Tag: Jesus

What’s In Your Cup?

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How much time do we spend dressing up our outward appearance while ignoring the inside? Trying to polish up and disguise the contents…a little make-up here, some dye there, a few new outfits, shiny shoes, maybe an accessory or two. Meanwhile the inside is filled with a little bit of envy, a hint of bitterness, a dab of unforgiveness, a taste of lust, a dust of selfishness, a few dashes of wicked thoughts, and drowning in secrets.

“…First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” –Jesus (Matthew 23:26)

I’ve had times that the outside of my cup may have looked nicely put together, but if someone were to get close enough they might not only see the cracks – but get a whiff of the foul aroma coming from the inside. While we might be able to fool ourselves, God knows exactly what’s in each of our cups. It’s only a matter of time before what’s inside will show up on the outside.

When you look in the mirror today ask yourself, “What’s in my cup?”. Maybe it’s guilt, pain, abuse, lies, deceit, bitterness, envy, lust, unforgiveness, doubt, greed….or maybe your cup is empty. Whatever it is…are you willing to let your cup be cleansed with grace?

Empty your cup! Go to the Father for a wash and refill. He’s waiting for you…

LIVE NOW…

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This past week I celebrated another milestone birthday – TGBTG. It was bittersweet though – as many milestones have been over this year for my family and I. When you experience loss, things are different the first year. You have a different perspective on life, you view things differently, you have a different appreciation for things (or maybe not)…then there‘s the guilt, regrets, pain and void that can never be filled.

I had major plans for bringing in my 40th birthday, but my plans changed significantly because…..well things were different – a whole lot different this year. Almost a year ago, my brother’s life was tragically taken just 4 months before he would have celebrated his 16th birthday. The things at one point I thought I needed to celebrate another year of life became less important. I was grateful while at the same time guilty that I got to see 40 when my brother didn’t even have the opportunity to see 16.

I think about my own life at his age, the things I was into, the places I had been, some of the people that I associated with, the hell that I put my parents through and I know that it is nothing but the blood of Jesus and God’s grace that has kept me here (Some will say, “well where was this God at when your brother’s life was cut down”….believe it or not…He was there). I have often wrestled with and felt guilty that I am still here and he is not…that I had the opportunity to see more milestones that he did.

Though it was intentionally low key, I choose to be grateful for this milestone. Grateful for where God has brought me, where He has rescued me from, grateful for my family and friends, for all of the life experiences – good and bad – because they are me and were for me, for the open doors and even the dead bolted doors, for life, for joy, for peace, for life, and most importantly…for salvation.

A friend sent me a text on my birthday “remember some people say living starts when you turn 40”. That may be true for some people, but living for me truly began when I made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. If I’ve learned anything from my brother’s death, it’s been to live now. Don’t wait for the right time, a milestone, the right people, or the right place – LIVE NOW. Life begins when you make the choice to start living and how you choose to live makes a difference.

“…..I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus

John 10:10 NIV

God used my little brother to teach me a lot about life. Unfortunately, it came at the cost of losing him but God’s plan – though I may never understand it…is greater than all of ours.

I love you little brother…forever and always. Thank you for reminding me to live.

If you want to start living now, say this prayer:

I am a sinner in need of rescuing. Jesus, I need you to rescue me. I believe that You came, died, and rose that I might be rescued to live forever with You as My Savior. I ask You to come into my heart, dwell in me and change me that I might live life to the fullest and bring glory to Your Name.

Thank you Jesus for dying that I might live.

Amen

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 NIV

Daddy, I need You….

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My daddy (yes, I am a grown woman that still calls my father daddy) is a generous guy – he would give you the clothes off his back, going out of his way to help others get what they need, making sure their needs are met – often at the cost of sacrificing his own needs. My daddy is also extremely resourceful and talented – he can fix or build just about anything. There’s nothing that my daddy wouldn’t do for me. The problem is I don’t always ask for his help. As the oldest of 5, I often feel that I’m okay and that the others might need a little bit more from him than me. I also don’t like to be an inconvenience or burden to anyone. I am most comfortable being the helper as opposed to the one being helped. Even when my father offers his help, I have a hard time accepting it.

Recently I needed my father to help me with my car – something that he’s really good at by the way. I had the hardest time even wanting to ask him for help. After pacing the floor and going back and forth with it, I made the call and he was more than eager to help. All I had to do was ask.

It later dawned on me that my approach to my Heavenly Father is the same way. I have no problem seeking Him for other people, taking others problems to Him, or even asking for things that He freely gives – forgiveness, grace, love, mercy, and strength. But when it comes to the things I need, the situations that I need to hand over to Him, the broken pieces I need Him to put back together….I must admit I have trouble asking…that is until it gets to the point of desperation. There are more important things going on in the world and other peoples lives than my little problems – at least that’s what I think sometimes.

Our Father wants us to seek Him for EVERYTHING. There is nothing that He wouldn’t do for us that is within His will. He should be the first one that we go to. He longs to help us….all we have to do is ask.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” – Jesus (Matthew‬ ‭7:7-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Heavenly Father, we need you! You know those things that each of us are in need of. Let us seek You in all things, no matter how insignificant they may seem to us. Everything concerning us matters to You because You care for each of us and there’s nothing that You wouldn’t do for us that is in agreement with Your desires for our lives. Help us to humble ourselves knowing that we can do nothing independent of you….we need you Father.

In Jesus Name, Amen

#RELATIONSHIPGOALS

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In a day where information is available to us at a tap or click, we can easily be deceived into believing that we can get all of the information that we need to know about a person. Think about it. How often do you meet someone (or even before you meet them) do your ‘research’? Checking Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. – even going as far as a free background check…totally bypassing the opportunity to connect and really get to know someone. Society has turned us into people that crave information more than relationship.

Our information makes us feel smart, safe, secure, and a step ahead. It makes us experts yet ineffective in our relations. Often creating barriers that prevent us from embracing true relationships. Armed with our “information”, we enter in to relationship with preconceived notions, false expectations (and often false information), standards and rules that prevent us from cultivating a genuine relationship with a person.

Same can be said with our relationship with God. Our knowledge (or lack thereof) and expertise, can be a barrier to our relationship with Him. Our knowledge can give us this puffed up idea that we know all there is to know and that we are the subject matter experts on all things holy. Instead of basing our relationship with God on salvation, grace, intimacy and experience, we base it on information, rules, certifications, titles, commandments, and others views of Him. Don’t be mistaken, as believers and followers of Christ, we should diligently study the Word of God as our source of truth, our history and instructions for living. However, information without a relationship with the One it’s all about, is useless.

During His time on earth, Jesus fiercely warned a group of people who valued religion more that they did a relationship with God. The Pharisees felt that their knowledge, interpretation of scripture and rule based systems were the way to a righteous life.

“You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won’t go in yourself, and won’t let anyone else in either.” Luke 11:52 MSG

The Pharisees were keeping people – including themselves, from the Kingdom of God based on their information. Their knowledge kept them from a relationship with God that could only come through salvation in Christ alone – not information, criteria or rules. Similarly, our desire to consume information to prove what we know and how much we know, can keep us from growing in relationship with Christ. As we constantly pursue information, we often miss opportunities to connect with Him, experience Him, embrace Him and live for Him.

Here are a few relationship goals we should have:

1. Connect with God through salvation.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Personal Savior, consider asking Him into your heart. It’s the most important relationship you will ever have. You can do it right now….just say these words..

“I’m a sinner in need of rescuing. I need You, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that you came to earth as God in the flesh, died on the cross for my sins, and rose again so that I can live eternally with You. I ask you to come into my heart and change me, that I might live for You. In Jesus Name, Amen”

2. Get to know God through His Word, daily devotions and prayer.

3. Express gratitude and value your relationship with praise and worship.

4. Hang out with God. Make personal quiet time, church and fellowship a priority.

5. Put your relationship on display and share the Good News. Let others see proof of your relationship by being the light and tell others about the One you’re in relationship with.

Now for a few closing words from a former Pharisee…

“The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ— God’s righteousness.

I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.” – Paul

(Philippians 3:7-11 MSG)