Let's not underestimate the power of encouragement. The right words at the right time mean so much when they are personal and wise.
I think if God appeared to us this morning and spoke to us like we speak to each other He would encourage us and build us up.
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 15:5-6 ESV
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
If you started something with the intention of glorifying God then please don't quit. If you love some wholesome thing then don't stop. Don't let years go by and then say later, 'Why did I stop?' don't live with regrets that you didn't do what was set before you to do.
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4 ESV
It is my conviction that when we delight in God He puts desires in our heart and then gives those things to us... but none of these things happen in a vacuum. God uses people in His process.
I have a goal this week.
I am going to look for ways to encourage people. I am going to pray that God would open my eyes to who needs a word of encouragement and how to say it creatively so it will be received. My goal is to do that to as many people as possible. I want to use all the tools in my tool belt. Humor, wisdom, inquisitiveness, simplicity... whatever it takes.
I'm also going to keep putting one step in front of the other in the things I love. How can I tell others not to quit if I have quit on what I love?
"...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:20b ESV
God is with us. He isn't leaving. He is for us.
Even if it is just one little thing scheduled everyday.
Don't quit.
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Showing posts with label Creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creativity. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2016
Monday, October 5, 2015
Clean Feet
It is not easy to trick a person who stands on principles. The person who lives for pleasure is easily drawn away.
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-2a, 4b-5 ESV
I want this to be a good week. I don't want to be taken for a ride this week. So, I'll focus on the 'good and perfect' gifts that come from God.
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." - James 1:12-18 ESV
God gives true acceptance. God gives hope for the future. God has given us a cleansing provision that keeps us clean because it continually washes us as we walk in a sometimes dusty world.
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:3-8 ESV
We must let Him serve us. We can be kept experientially clean by grace. If we live by principles then we will not be easily drawn away by passions.
Thank you God for another week. Thank you for new opportunities. Give us creativity. Let us see temptation a mile away and help us to flee it's grip. You have made us 'the head' and not 'the tail' and we are believing that you will give us power to in your purity this week. Thank you God.
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"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-2a, 4b-5 ESV
I want this to be a good week. I don't want to be taken for a ride this week. So, I'll focus on the 'good and perfect' gifts that come from God.
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." - James 1:12-18 ESV
God gives true acceptance. God gives hope for the future. God has given us a cleansing provision that keeps us clean because it continually washes us as we walk in a sometimes dusty world.
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:3-8 ESV
We must let Him serve us. We can be kept experientially clean by grace. If we live by principles then we will not be easily drawn away by passions.
Thank you God for another week. Thank you for new opportunities. Give us creativity. Let us see temptation a mile away and help us to flee it's grip. You have made us 'the head' and not 'the tail' and we are believing that you will give us power to in your purity this week. Thank you God.
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Friday, May 8, 2015
The Scent Of Water
Renewal is a strange wonderful thing. It can't be planned.
"For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep. Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come. You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands." - Job 14:7-15 ESV
We can plan rest but not renewal. We can apply the paddles to our creative chest to try and jump start creativity. Sometimes that jolt works to restart us and sometimes it doesn't. Creativity happens at interesting times. We get 'new eyes' and suddenly possibilities become visible That we never saw before.
Grace is what often restarts me. Perhaps because it is the antidote for the things that stop me. Grace is the 'scent of water' that causes me to sprout in new configurations.
Human beings are creative creatures. We all have varying degrees of it and it is expressed in different ways and times. Some of us are oriented toward creative pursuits and others would rather things stay stable and continuous. Stability is important also.
"Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat." - Hebrews 13:9-10 ESV
The creative person will function in unexpected ways in common situations. It is fascinating to watch. The mundane pedestrian landscape turns into a magical flash mob and songs that never echoed down those streets suddenly do in grand fashion.
We have a table to eat from that not everyone knows about and it makes us special. There is a divine presence with us that is not governed by us or anyone. God is with those who believe. He tabernacles among us.
God fill us today. We have the stability and security of eternal rest. We want to walk in the unpredictable creativity of divine grace.
--
"For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep. Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come. You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands." - Job 14:7-15 ESV
We can plan rest but not renewal. We can apply the paddles to our creative chest to try and jump start creativity. Sometimes that jolt works to restart us and sometimes it doesn't. Creativity happens at interesting times. We get 'new eyes' and suddenly possibilities become visible That we never saw before.
Grace is what often restarts me. Perhaps because it is the antidote for the things that stop me. Grace is the 'scent of water' that causes me to sprout in new configurations.
Human beings are creative creatures. We all have varying degrees of it and it is expressed in different ways and times. Some of us are oriented toward creative pursuits and others would rather things stay stable and continuous. Stability is important also.
"Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat." - Hebrews 13:9-10 ESV
The creative person will function in unexpected ways in common situations. It is fascinating to watch. The mundane pedestrian landscape turns into a magical flash mob and songs that never echoed down those streets suddenly do in grand fashion.
We have a table to eat from that not everyone knows about and it makes us special. There is a divine presence with us that is not governed by us or anyone. God is with those who believe. He tabernacles among us.
God fill us today. We have the stability and security of eternal rest. We want to walk in the unpredictable creativity of divine grace.
--
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