Wednesday, September 30, 2009

My Portion

My Mom gave me a CD a few weeks ago and I have really come to love one particular song. She gave me the CD and we both had a favorite song at the time.
* In the Sanctuary
You have to check it out on You tube - If you are having a blaaa day this song will get you dancing and put a smile on your face.
I am still loving that song but I have another song that has captured my heart.
* Made me Glad
The whole song is awesome but the one word that keeps sticking out to me in My Portion.

When a word keeps catching my attention I try to take time and look to see if I can find scripture on it. I have also seen in other studies that they look up the word in the dictionary and so I decided to be a little copy cat.

This is what the Websters Dictionary says for the word portion:

*individuals part or share

*a share received by a gift or inheritance
Funny how words come up at the same time in different songs or studies. Well the word portion is that word for the last few months. I know he is my portion but really I am his too. WOW he looks at me as a gift. I know it's in His word but sometimes it doesn't sink in.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Renewed Strength

Isaiah 40:28-31NIV
28 Do you not know?Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint
.
Is there anything or anyone that wears you out.
Something that makes you weary.
I find that having to clean the house one more time
can make me weary and frustrated.
After cleaning for hours on Sat I woke up
this morning to more laundry, crumbs and
books all over the floor.
Little things I know and in the scheme of life
they are really little.
I am just wondering if you are like me and sometimes
wish the house could just stay clean for a few days or even hours.
As I read these verses I was reminded that with my own strength
I do tire easy and I focus on the little details. With the strength of the Lord
he changes my heart and helps me focus on what is important.
When you have little kids playing hair salon, eating
and helping make cookies, and wanting to have a tea party
it's inevitable to have more crumbs and more mess.
God giving us His strength and wisdom is a gift. There is
no way that I can soar with out his help.
There is no way that I can run and not grow weary without focusing on Him
and his Word. I hope on this cold and rainy fall day we can focus on His strength
and not our own.





Monday, September 21, 2009

Who am I following?

Sundays message at North Point:
I have been doing Sermon Notes for small group leaders off and on for about a year and I will be posting them Monday or Tues, and if you are interested in listening to the message the website is:
http://www.northpointchurch.net/
then go to media downloads - 9/20

Luke 9:23 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Exodus 13:20-22
They moved on from Succoth and then camped at Etham at the edge of the wilderness. God went ahead of them in a Pillar of Cloud during the day to guide them on the way, and at night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light; thus they could travel both day and night. The Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night never left the people.
In these verses God lead in a very visible sense. They saw the cloud by day and fire by night, and it was always in front of them. The way we are lead now is different and yet God is still our guide. He does not lead us by a cloud or fire but have you experienced a time were God was very visible to you?? Maybe a sunset that really captured you or maybe an awesome time of worship where you thought about only Him.

Isaish 45:2 - I will go before you and level the mountain's, I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
Jason said that the people of God did not go before Him and when God moved they moved. As I read this again and again and thought about how many times I try to do my own thing, and the words in this verse become real. When I make my own path and go before God I am climbing a mountain, breaking through gates or cutting through iron. All challenging tasks. Yet when I follow God he levels the mountains breaks the gates and cuts the iron. What a great visual that God's word provides.
Not saying that when we follow him life is always easy but at least we are not going at life on our own agenda.
Is there anything in your life that you are doing that you have jumped ahead and not waited for God?

Jason asked us to pray and ask the Lord to help me(you) listen to the spirit. When I read this over I thought about when I tell the girls to use there listening ears. I usually pray this for Olivia now in first grade and yet is it not something I pray for myself. I know that in school you can get distracted and talking and forget to listen to instruction. So true in our own life too. We get so caught up in excitement or get distracted and forget to listen to the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

I pray we all use our listen ears this week - Jaime

Monday, September 14, 2009

What is our #1 Priority

Luke 9:23
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

God's timing is always perfect and Sunday's message about taking time daily with our Lord was again perfect timing. Coming off summer where people are trying to fit vacations and play time in to there already busy schedule this was a great reminder.
Picking up our cross is not supposed to be a part of our schedules but a part of our being.
Being so thirsty and hungry for God's word and time with Him that we wouldn't think of putting anything before Him. This is what I want! But to be honest when I was sitting listening to the message I thought how do I get there. I have been there before and feel I have been very lax in my time and devotion lately and yet I don't want to be.
I know that when I get lax about my time spent with my Lord it is not Him who has changed, but it is me. I have shifted my focus to me me me instead of Him Him Him.
I find it interesting that when time with Him is top priority that to do list gets done and then some. When he is first he will guide my path and give me instruction on what is important. Maybe vacuuming the house 3 times a week is not a real priority and the Holy Spirit will speak that truth into my life when I am spending time with Him. This is just my heart and I don't have any questions or answers, but I know that when my first priority is HIM then the rest has always worked out. He gives me the time, energy and knowledge to get it done.
As I was emptying the dishwasher a song came on the radio and it was a great reminder of His love and how he is Jealous for me.- How he Loves David Cowder Band
Hebrews 13:15 - Through Jesus therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise- the fruit of lips that confess his name