Mark 14:8a She has done what she could. (ESV)
This passage is talking about when the woman anoints Jesus's head in Bethany before His burial. Later in the passage it says that what she has done will be told in memory ( or as a memorial ) of her.
I was thinking about this yesterday as we were celebrating Memorial Day. Generally in the Bible memorials followed big events such as Passover or when the Israelites crossed the Jordan and they were told to place 12 stones as a memorial. This verse in Mark is speaking of a singular person doing what she could. I believe this applies to our soldiers who lost their lives in their fight for freedom for our Country or others. They did what they could and in many cases they gave all they could: their very lives.
Yesterday at church we tried to find ways to honor those who have served in the armed services, but it seems we can never do enough in light of what they did. If you know someone who has served our country, I urge you to call them today and say, "Thank you." And let's vow to never forget that our freedom was anything but free..... it cost some dearly.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
May 24, 2015
Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain. (HCBS)
What might you be doing that, on the surface looks like a labor of love, but because the Lord is not in it, it is going nowhere? I think we do these kinds of things more often than we want to admit. We oftentimes have a plan, execute the plan and then ask the Lord to join us and bless it. A recent Bible study I was in indicated that thinking is exactly backwards. We need to find out where the Lord is working and join Him.
Could this backward thinking be costing us time and effort? Could it even cause us to be a little disgruntled with God for not enabling our success? (After all, one would think if it is a Christian activity he/she is involved in, then the Lord should not only be in it, but guarantee its success.) Just as Moses told the Lord that if He wasn't accompanying the Israelites, then Moses wouldn't go, we need to have the same attitude - If the Lord is not in it, we don't want to be either.
What might you be doing that, on the surface looks like a labor of love, but because the Lord is not in it, it is going nowhere? I think we do these kinds of things more often than we want to admit. We oftentimes have a plan, execute the plan and then ask the Lord to join us and bless it. A recent Bible study I was in indicated that thinking is exactly backwards. We need to find out where the Lord is working and join Him.
Could this backward thinking be costing us time and effort? Could it even cause us to be a little disgruntled with God for not enabling our success? (After all, one would think if it is a Christian activity he/she is involved in, then the Lord should not only be in it, but guarantee its success.) Just as Moses told the Lord that if He wasn't accompanying the Israelites, then Moses wouldn't go, we need to have the same attitude - If the Lord is not in it, we don't want to be either.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
May 23, 2015
Luke 9:49 John responded, "Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us." (HCSB)
Some things never change. Today we have well-meaning Christians doing the same thing as John. Because certain people don't do things according to our custom, we decide they need silenced. I think if we aren't careful we can act similarly against other denominations.
I can think of nothing more hurtful to the Lord than division in His Body. It is time we search for more ways in which to work together rather than pick each other apart.
The truth is: when we get to heaven we will not be categorized by our denominations. Finally, we will be the entire Body of Christ - complete and whole.
Some things never change. Today we have well-meaning Christians doing the same thing as John. Because certain people don't do things according to our custom, we decide they need silenced. I think if we aren't careful we can act similarly against other denominations.
I can think of nothing more hurtful to the Lord than division in His Body. It is time we search for more ways in which to work together rather than pick each other apart.
The truth is: when we get to heaven we will not be categorized by our denominations. Finally, we will be the entire Body of Christ - complete and whole.
Friday, May 22, 2015
May 22, 2015
Psalm 25:7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness, LORD. (HCSB)
I remember the first time I was introduced to this verse. I was at a women's Bible study and we were singing praise before we started. One of our praise songs was Psalm 25, which included this verse. As we sang the words I started to tear up, and I realized that I had never thought of asking the Lord to forget the sins of my youth. Heaven knows I hadn't forgotten them. Immediately following the Bible study I went home and prayed these word back to the Lord. I had such a sense of relief and a feeling of a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders.
I have always had a bent toward rebellion. I can easily get caught up in a cycle that resembles that of the Israelites - first I rebel, then I repent, then God forgives me, then I have a period of obedience....only to be followed by rebellion. I am so very thankful that God is faithful in His love for me and continues to draw me to Him via His forgiveness.
I remember the first time I was introduced to this verse. I was at a women's Bible study and we were singing praise before we started. One of our praise songs was Psalm 25, which included this verse. As we sang the words I started to tear up, and I realized that I had never thought of asking the Lord to forget the sins of my youth. Heaven knows I hadn't forgotten them. Immediately following the Bible study I went home and prayed these word back to the Lord. I had such a sense of relief and a feeling of a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders.
I have always had a bent toward rebellion. I can easily get caught up in a cycle that resembles that of the Israelites - first I rebel, then I repent, then God forgives me, then I have a period of obedience....only to be followed by rebellion. I am so very thankful that God is faithful in His love for me and continues to draw me to Him via His forgiveness.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
May 21, 2015
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end. (ESV)
This verse follows the segment of chapter 3 that we often hear read at funerals.....a time to live, a time to die.....a time to plant, at time to uproot....etc.
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, has a very cynical view of life. He seems to think that everything man does is futile, and his works will die when he does. So, it is no surprise that one can almost hear the above mentioned segment of chapter 3 read in a very sing-song manner. However, when we get to verse 11, Solomon gives God credit for His appropriate timing of everything. Then we come to a very interesting part of Scripture.... God has put eternity in our hearts.
I think another way to describe this is that when we are born, we are born with a hole, or longing in our very souls. Those of us who are Christians are finally able to declare that God has filled that longing. It is a place that only He can fill. He is what makes us complete.
All the people in this world who do not know Christ are desperately searching for that something to fill that hole. You name it, they try it, but nothing will satisfy that longing. How very fortunate we, Christians, are to have a piece of eternity in our very hearts.
This is even more reason for us to want to share the Good News that we have. Don't go to bed this evening until you have thanked God for filling your deepest desire, and then think of a way to share the hope you have with others who are still lacking that satisfaction that only a relationship with Jesus can bring.
This verse follows the segment of chapter 3 that we often hear read at funerals.....a time to live, a time to die.....a time to plant, at time to uproot....etc.
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, has a very cynical view of life. He seems to think that everything man does is futile, and his works will die when he does. So, it is no surprise that one can almost hear the above mentioned segment of chapter 3 read in a very sing-song manner. However, when we get to verse 11, Solomon gives God credit for His appropriate timing of everything. Then we come to a very interesting part of Scripture.... God has put eternity in our hearts.
I think another way to describe this is that when we are born, we are born with a hole, or longing in our very souls. Those of us who are Christians are finally able to declare that God has filled that longing. It is a place that only He can fill. He is what makes us complete.
All the people in this world who do not know Christ are desperately searching for that something to fill that hole. You name it, they try it, but nothing will satisfy that longing. How very fortunate we, Christians, are to have a piece of eternity in our very hearts.
This is even more reason for us to want to share the Good News that we have. Don't go to bed this evening until you have thanked God for filling your deepest desire, and then think of a way to share the hope you have with others who are still lacking that satisfaction that only a relationship with Jesus can bring.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
May 20, 2015
Isaiah 66:2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
To whom will the Lord look upon? He who is humble... I was once taught that humble is having the correct assessment of your worth. False humility is just another name for pride. So, to have a greater or lesser opinion of yourself is still prideful. Give it some thought.
He who is contrite in spirit.... contrite is to be humbly penitent. So we are back to a correct assessment of yourself.
Finally, the person who trembles at God's Word.... I think this refers to having a correct assessment of God.
Just food for thought. Worth considering if you want God to look upon you with favor.
To whom will the Lord look upon? He who is humble... I was once taught that humble is having the correct assessment of your worth. False humility is just another name for pride. So, to have a greater or lesser opinion of yourself is still prideful. Give it some thought.
He who is contrite in spirit.... contrite is to be humbly penitent. So we are back to a correct assessment of yourself.
Finally, the person who trembles at God's Word.... I think this refers to having a correct assessment of God.
Just food for thought. Worth considering if you want God to look upon you with favor.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
May 19, 2015
Psalm 96:7&8 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts!
I don't know if you are like me or not, but when I read verses like these I can become overwhelmed in trying to think how on earth can I give God the glory He deserves. The bottom line is - we won't ever give God all the glory He deserves. Rather than letting that keep us from giving Him any, let's give what we can.
Give Him glory by doing an honest day's work. Give Him glory by loving your children He gave you. Give Him glory by being accountable to what is right. Give Him glory by obeying His Word.
The list could go on and on......
Years ago my daughter gave me a grateful journal to record all my gratitude. I think I might start a new journal giving God glory for everything I can think of. No, I still won't be able to give Him all that He deserves, but I will getting a little closer.
I don't know if you are like me or not, but when I read verses like these I can become overwhelmed in trying to think how on earth can I give God the glory He deserves. The bottom line is - we won't ever give God all the glory He deserves. Rather than letting that keep us from giving Him any, let's give what we can.
Give Him glory by doing an honest day's work. Give Him glory by loving your children He gave you. Give Him glory by being accountable to what is right. Give Him glory by obeying His Word.
The list could go on and on......
Years ago my daughter gave me a grateful journal to record all my gratitude. I think I might start a new journal giving God glory for everything I can think of. No, I still won't be able to give Him all that He deserves, but I will getting a little closer.
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