Monthly Archives: June 2008

“Moore” Monday

 

YOUR ENEMY IS STANDING

ON YOUR GOD-GIVEN GROUND

DARING YOU TO TAKE

POSESSION OF IT.

I will sing to You, Lord, for You are highly exalted. 
The horse and its rider You have hurled into the sea!
You, Lord, are my strength and my song. 
You have become my salvation.
You are my God and I will praise You.

You, Lord, are a warrior!  The Lord is Your name! (Exod. 15:1-3).

Your right hand, O God, is majestic in power.  Your right hand,
O Lord, shatters the enemy.  In the greatness of Your majesty, You will
throw down those who oppose You.  You will unleash Your
burning anger.  It will consume them like stubble (Exod. 15:6-7).

You are the Great I AM.  This is Your name forever! (Exod. 3:14-15).
my enemy cannot begin to stand against You.

Beth Moore, Praying God’s Word Day by Day

Funny Story

Brooke is at a sleepover tonight, so the boys and I went to pick up some Playstation 2 games.  We left Gamestop and ran over to Target.  As soon as we got in the store, Zach had to use the restroom.  He turned to go, and Matthew decided he needed to go too.  They walked hand in hand for a few steps, and then Zach started to drag Matthew by the arm.  Matthew proceeded to fall down, and the struggle continued until they went into the restroom. 

As we were walking away, Zach told me that Matthew got in there and said he didn’t have to go.  After Zach had gone, Matthew decided he would go.  Now Zach was talking in hushed tones because there were people around, but Matthew started telling the story a little bit louder.  We were laughing at him when Zach says that Matthew pulled his shorts down and was standing with his fanny fully exposed.  Zach was appalled, and I was confused.  I said, isn’t there a door?  At which point Zach says, “no he was using the urinator.”  I cracked up!  The Urinator… is that something like a urinal? 

Our Mission on Earth

Why are we here?  What did God create us to do?  If you’ve ever found yourself wondering that, please read on.  This touched me today.

Matthew 10:5-42 The Message

Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge.  “Don’t begin by traveling to some far off place to convert unbelievers.  And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy.  Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood.  Tell them that the kingdom is here.  Bring health to the sick.  Raise the dead.  Touch the untouchables.  Kick out the demons.  You have been treated generously, so live generously.  Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start.  You don’t need a lot of equipment.  You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day.  Travel light.  When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn.  Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.  When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting.  If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation.  If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw.  Don’t make a scene.  Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.  You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll be mighty sorry-but it’s no concern of yours now.  Stay alert.  This is hazardous work I’m assigning you.  You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves.  Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.  Don’t be naive.  Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation-just because you believe in me.  Don’t be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities.  Without knowing it, they’ve done you-and me-a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news!  And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it.  The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.  When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family.  There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate!  But don’t quit.  Don’t cave in.  It is all well worth it in the end.  It is not success you are after in such times but survival.  Be survivors!  Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.  A student doesn’t get a better desk than her teacher.  A laborer doesn’t make more money than his boss.  Be content-pleased, even-when you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get.  If they call me, the Master, ‘Dungface,’ what can the workers expect?  Don’t be intimidated.  Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are.  So don’t hesitate to go public now.  Don’t be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies.  There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being.  Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life-body and soul-in his hands.  What’s the price of a pet canary?  Some loose change, right?  And God cares what happens to it even more than you do.  He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail-even numbering the hairs on your head!  So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk.  You’re worth more than a million canaries.  Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven.  If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?  Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy.  I’ve come to cut-make a sharp knife cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law-cut throught these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.  Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.  If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me.  If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.  If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me.  If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself.  But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.  We are intimately linked in this harvest work.  Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you.  Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me.  Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger.  Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help.  This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it.  It’s best to start small.  Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty for instance.  The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice.  You won’t lose out on a thing.”

Sums it up for me!

 

Cardboard Testimony

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ]I found this on a great faith filled site called A Walk Through the Valley, and just cried.  I’m still so shaken and moved by it, the song lyrics still running through my head.  What would my cardboard say?  Can I pin it down to one thing?   That’s hard. 

Watch it and let me know how you feel.  What would your cardboard sign say?  Without Him and with Him.

 

Noah teaches us

Noah was a man that stood for righteousness in an unrighteous generation.  He lived in a time of incredible darkness in the world, yet he chose to walk in the light.  Surely he must have felt alone, but he was never forsaken.  Noah’s life was blessed by God’s grace.  The very same grace that God extended to Noah, He extends to us.  Can we do any less than to live for Him? 

Noah was given an impossible task.  He was asked to collect two of every kind of animal on the planet and put them in the ark.  Can you even stop to imagine this for a minute?  How could he possibly do this?  He served our God, the great I AM, in which nothing is impossible.

He had to let go and let God.  Noah could not do the impossible task of collecting all those animals, but God could.  Noah just let go and let God bring the animals to him.  We can let go and let God!  I actually have a keychain that reminds me of that very phrase daily.  Is anything too hard for God? 

Sin’s darkness is alive and well, but so is Jesus Christ.  We are the light of the world.  God sent a great light in the form of an infant child.  May you and I be faithful to walk in that Light as we seek to follow the Son! 

Prayer for Purpose

 

I’ve been thinking about intercessory prayer lately.  Now, have I been thinking it, or has God been calling me to it?  Yeah, I know!  Anyway, while at the christian book store yesterday, I picked up a book about it.  I haven’t started it yet, because I’m currently reading two already.  Then I pick up my daily book of prayers and flip open to a page and find this.  Read on…

Lord, I believe I was born for such a time as this, and that You have called me to pray for others.  I pray for a divine visitation of Your mercy and grace upon my city, and my nation.  I declare You to be Lord over these places.  I know that part of my purpose on earth is to affect these places through intercession.  Help me to do that.  Help me to affect the world for Your glory.  Stormie OMartian, A Book of Prayer, page 40.

Um, yeah, so now what do you think?  Is it me, or is it God speaking to me? 

Courage

I can remember being my daughters age.  My BFF Amy and I, whom I no longer am in contact with but that’s a whole nother story, would sit and watch horrible scary movies.  Freddie and Jason were on the screen alot.  We’d scream and laugh, cover our eyes and yell at the heroine not to go upstairs! 

I guess you could say I had the living daylights scared out of me, and now I can’t stand to watch that kind of thing.  Give me a psychological thriller or romantic comedy anytime! 

Brooke is into the scary movies now.  She has one little friend who loves to watch them too.  A few weeks ago they saw one, and Brooke slept with her light on for 4 days.  Her friend slept on the floor in her parents room.  We laughed and made fun of them, but I can remember that fear and anxiety.  I struggle with it myself at times. 

When Brian travels away from home for business, it’s difficult for me to go to sleep.  I check and double check the doors to make sure they’re locked.  Every little noise seems amplified, and scary when he’s not here.  I’m alone and even more responsible for the safety of my children.  The night before last I really struggled with it.  And then I prayed for a hedge of protection, and gave my fears away. 

I was once told that the Bible says Do not fear 365 times.  That’s once for each day of the year!  So I just wanted to share some of the verses I found that will bless you wth courage. 

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6  NKJV

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”  Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV

So we can choose courage and pray.  Ask God to give you courage, and then trust Him.  Last night I slept much better! 

Matthew-isms

Last night the boys and I were sitting in our big snuggler chair.  One of them, ahem, passed gas.  Matthew says, “he’s the tootiest”! 

Brooke was dropped off at cheer practice, and then we took Zach to a friends house, so Mattie and I were on our own for a while this afternoon.  I decided to head over to the christian book store.  Matthew is always so good when we’re there.  They have lego blocks to play with, and usually a Veggietales movie playing.  Matthew was exceptionally well behaved today, so at the checkout he got to pick something out.  OK, so you know those rubbery shoes that you can put these cute little doo dads in?  Crocs I think.  Anyway, they have bracelets made out of the same rubbery stuff, and they have charms to go on them.  One of Matthew’s is a guitar that says “Jesus Rocks”.  So yeah, he’s going around saying Jesus Rocks!  It’s so cute!

What’s Funny?

Mad About You re-runs!  I just watched one where Jamie and Paul were hosting their first Thanksgiving.  Oh, they had plans to do it their own way, and then the family showed up.  The need to please everyone syndrome also appeared.  And then Murray, the dog, ate the Turkey.  It’s Hilarious! 

“Moore” Monday

  

WE HAVE TO EXERCISE FAITH BEFORE

WE CAN BELIEVE WE ARE EVEN

CAPABLE OF LONG-TERM OBEDIENCE.

AND WE ARE!

Lord God, in my inner being I delight in

Your law.  But I see another law at work in the

members of my body, waging war against the

law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the

law of sin at work within my members.

How wretched I am!  Who will rescue me

from this body of death?

Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:22-25).

Lord, You sent Your Son to rescue me from this body of death!

Set me free to new life in You!  I do not have to be a

prisoner to sin.

Please help me understand that the battle

which rages over my body originates in my mind.  Help

me surrender my mind to You and Your truth. 


Beth Moore, Praying God’s Word Day by Day