Letters of recommendation

When looking for a job, you put together your application, resume, and letters of recommendation. You want to put your best foot forward so you only ask for letters of recommendation from people you think will write good about you.

I've been asked to write a couple of recommendation letters for some of my former students. When asked I have been very careful in the choosing of my words. I have wanted to show off those students in the best possible light so they would shine and impress whoever would read the letters.

For Christ, your life is a recommendation letter. In fact, for some you are all they will see as a representation of Christ. Have you put any thought or prayer into the words your life writes? Would others be brought to Christ as saviour by looking at your life, or would they pick up another applicants package?
Pray today that you would be like Paul in that "For to me, to live is Christ and to
die is gain." (Phil 1;21)

fresh fruit

We are all suppose to get three to five servings of fresh fruit every day. But most of us don't. I know I don't. But more important than the fresh fruit we are to eat each day we should be displaying fresh fruit. No not the lemons and limes that are in the dish on my kitchen counter -- the fruit of the spirit. You know love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is the fruit God gives us in our lives when we learn to fully trust in him. He sees to our spiritual health.
Love is the fruit. It is seen in the joy we find in knowing Christ. The peace of giving all over to him. the patience we have with others know that God is not finished with them, just like he isn't finished with us. The kindness and goodness we show to those in need. The faithfulness we mirror back to him. the gentleness that calms the pain of others and the self-control to hand all control over to His Holy Spirit.
This is the fruit that shows we belong to him.

God's Will in your life

My niece asked me yesterday "where do I begin reading in my Bible to find what God wants me to do and where he wants me to go."
I know she was wanting me to tell her "read this chapter." and it spell out for you exactly what God wants you to do. Well, there ain't such a chapter. But yet, God's will is told to us clearly.
One of my life verses tells us "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be given to you." Matthew 6;33.
Can you share other verses with me that clearly tell God's will for a believers life?

Thanksgiving Dinner

You know that feeling you have after Thanksgiving Dinner - the one that tells you you over ate. I have that feeling now. I over read. I read John 15, 16, and 17. Way to much in one sitting. I am having trouble digesting it all. But it was one of those "meals" where once I began I couldn't stop.
And I can totally understand why the disciples often said to each other "What did he say?"
so for the next few days I am going to eat leftovers. I'm going to stay right here in these three chapters of John and take each passage "bite by bite." I'm going to slow down and enjoy every word of my Christ and fully digest what he is saying to me.
I've learned over the years, sometimes the "second day leftovers" are the best part of the meal.

Color Wonder

A really good friend came over yesterday to help weed my garden and more. I was telling her about the color wonder roses that were blooming beautifully.
Shawna and I bought the roses and planted them according to our color scheme and design. We had it all planned out. But not one of the bushes has bloomed according to our plan. (FYI: roses purchased at Big Lots are there because they have been mislabeled.)
So instead of our plan and design coming through we have had a fun time watching to see what color would burst out where. And not one has been a standard pink, yellow or red either.
that is how life is also. You see, we set out our plans, we decide what goes in what order and then we 'plant' accordingly. But God has color wonder roses for our lives. We may think we are getting pink roses, but God in his love for us gives us the most beautiful mauve roses instead.
Remember when life changes colors on you to thank God. After all, he has plans for you. Plans that are for the good not the harm. Thank him for the changes he puts in your life, they are blessings.

Finding God's Will

"We do not know what to do...." 2 Corinthians 20:12b
a modern day translation would be "What is God's will in my life?" Well the rest of that verse tells us how to know God's will "...but our eyes are upon you."
When we seek God with our whole being we will see him. But we have become so busy in our lives we approach God with our desires then we go out and take hold of our lives ourselves. Instead we need to heed His Word, we need to 'take up our position, stand firm and see the Lord's deliverance.' Anything else is lack of faith.

In Jesus' Name

Pay off the morgage, find a publisher for my manuscripts, find husbands for Stacy and Shawna, and I could keep going and going and going. after all Jesus did say in John 14:14 "You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it."
So why aren't my prayers answered? Jesus said he would do it. And I always end my prayer with "in Jesus name."
Asking in Jesus' name isn't a magic tagline. I can just hear Jesus iin the garden now. "take this cup away, in my name, Amen." NOT
Praying in Jesus name really means to pray according to Jesus' desire. And his desire was and is to bring glory to the Father.
"Father, I desire that you miraculously heal Bryan but more than that i desire your will and your glory through his life. So if his continued diabetes is what brings you glory - then glory on." "Father, I desire to fiind a publisher for my manuscripts, but more than that I desire your will and your glory through my writing. So If I never get published i will continue to write for your will and your glory."
Now those are prayers In Jesus' Name. Praying for God's glory to prevail.

The new Temple

1 Chronicles 28:10 "Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary."
God chose Solomon to build a temple. But he called you to BE a temple, a sanctuary, the dwelling place of his Holy Spirit.
Look at all God provided for the temple Solomon built. He has also provided only the best for the temple he wants you to be. Does your temple need to be cleaned up? repaired in places? or totally rebuilt? don't wait for the work to be finished before you santify the temple and begin making it a place of worship. Today be God's temple.
"The temple I am going to be will be great, because my God is greater than all other gods. But who is able to be a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to be a temple for him, except as a place of sacrifice before him? Today, God I ask that you come and fill your temple, let it be a place of total worship and sacrifice for you."

footsteps

Simon Peter, when not speaking around his foot, spoke some might truths. In John 6:69 he is quoted as saying "We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
All of us reading this today can also say this. We do believe that Christ is the Holy One of God.
But just as Peter somtimes had trouble in those days living out his belief - we also don't always walk in a manner that says we believe.
Right now stop and ask God to guard your feet so you can walk in His Glory today. My prayer for you is that every step you take is in the footstep of Christ.

my prayer for today

Lord, let my soul sing praises to you today. Let me be a glory to your Name. i bow down at your feet asking, nay begging, for your peace to fall on me. You are my pleasure for you have given to me hope and salvation. Let your praises rise from deep within and fill the airs around me. O Lord, let my soul sing praises to you today.

Seek the Lord

2 Chronicles 15:12 & 15 "They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their hearts and souls. ... They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side."
The first 35 years of King Asa's reign he relied on God. He tore down the idols in his land, he worshipped fervently, he made God his closest advisor. And God bless his life with rest.
There were sstill enemies who tried to bring him down but God subdued them all because Asa sought God with his whole heart and soul.
What enemies are you battling today? Have you sought God's council, his help, or have you called in "foreign kings" to aid your battle?
It has taken me a lifetime but I have learned what it means to really seek God - heart and soul - to really rely on him to battle for me. To sit in His Rest. and it is beautiful. Join me.

Sacrifice What???

1 Chronicles 21:24 "I will not ... sacrifice a burnt offering that cost me nothing."

Reading this verse last week reminded me of a time in grade school. A friend of mine was catholic and was talking about Lent. She was telling me about how she had to give up something for the week. So she decided to give up chewing gum. But then she shared that she liked gum - so it counted - but she only chewed it once in awhile so it would be easy to give up for the week.
I didn't understand it then, now I do. She was living by the letter fo the law - giving up nothing.
Christ gave up his life for me. Can I don anything less for him? What does it cost me to worship God? What can I give up as an offering? Will I be like David and only offer something that cost me or more like my friend from school and offer up something that costs me nothing?