Power Of Living On The Edge

KEY SCRIPTURE:  “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.  It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, “What’s next Papa?”   Romans 8, The Message

POWER POINT:

     People would probably look at me and think I must lead a pretty boring life.   I'm a senior, a grandmother. My life is pretty much not in the hustle and bustle of today's world. But they would be wrong! Boring it is not!

     Every morning when I open my eyes to unfold my day, I find myself seated in heavenly places.  I find myself deep in conversation with the God of the universe, the God of the Angel Armies-the most amazing Person you could ever meet. He is never boring!  I find myself living on the edge of miracles every day. I see God working on my behalf every single day.  I find myself growing every day.

     I've been in movies where I've found myself sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what will happen next. Will the end be a happy one?  I've found myself on pins and needles with excitement when my grandchildren are coming for a visit, anticipating the joy ahead. I usually can't stay in my chair! I'm bustling around getting ready.

     Beloved, as God's children we should always be living on the edge of our seats, full of pins and needles, because we know that today we might be on the verge of a miracle.  We might be steps away from seeing explosions of God's powerful goodness in our lives.  When you think about the children of Israel as they waited in Egypt for God to deliver them, they were probably on the edge of their seats when the Angel of Death flew over their homes.  They were on the verge of a miracle.  They were probably full of goose bumps as they watched the Red Sea part in front of them and then saw their enemies sink into those same raging waters.  What a stunning picture of the life of the children of God.

      We can either live “just surviving” or sitting on the edge of our seats with anticipation of what God is going to do next. I love the story about the twelve spies who went into the Promised Land to scope it out.  Ten of them came back only aware of the problems, the giants, and the impossibilities. Joshua and Caleb came back on the edge of their seats full of anticipation of what God could and would do for them.

    

Beloved, we must stay on the edge of our seats.  We were never meant to "survive", or "just get by".  We were meant to live expecting miracles every single day. Doesn't the fact that today you too can be seated in heavenly places with Jesus stir up some excitement in those tired old bones?  Doesn't the fact that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, and is working tirelessly to hear your prayers and deliver the answers give you a boost?

     The word "verge" means, the edge of something.  It means that

the point at which something is going to happen is NEAR!

Are you on the verge of your miracle?

Are you right on the borders of the land of Promises fulfilled?

Are you steps away from encountering the Presence of God on a whole new level?

Are you on the edge of your seat with anticipation of what God is going to do today?

     This gray haired lady is always on the edge of her seat.  Boring?  Not a chance.  The gray hair just means that I've had more opportunities than you young whippersnappers to see God be God every day in every way.  I live amazed at Him. 

Power Thought:

God has GOOD things, GOOD thoughts, GOOD plans for your "today".  That's something to look forward to with great anticipation isn't it? So what’s next Papa?

Power Of the Best Sermon

 Key Scripture:    "Anyone who sets himself up as "religious"by talking a good game is self-deceived.  This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air... don't let the Word go in one ear and out the other." Adapted from James 1, The Message

Power Point:

     My life is my best sermon.  It's what I do after I close the computer and go about my daily life that determines what I preach to people isn't it?  I can say all sorts of wonderful things when I write devotionals, but let's face it, if you know me, and my life doesn't line up with what I've written, it just won't have any effect.  Nor should it. If I'm constantly irritable, or selfish, or easily offended, then my life won't preach what God intends it to preach.  We've all known preachers who can tell us about  the goodness of God, but they are unkind when they walk out of the pulpit.  I'm sure you've met people who talk about the love of God and then don't ever show it. You can't trust someone who doesn't live what they preach can you?

     You can usually check your own sermon by your responses to others, including your family!

     If you say one thing and do another on a regular basis. Your children, or those closest too you, are the first ones to pick up on it.  They know!  And they won't pay attention to your words if your words aren't carried out in your actions.  They won't be like Jesus if you aren't. I may be as sweet as the next person when I'm sharing the gospel but if I'm a jerk behind closed doors, my life won't preach what it's supposed to.

     Shouldn't my family life be my best sermon?

     If I declare that I am a good friend, yet I indulge in gossip about my friends that just won't preach will it?

     If I preach love and live bitterness, it just doesn't preach.

     If I am wildly ecstatic about God helping me but won't lift a finger to help someone else, it just doesn't preach.

     If I preach on the power of giving but hold on tightly to everything I have, it just doesn't preach.

     People who don't live what they preach, are full of hot air. The Word of God is going in one ear and out the other. That's why we are supposed to ACT on what God tells us and let our lives be a sermon on His goodness to every person we meet. Your life is living proof of what you really believe. It's always preaching whether you know it or not.

His Life Preached
And Still Does.

Power Thought:
"One act of obedience is better than one-hundred sermons."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Power Of A Shining Example

Key Scripture:  "Rise to a new life!  SHINE-be radiant with the glory of The Lord; for your light is come and the glory of The Lord is risen upon you." Isaiah 60:1,2

"Get out of bed, (insert your name here!) Wake up! Put your face in the sunlight.  God’s bright glory has risen for you." The Message

Power Point:

     Were you aware that part of the joyous privilege we have of being children of God is that He shines HIS glory on our path?  Think about that!  In Psalms 37:6 He promises that if we commit our way to Him, if we roll our cares onto His shoulders, and if we trust Him to do the right thing, He will make our righteousness shine like a bright light in this world.

     In case you missed that verse, He says it again in Proverbs 4:18,  "The path of the children of God is like the light of dawn that shines more and more, brighter and clearer-until it reaches its full strength and glory..."

     The word "shine" means to cause something to shine, to illuminate it. Isn't it wonderful to know that God wants to light up your life?  He wants to make your face shine as you walk with Him. He wants the things that you do to reflect His light in your life.  One of my favorite Christmas celebrations is the Christmas Eve service when all the lights in the sanctuary are turned off. Everyone has a small candle in their hands. The pastor lights one candle and then he turns and lights another candle. That person turns to his neighbor and lights one more candle and so on, until every person in the room is a shining light.

     I think that's a perfect illustration of what Jesus meant when He said, "You are the light of the world."  The Light of the World is telling us to shine. He has designated His followers to be the lights in this world.  

      Actually, these words are a part of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus is identifying the characteristics that He considers to be  "shining examples"of God's people.  

Shining people are:

Humble people who consider others first. 
Grace givers. 
People who live satisfied lives because they are always hungry and thirst for more of Him and He fills them with even more. 
Those who are full of mercy.
Those who are full of peace with Him and then offer that same peace to others. They fight for peace.
Those who suffer for believing Him. 

     Jesus says that those people are the salt of the earth and the light

of the world. He says that what we do every day we are to do with excellence.  When people look at us they are to see things that cause to say, "WOW!! God must be really good!"  We are to be extra-ordinary in how we treat others and how we represent the Loving heart of our Father.

We are to shine with love.  We are to shine with mercy and grace.  We are to shine with hope and trust.  We are to light other people's worlds with the goodness of God.

     My friend, it's your time to rise and shine! Go shed a little light in dark places.  Shine with the presence of God. Shine with kindness.  Shine with compassion and hope and let your life be living proof of a God Who is all of those things. Jesus sent us His Holy Spirit so that we too are anointed to be a shining example of God's nature.

So, SHINE! Go brighten someone's life today.

Power Thought:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Power Of Really Believing

Key Scripture:  "Have faith in God." Mark 11:22

"Embrace the God life.  Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you."  The Message

Power Point:

     Sometimes its just good to reflect on where you are and where you've come from isn't it?

     This weekend I was privileged to be a part of an event that raises money to build wells all over the world. Those wells change the lives of people.  It makes dry desert places come alive with water.  The people can plant gardens and the animals can drink to their hearts content. It takes hours off their days. Everything flourishes because of those wells. The ministry is called "Widow's Mite" and it was breathed into life by one of my very best friends, Janet Baker.  As I was reflecting on all this today, The Lord allowed me to ask myself some questions about what it would be like to have no hope.  What would my life be like without Him? What would I do if I couldn't rely on His word.

     As I pondered on the lives of these people, most of whom are living without God, I had to ask myself some difficult questions. What would my life be like without God?

     The thought occurs to me, that believing His word is what we are supposed to do.   It's the foundation of faith.  If I didn't have His Word to believe, what would I do? What if His promises aren't really true? What if He didn't mean what He said?  What if He only meant SOME things? What if He only meant some things for some people?  What if the important day to day things, like healing and wholeness, and safety weren't really meant to be reality for me?

What if every promise was just words on a page? What if they were never to be applied to my life?  What would I do if I couldn't believe God? Or hope in Him?  Or trust Him?  Or know that He would lead me by His Spirit and keep me from stumbling or falling?

     What if the only future and hope that I had was one of my own making?  What if He only meant SOME things? What if the important day to day things, like healing and prosperity, and safety weren't really there for me?

What if every promise was just words on a page that were never meant to be applied to a life?

   What if my future was only dependent on other people, or the government?

What if every dire situation in my life was going to stay that way? What if I didn't have any help from heaven?

What would I do if I couldn't believe that I was loved, and cherished and that the best was yet to come?

I asked Him,  "What would I do if I didn't have You?"

And He replied, "But you do."

     Thinking those thoughts is a good thing.  It helps me to understand how people feel who live without faith in a loving God.  But the sad thing is, that many "Christians" live that way too don't they?

     Even though we have this extraordinary God that has come to live in us, and fill us with all the riches of heaven, we live like we don't believe it.  I've watched my friend Janet weather a lot of storms in the last ten years.  She didn't make it through those storms with willpower.  She didn't change people's lives by her great personal strength.  She has succeeded because she knew she could trust God.  She knew that what she was doing had been given to her by Him because it was a job He wanted done and she was the one He had chosen to do it. She's had faith in Him and He has rewarded that faith.

     Beloved, we have to examine ourselves to know where we are really standing spiritually? Are you living your life believing God?  Are you living your life filled with hope for the future or are you worried that His Word won't be true for you?  Do you waffle from day to day about how true the Truth really is?  Are you thinking that God won't really be God for you?

Some of us live as though we don't have God, don't we?

But we do.

Power Thought:

"Anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him."  Hebrews 11:6

Do you?