Christine is a happily married teacher, homemaker, pastor's wife, Sunday school teacher, mother, sister, friend. Having built a retirement cottage in the country, enjoying "porch time" with God. Reading devotionals, reflecting on God's Word, making applications, pausing to reflect on His truths, writing from the heart.
Finishing up a workout goal. Enjoying the last sip of my morning tea. Completing my devotional book that I have read and journaled about over this last year.
Now what? I have begun a new workout program. I will make tea again later today. I am now in search of a new daily devotional book, I think, or do I want to do a bible book study? I feel the latter is more my need right now. To dig deeper into God’s word. To study more, to meditate and be in prayer with God.
A new year is upon us. Are you looking forward to starting something new this year? Are you like me: saying good-bye is hard. Beginnings can be scary, anxious. Taking this new journey starts with step one, day one. Pray for guidance, direction. Listen. Believe. Trust. Go.
Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Is my devotional time a sense of duty, discipline or delight? Can I say yes to all three?
As a Christian, it is my duty to know my Savior more and more every day. To know His words, His truths. To follow Him means to trust Him, to be obedient to Him, to believe in Him. 1 Peter 2:17: “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
As a Christian, I want the daily discipline of sitting with my Savior. To learn at His feet. To memorize His words. To read His word to set my mind, my thoughts on Him before going out and facing the day, the world. Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
As a Christian, my delight is in Him. My joy is complete in Christ. Praising and worshipping my Savior delights my heart. No one or no thing delights me more than to praise God. Psalm 63:3-5: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”
A.W. Tozer “We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit (and) when the Holy Spirit shows us God as He is we admire Him to the point of wonder and delight.”
Roosters crowing. Pigs oinking. Birds tweeting. Squirrels rustling in the branches. Good morning. Wake up. Time to eat. Search for food. The winds are blowing. Are they mindful of the weather? Always moving. Alert. What was that noise? Pause to listen. Survival depends on alertness.
Taking in the sounds of the morning. Enjoying the music of God’s creation.
Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
The shepherds come to visit her baby. Angels are singing and praising God. Mary is quiet, thoughtful, reflective. Much has happened over the course of the last nine months. Now, He is here. The Promised One. The anticipated Messiah. Jesus, born in a humble manger on a quiet night. The shepherds are walking around Bethlehem, telling everyone they meet that Jesus is here. The Savior of the World.
Mary is taking all of this in. Perhaps the gravity of raising the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has finally hit her. She gets to raise her Savior, your Savior, my Savior. God’s Son, who came to save us all.
As quiet reflective Christmas Eve gatherings are taking place across this blessed land, let us be like Mary and ponder these things. Let us take in the gravity of the birth of Jesus. Let us be like the shepherds and tell all we meet of the birth of Jesus. Let us be like the angels and praise God for sending us His Son. On this most holy night, let us glorify and praise God for loving us so much He offered the world His Son, to save us from our sins, to be the Savior of the World.
Wisdom is looking at life from God’s point of view” Adrian Rogers
Riding the Jimmy Fallon ride at Universal, it simulates driving through New York City and suddenly you have an aerial view of the city, then you are out in space, landing on the moon. As your view changes, your attitude also changes.
This busy Christmas season is upon us. Looking for that perfect gift, remember tis better to give than receive. Wanting the house, the meal, the people to be the best, remember God already gave us the perfect gift of all, His Son, Jesus.
I pray your view of this Christmas season is on God and His Son. Enjoy the merry-making. Enjoy the noise of the holidays. Keeping God in view.
Riding along highway 27, I pulled out my phone, started searching the web, then realized I am on an unfamiliar road. Put down the phone. Enjoy the sites. Converse with my husband.
In today’s “easy to reach technology” mindset, it is easy to lose focus. To drift away from conversations. Get engrossed with self and device.
God wants us to be present in worship, as well. Worship in the great outdoors as you take in His creation. Worship in the car, laying aside your worries. Worship and forget your troubles. Be intentional wherever you are as you worship God. Hear His words. Let them rest upon your heart.
Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
The day after Thanksgiving. My heart is full. My house is full. My refrigerator is full. What will I eat today? Turkey- yes. But then there is corn, beans, squash, potatoes, stuffing and don’t get me started on all the leftover desserts.
Every day we have choices to make. Some are survival choices: eating. Others are hobby choices: reading. And others are activity choices: Black Friday Shopping.
When it comes to being a Christian, we also have choices. First and most, the decision to follow Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Then, choices to serve, to be kind, to love, to pray.
I’ve heard much about a little bit of Jesus plus good works plus good living is all I need to choose in this life and then I’m good with God and heaven will be my home. I’m not sure where this theology came from but if you are good enough now, then why did Jesus come to die in the first place? Nowhere in the Bible does it say have a little bit of faith and a little bit of good works. No, the shed blood of Jesus is all that will put us in a right relationship with God. Belief that I am a sinner, nothing righteous within me, surrender my life to Jesus and accept the free gift of salvation He offers to all mankind.
I made that choice over 30 years ago and I continue to pursue Jesus as my first love. My desire, my choice, is to know Him more and for my life to reflect Him.
Have you made that choice today?
Romans 4:4-5: “When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.”
James 4:8a: “Come close to God and God will come close to you.”
As I age, I am aware of my body- what it can and cannot do. Because I want to remain active, have the energy to work, to serve, to love, to encourage, to study, to grow… I have made some adjustments to my morning routine.
I had been getting up early to workout, eating a healthy breakfast, packing healthy snacks and lunches, but as I went throughout my day, I was losing my joy. I was complaining. I was not who I wanted to be. I realized I was mentally and spiritually weary.
So… I made some adjustments to my morning routine. I added devotion and prayer time. I added thankful writings to my morning. I centered my mornings with God. The peace, the love, the calm is the adjustment I needed so as I go throughout the rest of my day, His voice is in my ear, in my heart, in my mind, on my lips. He gives me the strength for the day and beyond.
Psalm 27:4: “One thing I ask of the Lord; this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”
We collaborate at work to develop plans, presentations, to distribute the work load, becoming part of a team.
We collaborate at home to develop an atmosphere of love where everyone helps out with the running of a household.
Do we collaborate with God? We read His word, we memorize verses, but then are we out there doing it alone, receiving the individual accolades?
When we put our faith and trust in our Savior and Lord, we are putting our whole self in His care. Our every need, He is there. Our every prayer, He hears. When we are doing His work in ministry, in serving, He is there. As we sit and study His word, He is there in these quiet moments directing our thoughts, our plans.
When we collaborate with God, we submit to His will, His plans, His direction.
I Peter 5:1-4:To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Today is the last Sunday of October, which is Pastor Appreciation Month. The job of a pastor is many. What most people see is the preaching/teaching of the Word on Sunday mornings. That is the visible side. What about the less visible side? The counseling side where the pastor meets one-on-one, the labor side where the pastor fixes roofs, floors, dishwashers, etc… The community side where the pastor meets with other pastors to plan community events. The wedding/funeral side where the pastor meets with the families. The study side where time is spent reading, listening, studying God’s Word. The prayer side where time is spent in prayer with God.
The hats a pastor wears is many. I pray you lift your pastor up in prayer every day. This pastor has a calling on his life to teach God’s Word, to shepherd the flock. He prays for you every day. Carries burdens only he knows about, knowing he not only will one day stand before God for himself but also for you. This pastor loves God, loves you, and is in it for no other reason than to serve God.
Titus 1:6-9: An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
