But Jesus. Jesus went out to the mountain to pray.
www.bible.com/2016/luk.6.12.nrsv
I’ve always thought the idea of a prayer closet as too confining, but that’s simply my personal preference. I’ve tried and I enjoy a wider space for this intimate time spent with God. I also realize, ‘prayer closet’ doesn’t have to be a literal closet.
Continue reading “Name Your Mountain”Have you ever tended a garden? Tilling the soil, pulling weeds, adding fertilizer, planting seeds, and watering?
Continue reading “Toiling is Good”Mighty Warrior. If you are a child of God; belief in Jesus through faith, you are a mighty warrior. Perhaps you don’t feel like a mighty warrior, rest assured you are. Maybe you don’t want to be a mighty warrior, but you are. Mighty warrior is in your spiritual lineage if not your physical lineage, as Abraham was the father of many nations.
Continue reading “Mighty Warrior”A few days ago I was running, not my favorite activity, but, well, the gym is closed. Suddenly, and without warning, my knee stopped me with an unexplainable pain. After a minute or two, I tried to start again. Nope, my knee was definitely not going to cooperate and I had to call my husband to come pick my up because now I couldn’t walk without limping. While waiting for my husband, I immediately turned to some prayer circles and asked for prayer. I love that one friend said she was praying for purpose and healing. That rang true in my heart and I have sat in the peace of purpose, His purpose.
Continue reading “Let Go My Soul”This can be a difficult one—fixing our gaze on Jesus, especially during this challenging time of a pandemic, shelter-in-place, and social distancing. When we focus on the challenges and struggles before us there can be a tendency to miss the “light at the end of the tunnel.” Instead we can allow ourselves to focus on the length of the tunnel, or the stale and dank air in the tunnel.
Continue reading “Where Are You Looking?”She sat on her throne giving a regal wave to all who passed by. Her gown was a beautiful combination of pastels—pinks, baby blue, and even some sea foam green with a hint of gold. Her hair was the color of flax and created a majestic contrast to her golden crown inlaid with what were surely precious family Continue reading “The Young Queen”
What are some of the things you’ve been doing as we shelter-in-place during this crazy time in what will one day be world history?
Continue reading “What’s Your Weapon?”He must have been exhausted as He climbed the mountain after seeing the large and looming crowds. How many had come to see Him, hear Him, or even touch Him? What was it that caused so many to simply want to be near Him?
Continue reading “May We Want To”Jesus will always love all His human creation, however, we cannot stop here because Jesus will always hate sin.
Satiated by their finished meal, the open fires casted a slight shadow over them as they and His disciples continued to listen intently. Preoccupied with the many things they had heard that day and evening were cause for consideration.
One of the things that caught their attention was Jesus telling them He would be ashamed of them if they were ashamed of Him and His words. Oh the deep, painful, and overwhelming sorrow they felt at these words.
Many of us probably associate ashamed with shame. Let’s stop right here.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1.
If you believe in Jesus there is no longer shame or condemnation on your shoulders.
In our verse today (Mark 8:38) Jesus is teaching that being ashamed is two-fold. It applies to those who haven’t accepted Jesus and have misplaced their trust and confidence in the big lie—someone or thing other than Jesus.
It also means Jesus will be ashamed of those who erroneously think, wrongly identify or align themselves with anyone or thing other than Him. I understand this is hard to hear for many especially because Jesus ushered in the new covenant of love.
Jesus will always love all His human creation, however, we cannot stop here because Jesus will always hate sin.
It is because of love Jesus gives the warning in our verse today. The adulterous and sinful generation began the moment Adam and Eve ate the fruit and it continues to this day.
How you share this truth matters. It holds much weight. Yes, there is an urgency and we want others to know Jesus loves them. We also want them to know they don’t have to believe the big lie.
I encourage you to think about all the practical ways you can share Jesus. Smiling at strangers, picking up those items that fall off the shelf at grocery stores that others pass by, paying for the order of the car behind you in a drive-thru. These small steps help build our confidence and trust in Jesus and prepare us to move onto the bigger assignments He has for us.
How will you share Jesus today?
Shalom!
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