All of God, None of Me

I knew this day was coming. I started a new running program a few weeks ago and until now, progress has been made with small manageable steps. This week however was the one that takes a giant leap forward. Nonetheless to move forward, I have to do it. To live in victory and not defeat, I must press on. In this program each week you get three chances to master the new level before moving to the next level or week. As I read the instructions for Week 4, Day 1, I had to do a double take. I wasn't sure I could do it, but with much prayer and endurance I was able to complete the run, though victory demanded my all. Because the first day was very difficult, I was dreading day two, but knowing I had already accomplished the task once made me jump in asking God to help me. It was a hard run. I asked God for help. I was leaning hard on Him the last segment but I fell short. About a minute before my time was up,I had to stop I couldn't go on. I wanted to make it so badly. Tears welled up. I had failed. I felt God didn't come through. I was defeated and discouraged. Have you ever been at THAT place? Needless to say, when Week 4, Day 3 came around, I was dreading it all the more. I wanted victory. I sought God for help, openly admitting to him there was no way I could do it on my own. I knew I couldn't. I had tried and failed. At this point, I wanted victory and I knew I couldn't do it on my own. I started running that day knowing that if God didn't carry me, I would not reach the finish line. But as the signal came across my phone and I took my last running step into victory, I knew God had indeed carried me. He gave me the strength to endure. I again wanted to cry but this time in awe of the one that had accomplished the thing through me. So why did God not show up the run before? I believe He was trying to show me my frailty, my weakness. His whisper: "Without me, you can do nothing." Week 4, Day 3 was all of God and none of me. I needed him from step one and because of my failure I knew it. You need Him from step one. Do you know it? Rely on Him today. Victory is yours through Him and Him alone. I couldn't take one ounce of credit that day and that's how God wants it. All of God, and none of me. Ephesians 2:8,9- "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." I Corinthians 1:29-31-"That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

The Language of Life

How many languages do you speak? Do you speak English, Spanish, French, German? Most people can see the added benefit of learning a second or third language. It may produce better job opportunities or at the very least a pay increase to be able to fluently communicate to someone you would not otherwise be able to. I want to suggest to you that being bilingual is also scriptural. God asks us to speak the language of life into the people we encounter throughout out lives. Just as a second language may not come easy and is lost if not spoken, the language of life needs constant work as well. We, as Christians do not naturally speak love and hope into and over others. In our human fleshly desires, we tend to be more harsh and self-centered. To speak love we have to work at it. We have to study the Word of God and use the guidance of the Holy Spirit to be able to speak it fluently and effectively. God says "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." I want my words to others to be like that beautiful picture, precious gems they can take with them. Words that bring health and healing. Words that speak joy and peace, grace and mercy. How about you? What would be the added benefits to your relationships if you could speak life well? How have your words been lately? Have you been excelling at speaking life? You are not alone! My translating skills could use some work too. Maybe we ought to pull out the text book and review so we can speak it better. Colossians 4:6- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Ephesians 4:29- "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." See also Proverbs 15:23;25:11. What are

Perfect Shell Noodles

The perfect giant shell noodle, there is no such thing. A couple of Sundays ago, I was making a family favorite recipe that is a Mexican twist to the old stuffed pasta shell. After boiling the giant shell noodles, the recipe calls for the noodles to be stuffed with a hamburger and cream cheese mixture. Usually this is not too hard a task, but this particular day, I was hard pressed to find a noodle that was not split so badly that I could use it. As I examined each one and tossed it to the side, the thought came to me, what if God tossed all the broken lives he encounters to the side, waiting for a perfect one to come along? What if he looked at my life and said "No, this one has messed up too many times to be able to be used?" My heart immediately began to rejoice that I know the truth of scripture that he uses even the broken noodles in life. He is in the mending of lives business. It is what He died for. The more broken the life, the more glory he receives from its ultimate usefulness. In the end, the recipe noodles filled with cheese tasted the same whether they had a few splits in them or not. Same for our lives,it will not matter in the end how broken our lives were, but what we filled our lives with on the inside that will count and make us perfectly fit to enjoy heaven. Is your outside split and cracked from the world of sin? Have you made some bad choices? What is your inside filled with? God uses cracked outsides and Jesus filled insides when we surrender both to his all-powerful hand. Thank you Jesus! Isaiah 61: 1-3- "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Ephesians 3:8- "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

Personal Update

It's been a while since my last post, and I wanted to take a moment to let you know what has been happening in my life that has kept me from writing. I am happy to tell you, we have added a baby girl to the family born September 23, 2012. It was a rough pregnancy and babies turn your world upside down for awhile. Along with that another birth of sorts has taken place, I have completed a devotional book with articles just like you read here, that I hope to be able to publish this year. Since baby girl is now 15-months old and the book is complete except for editing, I hope to begin posting more. Prayers appreciated for both. Thanks to all my readers, you have been missed!