Read:
Hebrews 11:3
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
I can remember back about six years ago playing racquetball, and played some tournaments getting a chance to meet different people from doctors, lawyers, Police officers etc. One particular day I went to work out and hit some ball a little at the gym and an attorney was there wanting to hit. We call it "hit" as a racquetball term. We played for an hour or so and came out of the court to sit down and shoot the breeze. On his shirt was written in big letters, "EVOLUTION" and thought this would be a good chance to witness. I asked the opening rhetorical question, "So, do you believe in God?" "No! I believe in evolution." I asked him if he thinks that evolution is science. His response was, "Oh yes, without a doubt!" and then asked him to tell me a time that scientists proved by observation and repeatable experimentation that evolution really exists, and I mentioned to him that there is an evolution that does exist and that's to change from one species to another species of the "same" kind. There is micro evolution and then there is macro evolution, but the other type of evolution has not and cannot exist as of today. Scientists have even tried to do it and it became mutated and fizzled out to destroy their conclusion. We talked for probably an hour, and my last statement to him was, "Id rather tell my kids that there are angels and there is a God then to tuck them in at night with no hope whatsoever after this life. I don't know exactly what my message to him did, but I'm sure it made him think just a little. How many times do we just accept something because we think that it is real. One day my little girl asked me the question, "Daddy! if evolution does exist, then why didn't the monkey's stop being monkeys?" That's a good question. In bible college we studied a little theology, and I can remember studying about God. The word for how God was always there and was not created is a word that means, "God Needs Nothing To Exist" and even though we can't necessarily prove that evolution or God exists by science doesn't mean that God doesn't exist. It is by faith that many believe in evolution, and it is by faith that we believe in Christ Jesus as our Lord. All throughout the old testament there are prophecies after prophecies about Jesus. It talks about where Jesus would be born, how Jesus would be crucified, the manner of Jesus' death, and God speaks in Genesis 3:15 about Jesus destroying the power of the devil by the seed. Even historians from the past that didn't necessarily believe in God documents that the words spoke about Jesus did come to past to the letter. Scientists can prove that there were earthquakes and other things that did happen according to the bible. I encourage you today to not just accept something because someone else says it, but accept the word of God that He is the only true and living God of our universe.
prayer:
Lord, even though we can't put you in a glass tube and study you, we know that you exist by faith. Help us Lord to walk this walk with your hand in our hand, and help us to increase in faith of your Son Jesus. We ask that you would give us the words to say to those that don't believe in you, and help us to continue on in what we believe. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Darius In Our Life September 3rd Devotional
Read:
Zechariah 4:6,7
6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you said, "I have no strength left to continue on." You've done great things for the Lord, and there has been unbelievable things happen in your life, but you feel you can't continue with what God has got for you. You are tired and exhausted by the hammer of life, and every swing of that hammer just brought you to your knees in complacency. Zerubbabel is feeling this here in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They have laid the foundation, and there has been a fifteen year delay in the reconstruction and they are tired. Zechariah is a prophet of God that sees a vision and is awaken by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord tells Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel that the work of the temple will go forth and will be completed. The mountain in verse seven was symbolic to Darius I who made a decree that the work on the temple should cease. Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel that this mountain will become plain and that the chief capstone, which refers to the chief top stone or the crowning of the building, will be laid by the builders with shouting of grace. Is there a Darius in your life. I feel like the greatest Darius that is in our life is our own will and sin in our life. It is our flesh that screams out, No! It is our own desire to do things contrary to what God wants. If you have gotten to a place in your life where you don't feel like you can go on, I want you to shout grace in your mountain. I want you to scream to the Darius in your life, whatever that Darius or mountain in your life may be. Hear the words of Zechariah the prophet today in the growth of your temple corporately and individually, and realize that God is almighty and more powerful than any King, any situation, or any devastating decree. You may have had words decreed over you that has paralyzed you spiritually from walking in the Spirit and doing the things of God. The decree for you today as a Christian is, "Begin To build again!"
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will breathe a fresh breath of your spirit upon us to build and grow in you as your temple. We need your grace to speak grace Lord, and we need your power to speak to the Darius in our life. Let your power be with us as we put the capstone that is engraved with the words, "return to that first love." Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Zechariah 4:6,7
6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you said, "I have no strength left to continue on." You've done great things for the Lord, and there has been unbelievable things happen in your life, but you feel you can't continue with what God has got for you. You are tired and exhausted by the hammer of life, and every swing of that hammer just brought you to your knees in complacency. Zerubbabel is feeling this here in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. They have laid the foundation, and there has been a fifteen year delay in the reconstruction and they are tired. Zechariah is a prophet of God that sees a vision and is awaken by the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord tells Zechariah to tell Zerubbabel that the work of the temple will go forth and will be completed. The mountain in verse seven was symbolic to Darius I who made a decree that the work on the temple should cease. Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel that this mountain will become plain and that the chief capstone, which refers to the chief top stone or the crowning of the building, will be laid by the builders with shouting of grace. Is there a Darius in your life. I feel like the greatest Darius that is in our life is our own will and sin in our life. It is our flesh that screams out, No! It is our own desire to do things contrary to what God wants. If you have gotten to a place in your life where you don't feel like you can go on, I want you to shout grace in your mountain. I want you to scream to the Darius in your life, whatever that Darius or mountain in your life may be. Hear the words of Zechariah the prophet today in the growth of your temple corporately and individually, and realize that God is almighty and more powerful than any King, any situation, or any devastating decree. You may have had words decreed over you that has paralyzed you spiritually from walking in the Spirit and doing the things of God. The decree for you today as a Christian is, "Begin To build again!"
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you will breathe a fresh breath of your spirit upon us to build and grow in you as your temple. We need your grace to speak grace Lord, and we need your power to speak to the Darius in our life. Let your power be with us as we put the capstone that is engraved with the words, "return to that first love." Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Four No More September 2nd Devotional
em>Read:
Ephesians 2:21
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
So many in the church today doesn't understand what the church is really all about. They think it's going maybe a few times a year for certain functions. It seems like it's all about programs and shows in most churches today. The church was never supposed to be like an organization. It is a people who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and going forth to make disciples, be a temple that is built upon the foundation of Christ, and going forward outside the four walls of the church. The four no more! It's time that we get outside the four walls of the church and touch our community in a great way. It's time that we use what we have been taught in the church, and do the works of Jesus in this hour. The church is not a building or steeple. It is a people going forward to make new converts and grow in Him. Scripture teaches us that the minister's in the church equips the body of Christ to go out and do the very works of Jesus. Unfortunately, the pastor in some churches is doing everything and the sheep are just sitting in there little pew getting spiritually fat. Maybe you have been caught in a complacent spot today. You go to church, but you feel like you are not part of the body of Christ. I want to encourage you today to get connected like never before. Find that place in the body of Christ. If you haven't been born again you can today so that you can be a part of the body of Christ. It doesn't stop though with salvation. We should be a living epistle as a part of a local body going forward and advancing God's kingdom in a mighty way. It's surprising to me how many churches don't see outside there little church. They have there own agenda, and God is wanting His temple to shine outside those four walls. He wants us to extend our love for God to a hurting generation. The four no more.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you help us to see outside the four walls of the church. Help us Lord to be a true follower of you, and help us to see what you really called us to, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Ephesians 2:21
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
So many in the church today doesn't understand what the church is really all about. They think it's going maybe a few times a year for certain functions. It seems like it's all about programs and shows in most churches today. The church was never supposed to be like an organization. It is a people who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and going forth to make disciples, be a temple that is built upon the foundation of Christ, and going forward outside the four walls of the church. The four no more! It's time that we get outside the four walls of the church and touch our community in a great way. It's time that we use what we have been taught in the church, and do the works of Jesus in this hour. The church is not a building or steeple. It is a people going forward to make new converts and grow in Him. Scripture teaches us that the minister's in the church equips the body of Christ to go out and do the very works of Jesus. Unfortunately, the pastor in some churches is doing everything and the sheep are just sitting in there little pew getting spiritually fat. Maybe you have been caught in a complacent spot today. You go to church, but you feel like you are not part of the body of Christ. I want to encourage you today to get connected like never before. Find that place in the body of Christ. If you haven't been born again you can today so that you can be a part of the body of Christ. It doesn't stop though with salvation. We should be a living epistle as a part of a local body going forward and advancing God's kingdom in a mighty way. It's surprising to me how many churches don't see outside there little church. They have there own agenda, and God is wanting His temple to shine outside those four walls. He wants us to extend our love for God to a hurting generation. The four no more.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you help us to see outside the four walls of the church. Help us Lord to be a true follower of you, and help us to see what you really called us to, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Greatest Stumbling Block September 1st Devotional
em>Read:
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
I can see Peter's heart drop when Jesus spoke these words. One moment Jesus is telling Peter that he is a rock, the next moment he is rebuking him. Peter struggles time after time with his own flesh and the thoughts that the enemy comes at us with. It is all with good attentions of course. After all, Peter was just concerned with Jesus not dying a horrible death. We see Peter pulling Jesus aside and trying to persuade Him not to go the way of God. We do this. We may not do this in a church setting, but we do this at times in our walk with the Lord. We pull Jesus aside and say, "Lord, I can't die to this flesh." Lord, I don't think that I should go through this trial the way I am going through this trial." The greatest stumbling block is our self. It is our mind, and I want to encourage us today to keep our mind fixed upon Christ Jesus. Lets keep our mind on the things of God instead of the things of men. It's amazing to see how God would wrap His loving arms around Peter even though he knew that Peter would deny him, rebuke him, and do other things that would cause us to think, "Jesus would never forgive this thing." God sees potential in us, and we need to let Christ do that perfect work in us. Lets let God do things His way in our life today, and lets remember that we need to carry the cross of Jesus in our walk with Him.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you shed light upon our hearts concerning your work in us as Christians. Help us to have a healthy repentance in our day to day walk, and help us to lay down this flesh when it starts to rise up against your work in us. We need you Lord today, and we ask this in you name, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
I can see Peter's heart drop when Jesus spoke these words. One moment Jesus is telling Peter that he is a rock, the next moment he is rebuking him. Peter struggles time after time with his own flesh and the thoughts that the enemy comes at us with. It is all with good attentions of course. After all, Peter was just concerned with Jesus not dying a horrible death. We see Peter pulling Jesus aside and trying to persuade Him not to go the way of God. We do this. We may not do this in a church setting, but we do this at times in our walk with the Lord. We pull Jesus aside and say, "Lord, I can't die to this flesh." Lord, I don't think that I should go through this trial the way I am going through this trial." The greatest stumbling block is our self. It is our mind, and I want to encourage us today to keep our mind fixed upon Christ Jesus. Lets keep our mind on the things of God instead of the things of men. It's amazing to see how God would wrap His loving arms around Peter even though he knew that Peter would deny him, rebuke him, and do other things that would cause us to think, "Jesus would never forgive this thing." God sees potential in us, and we need to let Christ do that perfect work in us. Lets let God do things His way in our life today, and lets remember that we need to carry the cross of Jesus in our walk with Him.
Prayer:
Lord, we ask that you shed light upon our hearts concerning your work in us as Christians. Help us to have a healthy repentance in our day to day walk, and help us to lay down this flesh when it starts to rise up against your work in us. We need you Lord today, and we ask this in you name, Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Crippled Love August 31st Devotional
Read:
Ephesians 5:2
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Also Read:
1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
One day while I was at work some Jehovah's witnesses came to my home. My wife was unloading her car when they approached her. They asked if they could talk with her for a while about what they believed, but my wife said, "no, I'm a Christian, but my husband would love to talk with you..lol. My wife set me up. She wanted me to convert them. She set a time for Monday, and I thought this would be a good time just to listen to what they had to say and see where they were coming from. I made some coffee and here they came right on time. He was in a wheel chair and was pulling himself up on to my porch and to my front door. I reached down to help him but he insisted that he was alright and he would make it by himself. He had a young convert with him who was probably in his early twenty's. I pulled a couple of chairs out for them, and got them something to drink while I sat there and just listened to him talk. Being in bible college I studied about all of the different types of other religions, cults etc. and was prepared. They came to my house for about a month, and after hearing him talk for that whole month, he asked me if I had any questions? As I took another sip of my coffee, I said, "Yes, I have a few questions. First of all, I want to bring to the table who Charles Taze Russell really was, and how the prophecy of 1914 which claimed that Jesus would personally establish His kingdom then never came to pass as the prophecy claimed it would. While still in his teens and without formal theological education, Russell organized a Bible class whose members eventually made him "pastor." Before 1914, the Watchtower was predicting that God's Kingdom was to be set up on earth (not in heaven) in 1914! He said, " I'll have to look that up. Any other questions? Yes! Also, why did the Jehovah's witnesses take out the word God in John 1:1 and insert "a god" in there? He couldn't answer me, and that young kid was so confused as to what to say. He looked at me with such a hurt and said, "You protestant Christians are not who you claim to be! He began to proceed by telling me how he lost his legs. He told me that when he was in his teens, he got involved in a train accident and lost both of his legs. He told me that not one Christian from his church came to visit him, but one day he heard a knock on the door and there stood the Jehovah's witnesses extending their love to him. I was deeply touched by what he said, and told him that I am so sorry that this happened. I did pray with the two of them in Jesus name, and I told him that I understand your hurt, but there are Christians out there that do extend the love of Christ to the hurting. He got upset and told his convert to pack up and get out of here. I helped him out the door. Crippled love? How many of us as Christians reach out to a hurting generation. I know that I need to do more of this, and it's a shame for us to let the hurting reach out to crippled religions because they are doing more than we are concerning this. I want to exhort us today to reach out to the hurting. They are all around, and we can find ministry in a million places if we just open our eyes.
Prayer:
Lord forgive us. As Christians we've done all but walk in love to a hurting generation. Help us to walk in love and show forth your heart to those around us. We long to be the church that you desire for us to be. Turn our crippled love to a pure love in your name we pray. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Ephesians 5:2
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Also Read:
1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
One day while I was at work some Jehovah's witnesses came to my home. My wife was unloading her car when they approached her. They asked if they could talk with her for a while about what they believed, but my wife said, "no, I'm a Christian, but my husband would love to talk with you..lol. My wife set me up. She wanted me to convert them. She set a time for Monday, and I thought this would be a good time just to listen to what they had to say and see where they were coming from. I made some coffee and here they came right on time. He was in a wheel chair and was pulling himself up on to my porch and to my front door. I reached down to help him but he insisted that he was alright and he would make it by himself. He had a young convert with him who was probably in his early twenty's. I pulled a couple of chairs out for them, and got them something to drink while I sat there and just listened to him talk. Being in bible college I studied about all of the different types of other religions, cults etc. and was prepared. They came to my house for about a month, and after hearing him talk for that whole month, he asked me if I had any questions? As I took another sip of my coffee, I said, "Yes, I have a few questions. First of all, I want to bring to the table who Charles Taze Russell really was, and how the prophecy of 1914 which claimed that Jesus would personally establish His kingdom then never came to pass as the prophecy claimed it would. While still in his teens and without formal theological education, Russell organized a Bible class whose members eventually made him "pastor." Before 1914, the Watchtower was predicting that God's Kingdom was to be set up on earth (not in heaven) in 1914! He said, " I'll have to look that up. Any other questions? Yes! Also, why did the Jehovah's witnesses take out the word God in John 1:1 and insert "a god" in there? He couldn't answer me, and that young kid was so confused as to what to say. He looked at me with such a hurt and said, "You protestant Christians are not who you claim to be! He began to proceed by telling me how he lost his legs. He told me that when he was in his teens, he got involved in a train accident and lost both of his legs. He told me that not one Christian from his church came to visit him, but one day he heard a knock on the door and there stood the Jehovah's witnesses extending their love to him. I was deeply touched by what he said, and told him that I am so sorry that this happened. I did pray with the two of them in Jesus name, and I told him that I understand your hurt, but there are Christians out there that do extend the love of Christ to the hurting. He got upset and told his convert to pack up and get out of here. I helped him out the door. Crippled love? How many of us as Christians reach out to a hurting generation. I know that I need to do more of this, and it's a shame for us to let the hurting reach out to crippled religions because they are doing more than we are concerning this. I want to exhort us today to reach out to the hurting. They are all around, and we can find ministry in a million places if we just open our eyes.
Prayer:
Lord forgive us. As Christians we've done all but walk in love to a hurting generation. Help us to walk in love and show forth your heart to those around us. We long to be the church that you desire for us to be. Turn our crippled love to a pure love in your name we pray. Amen.
by Keith Edwards
Monday, August 30, 2010
You Done It Unto Me August 30th Devotional
Read:
Matthew 25:40
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I can remember back about ten years ago my wife and I was involved with helping the homeless. It was through our church we were members at. My wife is very good with that, and she flows in that type of ministry, but this is not really what I wanted to do I said to myself. Well, I knew the Lord was about to show me something. In this program we would minister to them, feed them, and then we would guide them to the showers that the church had there designated for the homeless. The one homeless person that I got to help had MS, so it took a while to walk him down, what I thought was the longest hallway ever. I helped him to the showers and waited on him outside the door there. I began to hear him yelling for help. I was out there just doing a little praying. I don't remember exactly what I was praying about, it might have been somewhere along the lines of "Lord I want to know your will" lol. Anyway, he still was yelling as I was in my own little world with the Lord. I then peeked in the door and saw him trying to put on his socks. I immediately ran to him and grabbed the socks. I told him that I would help him get his socks on. As I pulled one of the socks on, I heard a voice speak right through me, "You've done it to the least of these you've done it unto me." I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly in that room. I helped him get his socks and shoes on and lead him back to the cafeteria for more ministry. The Lord taught me something that Friday night. How many times do we get caught up in the hype of church things. We love the programs and the worship music. We maybe love the preaching and the teaching. There's nothing wrong with these things when our heart is right, but Sometimes we love the things of God more than the giver of those things. Oh! that we may hear the heartbeat of God today like never before. We are always praying for God's will and get frustrated because we can't seem to "hear" His voice when He specifically told us His will. James 1:27 tells us that Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Jesus wants us to have His heart and to have His heart is to be concerned for the poor, to have a heart for lost souls, and to care for the orphanage and widows. When we do this God will move us to that place that we earnestly pray for. These things will never be forgotten in God's eyes, and when judgment day comes for the righteous these things will be brought to our attention. We will have bad motives judged as well. We all have them. We need to have the heart for the very things that Jesus has a heart for. I want to challenge you today. Find a ministry to feed the poor or do something along these lines. I need to do more of this myself. When we have a heart for these things we have the very heartbeat of God. It may be helping a homeless man put his socks on, or it could be giving a meal to a homeless person, or it could be getting a glass of water to someone who is thirsty. There is ministry all around us. We just have to open our eyes.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in humbleness now. Forgive us Lord if we are doing everything but what you commanded us to do. We pray Lord that we would hear your voice concerning your heart like never before. We long to follow you Lord, and to seek your face and not just your hand. We long to stretch out our love to even the very least in the worlds eyes. Help us to open our eyes to what we need to do in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Matthew 25:40
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I can remember back about ten years ago my wife and I was involved with helping the homeless. It was through our church we were members at. My wife is very good with that, and she flows in that type of ministry, but this is not really what I wanted to do I said to myself. Well, I knew the Lord was about to show me something. In this program we would minister to them, feed them, and then we would guide them to the showers that the church had there designated for the homeless. The one homeless person that I got to help had MS, so it took a while to walk him down, what I thought was the longest hallway ever. I helped him to the showers and waited on him outside the door there. I began to hear him yelling for help. I was out there just doing a little praying. I don't remember exactly what I was praying about, it might have been somewhere along the lines of "Lord I want to know your will" lol. Anyway, he still was yelling as I was in my own little world with the Lord. I then peeked in the door and saw him trying to put on his socks. I immediately ran to him and grabbed the socks. I told him that I would help him get his socks on. As I pulled one of the socks on, I heard a voice speak right through me, "You've done it to the least of these you've done it unto me." I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly in that room. I helped him get his socks and shoes on and lead him back to the cafeteria for more ministry. The Lord taught me something that Friday night. How many times do we get caught up in the hype of church things. We love the programs and the worship music. We maybe love the preaching and the teaching. There's nothing wrong with these things when our heart is right, but Sometimes we love the things of God more than the giver of those things. Oh! that we may hear the heartbeat of God today like never before. We are always praying for God's will and get frustrated because we can't seem to "hear" His voice when He specifically told us His will. James 1:27 tells us that Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Jesus wants us to have His heart and to have His heart is to be concerned for the poor, to have a heart for lost souls, and to care for the orphanage and widows. When we do this God will move us to that place that we earnestly pray for. These things will never be forgotten in God's eyes, and when judgment day comes for the righteous these things will be brought to our attention. We will have bad motives judged as well. We all have them. We need to have the heart for the very things that Jesus has a heart for. I want to challenge you today. Find a ministry to feed the poor or do something along these lines. I need to do more of this myself. When we have a heart for these things we have the very heartbeat of God. It may be helping a homeless man put his socks on, or it could be giving a meal to a homeless person, or it could be getting a glass of water to someone who is thirsty. There is ministry all around us. We just have to open our eyes.
prayer:
Lord we come to you in humbleness now. Forgive us Lord if we are doing everything but what you commanded us to do. We pray Lord that we would hear your voice concerning your heart like never before. We long to follow you Lord, and to seek your face and not just your hand. We long to stretch out our love to even the very least in the worlds eyes. Help us to open our eyes to what we need to do in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Overworked & Under Prayed by Heidi & Keith Edwards August 29th Devotional
Read:
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Overworked and under Prayed”
What is your time spent on? Where is your focus?
Are you a gap filler? Do you run to and fro, back and forth everyday? Do you feel like your constantly busy and you don’t have enough time for yourself or to do the things you want to do.
How much time to you spend with the Lord during a typical day?
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3
You don’t have to be the gap filler, or the activity leader, cupcake baker etc. to be a good mom, Christian, or servant of the Lord. As stay at home moms a lot of people would love to have our valuable time. It’s ok to say no to things. I am not saying to say no to everything, just some things.
If I get so busy that I don’t have time for my family, that doesn’t make sense. I chose to make the sacrifice to stay at home to serve my family right? If other commitments are keeping me from doing what needs to be done at home, I have lost balance and my peace. By the end of the day I want to collapse not spend time with God or my hubby, nor have I spent quality time with my kids during the day.
Rest doesn’t necessarily mean just sleep. It also means resting in the Lord, putting your cares upon Him. Spending time with Him, a few stolen moments.
A good example of this is Mary and Martha. One was running to and fro while the other was just sitting at feet of Jesus. Which would you rather do? Who do you think was calmer and refreshed after dinner?
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (I am so Martha….)
Ask the Lord to put balance back into your life.
Even the Lord rested –
And God rested on the seventh day from all His works Hebrews 4:4
Our bodies need rest to rejuvenate and to restore. So does our spirit. We need our time with the Lord a quiet restful peaceful time.
I always feel better after my time with the Lord and I feel like I can tackle anything afterward.
Now how do you do it? (I have kids,… right.)
SAY NO to things. I’m not saying everything. Just some things. If you don’t fill the gap someone else will and you will give them an opportunity to serve.
Spend more time with the kids. I find if I give the kids some undivided attention that they are more apt to play a little by themselves, freeing up my time. (you will be able to do this if you say no to other commitments)
NAP TIME!
Plan out other necessary things like shopping, errands, bill paying. Organize them and things will run more smoothly.
Get up a little early, this is my favorite.
Think of all the times you have to STOP. At a light, in a line, waiting for the doctor, in traffic, etc. use those moment to reflect upon the Lord. Ask for His direction, REST or cast your cares upon Him.
S – Seriously
T- Taking
O - Opportunities to
P - Pray
by Heidi Edwards
prayer:
Lord we come to you with the weights we seem to carry sometimes. Help us Lord to know when to say no and when to stop and pray at times we can be praying. We give you all Lord and give us the grace in every situation that we're facing in this year. We ask it all in your name. Amen.
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Overworked and under Prayed”
What is your time spent on? Where is your focus?
Are you a gap filler? Do you run to and fro, back and forth everyday? Do you feel like your constantly busy and you don’t have enough time for yourself or to do the things you want to do.
How much time to you spend with the Lord during a typical day?
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3
You don’t have to be the gap filler, or the activity leader, cupcake baker etc. to be a good mom, Christian, or servant of the Lord. As stay at home moms a lot of people would love to have our valuable time. It’s ok to say no to things. I am not saying to say no to everything, just some things.
If I get so busy that I don’t have time for my family, that doesn’t make sense. I chose to make the sacrifice to stay at home to serve my family right? If other commitments are keeping me from doing what needs to be done at home, I have lost balance and my peace. By the end of the day I want to collapse not spend time with God or my hubby, nor have I spent quality time with my kids during the day.
Rest doesn’t necessarily mean just sleep. It also means resting in the Lord, putting your cares upon Him. Spending time with Him, a few stolen moments.
A good example of this is Mary and Martha. One was running to and fro while the other was just sitting at feet of Jesus. Which would you rather do? Who do you think was calmer and refreshed after dinner?
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (I am so Martha….)
Ask the Lord to put balance back into your life.
Even the Lord rested –
And God rested on the seventh day from all His works Hebrews 4:4
Our bodies need rest to rejuvenate and to restore. So does our spirit. We need our time with the Lord a quiet restful peaceful time.
I always feel better after my time with the Lord and I feel like I can tackle anything afterward.
Now how do you do it? (I have kids,… right.)
SAY NO to things. I’m not saying everything. Just some things. If you don’t fill the gap someone else will and you will give them an opportunity to serve.
Spend more time with the kids. I find if I give the kids some undivided attention that they are more apt to play a little by themselves, freeing up my time. (you will be able to do this if you say no to other commitments)
NAP TIME!
Plan out other necessary things like shopping, errands, bill paying. Organize them and things will run more smoothly.
Get up a little early, this is my favorite.
Think of all the times you have to STOP. At a light, in a line, waiting for the doctor, in traffic, etc. use those moment to reflect upon the Lord. Ask for His direction, REST or cast your cares upon Him.
S – Seriously
T- Taking
O - Opportunities to
P - Pray
by Heidi Edwards
prayer:
Lord we come to you with the weights we seem to carry sometimes. Help us Lord to know when to say no and when to stop and pray at times we can be praying. We give you all Lord and give us the grace in every situation that we're facing in this year. We ask it all in your name. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)