
Listen to the passion in David’s words today: “I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my trouble.” (Psalm 142:2)
To paraphrase it, “I dumped all my complaints on Him and told Him all my troubles.” David held nothing back – he let it all out before the Lord. He didn’t allow his own fears or insecurities keep him from total transparency before his God. He came before the Lord with an unguarded heart and trusted Him enough to love him still, even while he was baring His soul.
David was facing more than just a routine inconvenience in life. Saul and his army were after him to kill him though he knew the Lord had anointed him as king of Israel; he just saw 85 priests and their families and livestock slaughtered because they helped him escape. Everywhere he turned he was in trouble. What did he do? He turned to God and he “poured out all [his] complaints on Him and told Him all [his] troubles”.
God is there ready to avenge our enemies. He longs to fight our battles for us. He has offered us refuge and a sanctuary from the enemy’s snare. But we still hesitate to run to Him with a transparent heart when we’re overwhelmed.
Be like David today; pour out your heart to Him. If you feel abused and neglected, let God know. If you are misunderstood or mistreated, let God know. If you are perplexed and not understanding the ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ of life, pour out your heart to Him. Don’t hold back. Let Him know the deepest groanings of your heart, the secret pain, the hidden sin, the offenses that have hindered your growth, the times you’ve been overlooked and passed over for recognition or promotion—let Him have it all.
Do you trust Him enough to tell Him everything? David did and David was a man with a heart after the heart of God.
Father, forgive me for holding back and not trusting You enough to be totally transparent with You, as if somehow You don’t already know the secret recesses of my heart. Lord teach me to trust You with the desperation of my need and to believe without doubt that You love me enough to give me refuge in the midst of every storm. Teach me, O Lord, and I will learn from You how great is Your love toward me, how awesome is Your salvation, and how magnificent is Your holy Name. In Jesus’ name, for His glory, and by His blood . . . amen and amen.
© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved
Nov
23
What Motivates You?
By Jan Ross | Comments Off
My heart is full—overwhelmed would be a more accurate word. There is little hope I will ever be able to articulate every detail, let alone absorb everything I’ve heard and witnessed these past two weeks to my own personal satisfaction. But nonetheless, I want to attempt to share a few thoughts with you which have been weighing heavily on my heart.
As an American Christian, I have learned that in contrast to Christians around the world, especially in gospel-hostile nations, we have lost sight of the real reason we have been redeemed and adopted into the family of God. Throughout the years, so many of us have allowed a false gospel to become the only “truth” we know and share with others. All too many of us have turned the Gospel of Jesus Christ inward, concentrating on “us” rather than on what our Messiah left as His most important commission to us:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)
Instead, however, we have turned Christianity into a “me-centered” gospel by focusing inwardly…how can I grow, how can I prosper, how can I be healed, how can I build my church or ministry, how can I fulfill God’s purpose in me, etc. And while none of these questions are wrong in the right context, we have allowed the “me-centered” gospel to disassociate ourselves from the most important responsibility we have as believers … go, make disciples, baptize, and teach them to obey.
If our relationship with God is more about building “us” up rather than fulfilling His commission to us to build the kingdom, we have fallen into the trap of the enemy to hinder and eventually stop the growth of the Kingdom of God.
What are you doing relative to the Great Commission? Do you mourn for lost souls? Do you grieve for those who are blinded and deafened by this world? Is your life’s motivation more inward-focused or more outward-focused? Are you making disciples?
There is a lost and dying world out there. Shame on us if we neglect such a field ready for harvest while we are distracted with a “me-centered” gospel.
Turn your focus outward … look around you and see the needs everywhere. Then, allow the Holy Spirit to stir within your heart with boldness to fulfill the Great Commission in your own sphere of influence.
Go! Make Disciples! Baptize! Teach them to obey … teach them to obey the Word of God and to fulfill the Great Commission by starting the cycle over again. Go! Make Disciples! Baptize! Teach them to obey …
Live a “Great Commission-Driven Life” to the Glory of God and the increase of His Kingdom.
Father, forgive me for being so inwardly-focused that I’ve lost sight of the reason You commissioned and equipped me as Your child. Help me to Go! Help me to Make Disciples! Help me to Baptize! And, help me to Teach Them to Obey! I want to live a Great Commission-Driven Life for Your glory and the increase of Your Kingdom so that all should come to the knowledge of the Truth. In Jesus’ name, amen!
© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved
Search & Win
Earn Amazon Giftcards!
Christian Books
Subscribe
