Saturday, January 31, 2009

Biblical worldview perspectives

As many of you know, I have a passion for biblical worldview and how there is not an area of the human experience that God has not spoken about and provided all I need to do right in it! Much of my thoughts and studies have revolved around this so I am constantly learning more. I read this quote in my daily devotion and I thought is was too good not to share!

"the way to genuine openness and inclusiveness lies through the narrow gate. In renouncing all for Jesus' sake, we become heirs to the entire universe. But those who deny God's reality and cling only to the visible world shut themselves up in a box with a tightly closed lid." -The Truth Project Daily Travelogue.

Isaiah 44:20 NIV
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

And our response as servants of Christ should be:

2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Winter blessings

I just had to get on here and say that God has come through with some beautiful weather for the weekend after our dreary beginning to the week. He is so faithful to give me sunshine and warm just when I think I can't handle more cold. I thought I would share that with you today!
Praise the Lord for this is the day that He has made!

Psalm 7:17
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Winter Weary

Today is cold and dreary. Gray skies, gray trees, gray houses, gray roads. Everything is dull and muted. I have to admit this is my least favorite time of year because I don't want to exercise (due to the cold), I want to stay indoors, and I don't like being cold. And I don't even have it bad here in Texas because our winter is relatively warm. I know I am whining a little bit so please excuse me, I am done now!
But it got me to thinking about the purpose of winter. The obvious reason is for creation to have a time of death, rest, conservation and preparation for the spring. It allows the plants and animals to renew themselves in the spring after they have died or hibernated over the winter. Cold and wet weather also allows the land to renew and the bugs to be cut down in number. All good things.
Winter is also a time of reflection for the soul. God opened my eyes to the analogy of how we all have winters in our lives like aging, our spiritual walks, death of loved ones or hard times. We can easily relate to that in America right now with the economic situation. I have personally experienced winters in work, relationships and my spiritual journey. All these times are difficult but not bad because they have helped me to deepen my character, look beyond myself, appreciate the little glimpses of sun radiating through the gray and know that God is my only source of support and provision. They are hard times but really good all the same. God is ever faithful to give me tastes of spring right around the corner and the new thing that he is faithful to do! I have a hope and a future that He has made!
So now I can look out my window at the steely sky and know that while winter seems to linger, hope of spring and God's new thing is right there waiting to break through the surface and burst forth into full bloom!
Genesis 8:22
While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.
Psalm 52:9
I will thank you forever,because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good,in the presence of the godly.

Monday, January 19, 2009

MLK Day

Today is the anniversary of celebration of MLK, his life, his message and his death. As I have been reading and thinking about it today, I wondered..."How many people that celebrate him today really understand who he was, what his message was and what he would say to our country today?"
I am not an MLK expert and neither would I dare to put words into his mouth about what he might say to America today. But I do think he would be proud to have a black man about to be inaugurated for the 1st time in our history. I do think he would caution and counsel that man about some of the positions and moves he desires to make for our great nation. I do think he would continue to challenge our whole nation to rise out of this self loving, careless, destructive lack or morality and justice to become the nation we have the potential to be. I am going to continue to ponder this today and as history is made tomorrow.

Here are some powerful quotes for you to think on too:

I am aware that there are many who wince at a distinction between property and persons--who hold both sacrosanct. My views are not so rigid. A life is sacred. Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on; it is not man. The Trumpet of Conscience, 1967.

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Strength To Love, 1963.

Man is man because he is free to operate within the framework of his destiny. He is free to deliberate, to make decisions, and to choose between alternatives. He is distinguished from animals by his freedom to do evil or to do good and to walk the high road of beauty or tread the low road of ugly degeneracy. The Measures of Man, 1959.

The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority. Strength to Love, 1963.

If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live. Speech, Detroit, Michigan, June 23, 1963.

To be a Negro in America is to hope against hope. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

January 15th verse

I am onto my 2nd verse of 2009 and am going to memorize the one I posted on earlier because I really need it and find it so profound for 2009.

"He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him." Isaiah 33:6 NET

Now on to memorizing it! :)

Saturday, January 10, 2009

New opportunities for service and watching God work in 2009!

I am excited to write about something new today. Jonathan began a business a few years ago with a heart to impact the community and work with some fantastic people. As the years have progressed, God has added more people and broadened the vision of this business.
I just finished meeting with the wives and members of Vendigm for a brainstorming session about what the future looks like as we all desire to follow God's leading and serve him. It is so exciting to see that all of us, even though we are different and have very different interests and lives, desire to follow God's leading. We all want to make a difference in the world for God's glory and his service. We are just beginning to get a glimmer of what that might look like for 2009. Although nothing is set in stone yet, we are already working hard and I will be keeping you up to date with what we are doing!
But at this point, I am mainly praying for wisdom, unity, integrity and commitment as we seek to follow after our Lord and Savior! May he be blessed in all we do and say! May our lives and service point to him!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,and he is to be held in awe above all gods.
1 Chronicles 16:25

Monday, January 5, 2009

Great verse for your 2009

Jonathan and I are claiming and praying this verse for our 2009. We are specifically praying if for our work, families, friends and the body of Christ. I thought I would share it since it is such a comfort, strength and promise of hope! I will be praying it for you too!

"He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him."
Isaiah 33:6 NET

Saturday, January 3, 2009

2009 Goal

I am writing this on my blog so that I have one more source of being accountable this year. I am setting a goal to memorize 2 verses a month for the next year. That is a very manageable goal and one that I really want to complete. Feel free to check on me and see if I am keeping up my goal!
So my first verse for 2009 is:
Galatians 6:9 NIV
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year 2009

Today is a new beginning! Maybe you need one of those. We all do at times and I am excited about this one.
Jonathan and I were talking last night as we drove home from celebrating. God took us through some tough stuff in 2008 but the cool thing is that he brought us through it. Sometimes the worst things you imagine seem so impossible until you are walking through them and hanging on to God by the skin of your teeth. Then as you see ahead and begin to understand what is behind, you can look up and see how real God was through it all. He will carry you through!
So as we move forward into 2009, here is my prayer for you and for us!
Father God,
Thank you for bringing us this far and for your faithfulness! You are sovereign and able to do all things. You know the desires of our hearts and the perfect timing for bringing all things to pass. May you give us an extra portion of patience, perseverance and trust to follow you through to the end! May 2009 bring you glory. Help us to keep our eyes, hearts and minds focused on you alone. May your truth continue to triumph and may we point others to you. Bless this year, draw us to your heart and bring your will to pass! We can't wait to see the awesome things you are going to do and to give you all the praise and honor for doing them! AMEN!!!!
Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I am doing a new thing;now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.