Our Refuge

I may change things up a bit next week. I may just blog away. I doubt I'll forward it to facebook, unless people are reading this.. (hint, let me know). Actually, "journal" if you will. I don't know. I may just stop for a while like I normally do. I'm doing a study on being a wife and I normally do my studies in the AM. Well, now, I'm having to bottle feed kittens, and it makes it kinda hard when 30 minutes of my time is taken up.

We'll just have to see.

But for today:

"My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God."Psalm 62:7

this is just plain beautiful. We only have salvation through God. We can only receive true glory, through God. He is the only thing that is unshakable, and He is the only place we can run and hide and be completely safe. Thank you God, for being all of that for us.

but also...

"For it has been given to you on Christ's behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him." Philippians 1:29

Just because you know something exists does not mean you have any respect for it or any care that it can do anything to/for you. I know Mt.Rushmore exists, but I have never seen it in person. I know that the Grand Canyon exists, but I have never let it truly awe me. I know God exists, and Jesus too, and I do let Him awe me. Sometimes as Christians we will have to suffer for Him. That's only showing an ounce of respect to someone who deserves much of it.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

This is true. The first part is the hardest. IF we confess our sins. We need to get off our high horses and get down to the level that we know we need to be and tell God what we are dealing with. He already knows, for goodness sakes. Just tell Him about it and then you will be able to live with peace and assurance. That's what a good cleansing will do for you.

Sorry its been a while. Bottle feeding kittens each morning really isn't the most fun thing. Plus its time consuming. Takes me almost half an hour to get those babies some food. Ugh, I'm ready for them to go to their new homes.

Back to Reality

So, spring break is now over. Boo. Wesley's brother found our mama cat's kittens at his house, so now I'm bottle feeding them so they don't get wild and we can actually give them away. Boo. And, 6:30 in the morning is still dark. Boo.

But, God is good. He always is. He brings that sun up (after I'm awake, but its still up) each day. And I am grateful. No more study. I'm doing a study now that is changing me as a wife. Its a tough study. I guess because on each and ever page, wait, make that each and every line I'm feeling slightly more convicted as I go. I'm learning. I'm going to be doing the verse of the day for a while now. I want to keep this going, but I feel as though I had been getting slightly long winded (ha). I am a talker. So, off to it.

James 1:12, "Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him."

I don't know what the Verse of the day is going to be, ever. But I do, I do, I do, love James. So, to the point. So for us in our everyday. Love it! I love talking trials. I guess because I'm on the tail end of some serious ones in my life. This is one of those things that everyone can relate to. Everyone has to endure something at some point in their life. Everyone. It levels our playing field. Then our playing field is quickly skewed again, because everyone handles their trails differently. We have to know what to do when these things come up. For the Christian, let God lead. He will bring you out. For the nonChristian, get saved, then let God lead. He will bring you out. He's just about the only thing that could have brought me through the things I have been through. No doubt. He makes everything easier, and everything better. Try Him in this.

First try

Here I am. Trying out mobile blogging. Not sure how this is going to go. I havn't been posting like normal. I started a new study, and I'm really enjoying it. It's about wives and husbands. I really need it.

I'll probably use the biblegateway's verse of the day, to do a very brief study each day. Not sure yet. Thanks for reading!

Beautiful

¹³ Mordecai told [the messenger] to reply to Esther, "Don't think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king's palace. ¹⁴ If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father's house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this." ¹⁵ Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ "Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, night and day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish."


This has been on my heart lately. We have started a study of the book of Ester at my church with the ladies. It is a Beth Moore study, and I did it a while back. Its fabulous. This is the part of the story where, when I read it, I get chills. Everytime.

The evil Haman has plotted to kill the Jews, and has (in his mind) succeeded. Mordecai sends a message to Ester and tells her that this is the reason she is now Queen. She agrees and says, "If I perish, I perish." Love it. Beautiful.

Is that your thoughts? If I perish, I perish? We can say that, but we have to mean it as well. Think about it.

Be Ready

Not ready. I need to be. That's what I'm talking about.

1 Peter 3:15 says, "set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

This is beautifully put. We are given a wonderful hope when we accept Christ. We really should be ready to tell people about that hope. It is this huge gift and we tend on keeping it to ourselves. We don't need to do this. Share your hope!

Short today, and short for this week. 9 Weeks exams and time change has got me messed up!

Perfect again

My day yesterday went even better than expected!

Isaiah 25:1
Lord, You are my God;
I will exalt You.
I will praise Your name,
for You have accomplished wonders,
plans formed long ago,
with perfect faithfulness.

This is the state that I am in. Taxes, check! License, check! Life getting better...CHECK! Thank God for this wonderful day. Let Him bless you in it.

Short and sweet, I've got church at school.

Oh my, He is good

I have to stop for at least a day, and possibly two, and celebrate and give thanks to God for what He's done for me just yesterday. I had been more than stressed about taxes, money, babies, school, work, blah, blah. You name it, I was stressed about it. I'll even break it down for you: Taxes: we were going to have to pay in over $1000. Wesley was full time and no money was held out of his checks for the whole year. Money, someone owes me $300 dollars (from beginning of January) and STILL has not paid me. Babies - I am constantly thinking, the 'what if's' about getting pregnant. I do not want a baby right now, Wesley does. I have to consider it. I don't want to consider it. School - I'm planning on getting my masters at some point in my life so I can teach at a SR or JR college, and I've been stressing about that. Work, I teach biology, which is NOT what I want to teach. I applied for a teaching license for a vo-tech job that seemed like a long shot, because I don't have a year's experience (full time) in that area. The first blah, (which means I'm worried about it, but its not as important as the others) is my Italy trip that will be in the summer. I'll have to pay for stuff over there. The second blah, is I teach a tested area in school, so I need my kids to do good so it will look like I did something last year. So, that has all been filling my plate.

Isaiah 55:12 says this (the Lord speaking)
"You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

This seems like a scene from a cartoon. The hills singing, the trees clapping. The princess skipping through the forest. Well, that's me now. I'm the princess. I'm skipping. I'm so full of joy. Listen to how God solved all of this:

1. I got my teaching license in. I'm good to go.
2. Taxes: Found a credit for first time home buyers. We will get money back.
3. We get enough money back to fix the wait from the person who hasn't paid us.
4. We get enough money back to finish our house.
5. We get enough money back for me and Wes to share some (ITALY!)
6. And I've been thinking all of a sudden, I might could take off a year from school to have a baby...and get my masters. Two birds, one stone. My masters class won't be that hard for those of you who are thinking I can't do it. I can do anything with my God's help. Don't even tempt satan with that idea.


God is so good. He is so good. He literally gave me so much joy that the hills outside of my house are singing (in my head of course). I'm in a beautiful dress and I'm skipping through them all day long.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you God. You are so wonderful and you always watch out for me.

Our feet on a path

Psalms is a great place to go when talking about feet, I have noticed. Today's will be short, much like yesterdays. It is a beautiful morning today in Collins. The temperature right now is around 35, but its supposed to be around 70 when I leave school. I love 70. Its perfect. Anyways, back to the lesson.

We each have a destiny and a path that we will have to take throughout life. We know there are two roads to choose, the one that leads us to righteousness and the one that leads to destruction. God will show you righteousness if you'll let Him. Lets look...

Psalm 17:5 says, "My steps are on Your paths; my feet have not slipped."

If you are doing exactly what God wants you to do, He will take care of you. And most of the time, He'll take care of you even if you aren't doing what you need to be doing. He's just that good. 

The psalms are a great place to go for verses about paths and feet... Psalm 17, 23, 25, 27, 36, 44, 77, 78, 107, 119(a few times), and 140, all have something to say about being on the right path, or staying on the path, or about God creating the path. I really liked this one:

"You reveal the path of life to me;

In Your presence is abundant joy;

In Your right hand are eternal pleasures."

Psalm 16:11 

God has only good for us. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that. He wants you to have abundant joy and eternal pleasures. Stay on the path He has laid out for you, and you will!

Our Untangler

I've heard many names used for God, but never our Great Untangler. Here's the thing. He is. We tend to get ourselves into extravagant messes and He has always come to my rescue. He is generally the only One who can get me out of the messes that I make for myself. 

Psalm 25:15 says, "For my eyes are always on the Lord, for He will pull my feet out of the net."

We always walk into things, storms, or whatever and we end up getting so caught up in the dilemma that we don't think about God. He is our Untangler. He comes in and takes the net off of our feet so that we can walk like we need to for Him. He loves doing this. If you are in a mess, let Him untangle you!

Our God Enables

Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on the mountain heights. 

Habakkuk 3:19

Our God can do anything. I really fell in love with this verse. It is truly amazing. I love the name Yahweh. I could tell you a lot about that name, I've done plenty of research on it. I'm going to save that for later though. I want us to look at how God strengthens us and allows us to walk on the mountain heights. 

First, I don't think this is just taken as the word value. I think it means something a little bit deeper. We always use (and always have) the terms of mountains and valley's as metaphors to our lives. When things are good, we are "on top of a mountain" and when things are not so good, we are "in the valley". David says in Psalm 23, that when he goes through the valley, God is with him. God is with you too. 

I think this verse is saying that God will make our feet able to walk in the good times. We won't always fall. If we are in a valley, He will pick us up out of that valley. I know He has for me a number of times. 

A few other verses that back this up are 2 Samuel 22:34 which tells us he will 'set us securely on the heights' much like a deer as was spoken in Habakkuk.  Psalm 40:2 tells us that He secures our steps, so once He has put us somewhere, He won't just leave us there.  Psalm 56:13 tells us that He keeps our 'feet from stumbling' and He helps us 'walk in the light of life'. I don't know about you, but walking in the "light of life" does not sound like being in the valley. 

Psalm 66:9 says, "He keeps us alive and does not allow our foot to slip."

God does not want you in a constant valley. Allow Him to pull you out. You are there, with  no rope and no hope, and He has a rope that is long enough, strong enough, that won't mold or mildew, the weather can't change it, the sun won't fade it, the water won't make it swell, the rain won't hurt it, fire can't burn it, ice can't freeze it, and He wants to pull you out of the valley that is keeping you down. So, let Him.

Jesus and the Disciples' Feet

Yesterday we looked at the 'sinner' who came and washed Jesus' feet. Now we are going to look at Jesus washing 'sinners' feet. We aren't going to look at the whole story, just parts. It is located in John 13. 

⁴ So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. ⁵ Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.

Jesus and the disciples had just finished supper. They were all lounging and reclining. Sitting and talking. Just like we would. Except, Jesus wasn't acting the same. He was a little distant. Verses 1-3 tell us that by this time, Jesus knew He would be dying soon, He knew who was going to betray Him, and He knew what all he would have to endure. So, He gets up and starts washing the disciples feet. I could stop here and talk about Peter and His dilemma, but I'm not. Peter knew that it was a sign of extreme humility and didn't want to feel as if He was putting Christ into that. He wasn't. Jesus knew what He was doing.  

So Jesus washes the disciples feet. All of their feet. Here are a couple of things I want us to look at. 

1. You have got to be a strong person to actually get down on your knees and wash peoples feet. 

There is no pride involved in this. The dictionary tells us that pride is a high opinion of one's own dignity, self importance, merit, or superiority. It is also a pleasure or satisfaction in something done by one's own-self. Jesus was not showing this towards His disciples. He was as far from proud as you can get. 

2. Jesus washed all His disciples feet. Regardless.

Not long after Jesus washed their feet, He told Judas to go and do what he was going to do, quickly. Meaning, go betray me now. Get it over with. Jesus just washed this man's feet! Do you see this? Jesus knew that Judas was going to sell him for 30 pieces of silver, and still washed his feet. We see someone that we think might have said something about us in the grocery store and we avoid them like crazy. We are strange creatures and do not deserve all the things God gives us. 

3. Jesus then tells them this (John 13:14-17)

"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do just as I have done to you. I assure you; A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." 

Jesus knew that people on earth would have a hard time with pride. We all do. We all think that everyone should love us, and when they don't, we get all flustered and tangled up in this web of hate. Everyone is not going to always like you. Things are not always going to go your way. Sometimes it will seem as if they never will. And that is okay. Things don't always have to go your way. Its okay if they don't. God has your whole life mapped out. He is taking care of you. 

The sin I struggle with more than anything is the love of myself. I think I'm great. I'm fabulous. I generally don't mind telling people all about me, and what I've got, and what I've done, and who I am. I don't need to fall in love with me, I need to fall in love with Christ. We need to have pride in Christ. We don't need to have pride in our superiority, but Christ's. He is ultimately superior. We need to have pride in His importance, His merit, His dignity. And we need to be please with the things He has done, is doing, and will do. That is the only place our pride should come from.

Step down off your high horse today, and spiritually wash someone's feet. Let them be better than you for a change. 

Meek and Strong

These two words are rarely seen together. They can both be used to describe foot washing.  Lets look at two scenarios: One with a woman and one with Jesus. We will look at the one with the woman today. 

Luke 7:36-50

Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house. She brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil ³⁸ and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil.

    ³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she's a sinner!"

    ⁴⁰ Jesus replied to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."

    "Teacher," he said, "say it."

    ⁴¹ "A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50. ⁴²Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?"

    ⁴³ Simon answered, "I suppose the one he forgave more."

    "You have judged correctly," He told him. ⁴⁴ Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair.⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn't stopped kissing My feet since I came in. ⁴⁶You didn't anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that's why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little." ⁴⁸ Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 

    ⁴⁹ Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" 

    ⁵⁰ And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

In this scene, Jesus has come over to a house where He was invited. He was standing there and a woman recognized Him and was overwhelmed with His presence that she runs to Him, pours expensive oil all over his feet, then wipes it off with her hair and kisses all over His feet. Lets look at a couple of things I noticed:

1. Feet were dirty, but her love was stronger.

People wore sandals back then. It was dusty. They washed their feet when entering a place for a reason. She was kissing muddy feet. She was putting mud into her hair. And on most days I won't stop for long enough to say a real prayer for Christ and she got on the ground for Him.

2. She was behind Him doing this.

She didn't feel as if she was enough of a person to even wash His feet in front of Him. How many times do we consider ourselves an almost equal to Him, when He is not our equal. He isn't like a manager that only got His place by working here a little bit longer. He is nothing like us. But He still loves us. 

3. Her heart was pure, as were her actions.

Jesus tells Simon the story of the two men who are owed money. The one who owed more and was forgiven will love the person more. This woman, who Simon called, "a sinner" would love Jesus more than Simon probably ever could. 

This is one thing I cannot relate to as well as other Christians. I didn't get saved in a hotel room when I was coming down out of a high; I didn't get saved when I had been in a car wreck with 3 other people after getting drunk. I got saved when I was 8, after I realized that I wasn't always nice to my mother and I had said bad words before. Some people will have the capability of loving Christ more than I ever could, and they don't do it. 

I am in no way saying that "I only love God this much". I'm saying based on these verses, I wasn't saved up from a life of outrageous 'viewable' sins. I was 8. I will say this, God has brought me up and out of many situations that most people have never been in. For that, I will always love Him.

If you don't love Christ as much as you should, start. He will say, "Your faith has saved you. Go in Peace."

Sidestep on Feet, no pun intended

I had a big ordeal yesterday, and I knew that I couldn't continue with feet for today. I'll pick that up tomorrow. God is so big and He loves me so much, that I know that He is in control. I had been planning a trip to Italy with a friend. Well, things fell through and she may not be able to go. I've talked to all the necessary people involved and I'll know within a couple of days whether or not she'll be going oversees with me. I've bought a plane ticket, and I cannot get a refund or an exchange. So, I'm going to Italy regardless if anyone goes with me. I'm scared. I was just excited, I could get lost with someone else, but I do not want to get lost with just me. I don't know any Italian, I don't know any Italians. I wouldn't have near the amount of fun I would if I was with my best friend. So now, I'm in waiting. And I've been in waiting before. God is waiting with me, although He knows the answer. I've given this whole thing to God now, and I'm still excited about going to see Italy. I'm just not so excited going by myself. I have this verse for comfort:

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desires." Psalm 37:4

I do delight in the Lord. He will work this out so that she can go. That is my heart's desire. I prayed for that I believe in my sleep. I kept waking up from Italy dreams where we were running through the streets, and laughing and just having fun, and once we were on Vespas and Just enjoying Italy. 

I would ask for you too, who will pray, that God would work this for the best for both of us. It might be that I'm meant to go alone, and if so, I will. That is not my first choice, but I'll do whatever God wants. All I know, is that I do delight in the Lord, and He knows my desire. He will take care of this little thing just like He always has taken care of me. 

Feet

So, I've been talking to you about hands and how we are supposed to use them and then I carried that onto talking about arms and how we can show compassion (and should) to others. I also hit on how God uses His hands and arms for our benefit. Next, the feet.

The majority of the times the word 'feet' is used in the bible, its talking about the things that are at the end of our legs. No real mysteries to uncover there. In some instances it talks about a measurement, but still, thats not any good to us for this study. 

Lets start out with my brain storming, shall we?

Of the 346 results in HCSB, many are showing humility, and many are talking about help from God or the strength that He gives. 

When thinking about humility, I see verses where someone has thrown themselves at someone elses feet, or God's feet, or Christ's feet. I see people washing other's feet. These are great big huge signs of humility and acts of giving yourself to someone (as a slave almost). There are instances where brothers wash each other's feet, the woman washes Jesus' feet, Jesus washes the disciples feet. These are not lofty, proud people. These people are meak and strong. You have to be strong to wash someone elses feet.

I also see a lot about strength and help. God directing someone's way, God lifting someone out of some situation. Making them strong enough to carry out what they have started. Several verses say something to the effect of making their feet strong enough to stand on a mountain or a rock. God can do that. If we will let him. He wants to do that.

I'll give verses and really get into the word tomorrow. Hope you enjoy!

Until Tomorrow

Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. 

1 John 4:11

I still don't have a real confirmation on where to go next in my study. I'm thinking the feet. I'll let you know as soon as I do. But for now, the BibleGateway's verse of the day will work perfectly.

I stress this idea of loving each other probably more than anything else because its what I need to work on the most. I judge. I glare. I think less of. God does not want me to do that. God loves everyone. Even my students. I don't realize that enough I don't think. Perhaps you don't either and you need to be reminded. Here is your reminder. Since God loves us, we should love each other. We do worse to Him than strangers have ever done to us. Keep that in your mind today.

our arms

This morning will be fairly short. More, Sunday-schoolish than usual.

There are three things we are going to look at about our arms and what we can/should do with them. 

1. They can keep us from doing what we need to be doing. 

"The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh." Ecclesiastes 4:5

If we sit back and don't do what we need to be doing, we are sinning, James 4:17 tells us that plainly. If God calls you to do something, do it. If He calls you to sit there, then sit there. 

2. They show forgiveness, mercy, and compassion.

"Then Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder." Genesis 45:14

Joseph had been sold by his brothers into slavery. He forgave them. He was the right hand man of Pharaoh, so he could have just thrown them all in jail. He had mercy. There was a huge drought in the land and they were about to starve to death. He had compassion. He showed them all this when he threw his arms around his little brother. God helped Joseph do all of that, and don't think for a second that He can't help you too. 

3. They are strong.

"He trains my hands for war, my arms can bend a bow of bronze." Psalm 18:34

"She draws on her strength and reveals that her arms are strong." Proverbs 31:17

This verse in Psalm 18 (which is probably one of my favorite psalms, and I really like the Psalms) is beautiful. The writer has just talked about how God has saved him from his enemies, and then tells us that even if He hadn't, God would have given him the strength to fight them off. God may not pluck you out of a situation,  but He will always give you what you need to get through it. Remember that. I know that. 

This verse in Proverbs comes from the Ideal wife chapter, Proverbs 31. It tells us women, that just because we are ladies, doesn't mean we can't do anything. We can be strong. We can be very strong. I mean all this physically too. This woman has a family and she takes care of it. It says that she draws on her strength, not someone else's. God has given her that strength, and she uses it. We need to do the same with the strength that He has given us. 

Short Entry today. I'm really not sure where God has me headed tomorrow. That's exciting. 

The hand bone's connected to the...

The God of old is [your] dwelling place,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27a

To continue the study on hands, I'm going now to our arms. The first definition of hand in any dictionary that I used was the appendage at the end of the arm. They are connected. If you don't have an arm, you don't have a hand. It just works that way. So lets learn about arms in the bible.

On several instances in the Word, especially Genesis, the word 'arms' is used when two people have flung themselves at each other and then they weep. It is a sign of love. These people wouldn't do that if they didn't love each other. And mostly the people weeping are men. Esau and  Joseph a couple of times, were noted as weeping with someone else. Why are men so afraid to cry now? Joseph did. He was one of the most manliest men I've ever heard of. Anyway, back to arms.

Look at this verse in Deuteronomy. This is Moses blessing his people. He tells them that the Lord has these everlasting arms. We just diagnosed that these arms were for loving someone. That fits wonderfully here. God has these great big huge arms, and He will love you with them wrapped around you forever. Nothing can change that.  

¹¹ He protects His flock like a shepherd; 
    He gathers the lambs in His arms
    and carries [them] in the fold of His [garment].
    He gently leads those that are nursing.

    ¹² Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
    or marked off the heavens with the span [of his hand]? 
    Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure
    or weighed the mountains in a balance
    and the hills in scales?

Isaiah 40:11-12

So here we see just a hint of how big our God really is. I really like verse 12, that tells us that God marked off the heavens with the span of his hand. Ok, I must do this, simply because nothing else fits, (quick apology for those of you who I give a headache with my grammar and english each day) but... AH, MAZE, ING. Amazing. We watched a video at church last Sunday night, and it was about the galaxies and space and all that stuff. It really dwarfed me. I am so, tiny. God is so big. He measures the heavens - with, His, hand. Think about it for a moment. 

Ok, you ready? Look at verse 11. He is our shepherd. Psalm 23 tells us that. Jesus tells us that in John 10. Its also in there about a hundred times that God leads us like sheep. We are His little fluffy sheep. When we are at our smallest, either because of sickness, or humility, or trails or whatever. God picks our little bodies up, and He carries us to our next destination. He holds us close to Himself, and He carries us. What a beautiful thing to think. Although we look at others, and they may be gross, and they may smell funny, or just plain bad, we wouldn't dare hold them. But who knows, our God may be holding them as we walk by and judge them. Think about that if you would like, if you have ever judged someone strictly on a situation or appearance. We have to stop doing this. Our God loves them. We need to love them. 

God is my shepherd. There is nothing else in the world that can satisfy me. He gives me the most perfect rest. I may go through things, bad things, terrible things - I may even think I will die, but I won't be scared. He is always there holding me with His big arms.  He is my comforter. He fills me up in an amazing way. He has only good things for me.  My personal Psalm 23 

Try your own Psalm 23. 

Our Hands

Everything we do, for God or somebody, involves our hands, and so many times we are too quick to jump into those things... Marriages, jobs, commitments. I cannot list the number of time's I said yes to something and then thought to myself, "why am I going to do that?" And I'm not even talking about bad things! Here are some commitments that I made that fell through, because (1) I'm a slacker, (2) I am also extremely busy anyway, and (3) I didn't consult God on the matter and just said, "yeah, I'll do it cause no one else will": leading a skit team, leading a youth choir, running a projector, and starting a ministry. I didn't consult God, and now none of those things am I doing at the moment. We need to be sure and ask God the things He wants us to do, not just do everything that needs to be done. 

Here is the kicker. Once God has given  you a go, and once you know for sure you need to do something, by all means, do it. "So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is a sin." James 4:17. God knows what He has told you to do, and He knows that it is for good. Do not hesitate. Regardless how much it is going to hurt, (because generally when God calls us to do something, we have to change in some way, and change hurts), just do it. Now, here's the flip side.

"Don't be too quick to lay hands on anyone, and don't share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." 1 Timothy 2:8

This verse has many different meanings. I'm using it as a slow down, don't just say yes to anything and everything (either in the ministry or not). People get too burned out on church when they are the only one's participating. There is not one bad thing I can say about our church. We have people who are willing to do whatever it takes. That is not normal. But, because we are a new church, we do not have steady people. Some weeks we'll top 100, and some weeks we are barely pushing 30. Its up and down. Because of this, the people who do come regular, are workers. Those people do everything in the church. We clean, we keep nursery, we have meetings, we help pick up kids, we make sure the chairs are clean. We bust our tails. (I'm speaking more for others than my self really.) I am a blessed pastors wife. I cannot even begin to that the people in our church that do for us like they do. It is really amazing. But here is what I wanted to get to. You don't have to do everything. If you feel called, the do it. If you know that you are not called, then DO NOT do it. God has something else for you. Even if everyone assumes because you clean houses for a living that you should step up and clean the church, that does not mean you have to. 

The ministry is not a regular job. Its kind of like a doctor's job. Wesley is always on call. Someone can call him at 2:30 in the morning and he will answer and he will go to where ever they need him to go. I usually go with him. The ministry will also burn you out when you are the only one doing it. 

Let God lead in each thing you choose to do. Let Him choose for you. It will work out better when you do. I promise.

Our Hands: Worship

1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;
    shout to God with a jubilant cry.

2 For the LORD Most High is awe-inspiring,
    a great King over all the earth.

Psalm 47:1-2

What is worship really? Webster tells us that it is 'extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem'. Anything we do in honor of God that brings Him glory, is worship. Now, there are radicals that say God told them to go kill 100 people. They have issues so big it could fill up New York. That isn't worship. Worship to God, generally won't hurt people (unless you consider humility painful). 

We have to be ready to worship God at any point. And sometimes we have to use our hands. Some people raise their hands in worship. Some people don't. That doesn't mean they are worshipping any less. Some of the most amazing 'worships' I've had in my life didn't even include music, much less raising my hands up. It is a sign of admiration and honor, and just because someone does it doesn't mean they are crazy or a zealous nut. 

The main form of worship that we think of is, of course, during a worship service. That is where most of these verses will apply, but let them apply in other areas of your life as well. If something goes much better that expected at work or school, shoot up a praise. You can even whisper it. God has great hearing. 

Psalm 63:4 says, "So I will praise Your name as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands."

Lift up your hands to God, and whatever you have in them at this moment... dread, anger, confusion, trust issues, fear, death, pain, or pride, and even joy, celebration, happiness, or humility... just give it to Him. He wants the bad stuff to make it good, and He deserves the good stuff because He is God. 

Our Hands: Work

Matthew 6:1-4 "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  So whenever you give to the poor, don't sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They've got their reward! But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Christ does not give us an option about working. These verses clearly say, "whenever you give to the poor...". That means that you are giving to the poor. As Christians, as little copies of Christ, we should devote ourselves to working for him. 

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. James 2:14-18

You can be a Christian without doing works. You cannot be a fully faith-filled Christian without having any works to show for it. Wesley and our youth pastor went and prayed over a little girl who was diagnosed with leukemia. Seven days later when the bone marrow and blood test both came back at 0%, we all rejoiced. They had enough faith to go and pray for her, and now she is healed. Christ healed her. That built up our faith, by a small little work of going and praying for this little girl. 

We have to display our trust and obedience to Him at some point in our lives. We have to know that He is capable of anything, and everything. We have to live and work to serve Him to gain actual and real faith. 

Ok, so you say, "I don't have time. I work 80 hours a week at one job and 20 hours a week at another, and after that I'm cleaning my house, doing my clothes, and sleeping." Ok, here is my answer to that.

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men." Col 3:23

You may not can just drop everything and go to Africa and preach the Gospel. Lord knows I can't. I'd love to. But I can do my job to the best of my ability. God blesses people who work. Ecclesiastes 2 tells us how we should enjoy our work, Proverbs 12 tells us how we will gain from our work. 

Of the entire world, I hate manual labor more than anybody. But I have to do it sometimes. I need to do that manual labor like God is asking me to, not my husband. We have to understand that works are good, but not to be confused with the road to salvation. Work for God, regardless the job, regardless the place. He will reward your work. 

Our Hands: Sin

Of all the wonderful things that we do, we always manage to mess them up by throwing sin in there at some point. We just can't keep ourselves from it. Just like a dog that goes back to it's vomit, we go back to our sin (Proverbs 26:11). That is one of the most vivid descriptions of what it looks like to God when we sin. None of us watch a dog do that. We always turn our head, or beat the dog. That's what they do. They return. That's what we do. What a shame we are.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell! Matthew 5:30

Here is what I want to look at. These are Jesus' words. Lets dissect!

1. "If your right hand"... 

If we sin. If we sin. If we sin. If your right hand causes you to sin. If you sin. If you sin. Matthew 5:48 tells us "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." We don't have to sin. It is our choice. We will almost always choose to, because it is not an easy thing to do, (you know, being perfect and all). But knowing that you don't have to sin, is half the battle. Just like with cooking, the biggest battle is deciding what you're going to cook.  

2. Our body is a separate thing

Jesus tells us that is is better to lose one part of our body than the whole thing. So, your hand can go to hell, but the rest of you won't. Hmm... strange concept. Lets look at this: "When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing," Matthew 6:3. (By the way, we will definately revisit this verse). Our bodies are separate things. We are one piece but we are not all one piece. Here is the best example I can give you for the meanings of these verses. They are not just talking about you. Yes, they are good examples of things we should watch out for, but here is their bigger meaning I believe: For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. I Corinthians 12:12. We are all one body, but we are all different. I believe that there are many unsaved people that have a role that Christ wants them to play in the body of Christ, and when they don't, it upsets the whole thing. There is a huge empty spot where they should be. When they don't accept Him as savior, they go to hell, therefore losing a hand but not losing the whole body. Scary thought. You cannot control other people, you can only control yourself.

3. Ending sin is painful

If I were to walk into my kitchen and start sawing off my hand. I'm sure I wouldn't get past even holding the knife. I'm scared to death of pain. I do not like it. Nothing about it. I do everything possible to avoid it. Still, sometimes it comes. When you decide for real, to end something that has been a part of your life, be it a relationship, a habit, or a sin, do not for one second think that it will be easy or simple. I've heard horror stories of relationships gone bad and people stalking them long after they were over. Sin is the same way. It knows that you once belonged to it, and it wants you back. It will fight for you. You have to be willing and strong enough to fight back. Do not, I repeat, believe that cutting sin out of your life is like a walk in the park. It isn't. It can't be. It has made up what you are for a long time, and now, you are kicking out a part of yourself. I also want to stress, Do not believe that you are okay, just because it has been there for so long. That too is a lie the devil tells us.  Also, do not believe that you are alone in getting rid of it. That is the farthest thing from the truth. 

So basically, we don't have to sin but we choose to. We are separate thing and we can control ourselves and ending any sin is a tough thing to do, but we have Christ there to help us get through it. Isn't that wonderful to know that we are not slaves of sin? No more bondage!

"But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness."

Romans 6:17-18

(sigh)

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?" Looking up, they observed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; they were amazed and alarmed. Mark 16:1-5

I woke up this morning better than most days. I got up when my alarm went off, and you can ask my husband, that never happens. I always hit the snooze button a couple (more like 5) times before I get up. Its warmer today and that makes it a lot easier. So, I got up, and got dressed. I was in my bathroom brushing my teeth and I looked out my window in my bathroom. The sky was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Pink, and purple, and blue. It was something to see. I glance over at the same sky that was magnificent only minutes ago, and it is now a dull gray. I started thinking about how amazing God is to give us something so beautiful for a time, but then it goes away. I also know that it's going to come back again tomorrow. 

What does that remind you of? Something beautiful given completely, and soon returning. Yep. You guessed it. 

I'm going to continue with my hands study tomorrow. All my notes are in my classroom. I forgot them. Hopefully the verses on that page will permiate through my filing cabinet and change some of my students. One student came in the other day and said, "Mrs.K, it feels weird in your room." I was thinking to myself it was a little drafty. He continued with, "It doesn't feel like all the others, its like.. (sigh) calmer or something". It wasn't calmer.. it was Something. Someone. I was doing something right. If a student can feel the presence of God in my classroom and I have never preached there, that is great. I just ask that God will continue that. 

God's big ole hands: Protector

This is the last concept that we will talk about with focus being God's hands. He loves us and has created us. He guides us on the way that we need to go, and disciplines us when necessary. I cannot reiterate enough, how big His love is for you. As big as I can imagine His hands, His love dwarfs them. He is so amazing.

John 10:28 tells us, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish - ever! No one will snatch them out of my hand."

Wow. This is Jesus talking, and He is answering some Jews who asked Him to plainly tell them if He was the Messiah or not. He tells them that He has already told them and they didn't believe Him. Then He hits them with this statement. He tells them that He gives them eternal life. He tells them that He is God. And He tells them that they will never perish and that no one can snatch them out of His hand.

He tells us the same thing.

He will not let anyone take you from Him. His hands are big enough to keep you safe. Here is the misconception: Because I am in God's hands, nothing will happen to me. Fasle! God will protect you from many things, but not everything. We will still experience hurts and pains just like everyone else. But eternally, however, has a great huge difference. Once you are His, no one can take you from Him. Your salvation is permanent.

Psalm 139:5 says this, "You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me."

He puts his hand on us for earthly protection. This psalm tells us how God knows each word before we say it, each thought before we think it, each action before we do it. He knows every detail of our life.

"Therefore, don't be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won't be uncovered, and nothing hidden that won't be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops. Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Don't be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:26-30


This is what Jesus told His disciples when He sent them out. This is one of the bases for my tattoo. I have a sparrow on my foot. God knows all about them, and all about me. He knows all the hairs on my head. He loves each one of them. He loves each hair on your head too. Amazing.

God is our protection, He guides us, He disciplines us, and He created us. He is amazing.