Thursday, May 24, 2012

418

Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

Colossians 1:9

My dear friends are leaving for Korea on Saturday morning to pick up their child! We had the great privilege of praying with them last night. We've been praying for them the last year. And they've been praying about this for years beyond that.

And soon we will meet God's answer to our prayers.

Who are you praying for?

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

417

I was really blessed by this


  1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
    Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
    When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
    • Refrain:
      I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
      For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
  2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
    And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
    Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
  3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
    When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
    I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
    His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

416

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.


1 John 4:9


I love this verse. It's so clear. John lays it out for us this is it...


And what does he say?

Jesus. God packed all his love into a man named Jesus - who exchanged his life for ours - wow. But as powerful as Christ's death and resurrection is - it's His life that enthralls me to him. If God is like Jesus, then what an amazing universe this is.




Monday, May 14, 2012

415

Heard this on the radio today, quoting from a book that I think is called Lonely in the Crowd.

If we don't learn how to be alone, we'll always be lonely. 

Jesus is a great example of this. He demonstrated the importance of solitude. In turn, he was rarely lonely. I think of the Garden of Gethsemane when I write, rarely.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

414

"Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger..."

Matthew 4, The Message

If you knew you were going to be tempted to use your power to make food appear out of thin air, would you prepare for it by fasting for over a month?

Hmmm...

What's going on here?

This is one of those do not try at home moments. Because Jesus is Jesus. We are not. At the same time, God often works best in and through our weakness. So if you are hungry, tired, lonely, angry, afraid...take heart! God is at work. You'll be surprised at how he can use it not just in your life but also in others.

Monday, May 7, 2012

413

"While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed."

This is a prayer challenge: this week, one morning, set your alarm clock early (way before dawn) and pray.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

412

"Jesus went off with his disciples to the sea to get away. But a huge crowd from Galilee trailed after them...He told his disciples to get a boat ready so he wouldn't be trampled by the crowd."

Mark 3. The Message 


Solitude was important to Jesus. And if he needed it, you better believe we do. We see here that Jesus didn't let the urgent things pressing in on him keep him from it. He fought for his solitude. It was that important.


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

411

"Love Christ, and then do what you like, for you will like the right. You will be free!"

E. Stanley Jones.

focus on Christ... and everything else truly does fall into place... O Lord have mercy on me, I am often out of focus.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

410

"Blessings keep our awareness of life's holy potential ever present. They awaken us to our lives... With each blessing uttered we extend the boundaries of the sacred and ritualize our love of life."


Ann Voskamp