Who's Promoting Who?

This morning I took a quick moment to read some scripture. One scripture has been on my mind the past few days: “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” 2 Corinthian s 12:9. I went back to read the verse in context, not that it was needed because the verse is pretty clear. But I wanted to reread what led up to it and what followed it, in context. I recommend that you read it too. 2 Corinthians 12:1-12

It’s funny, ironic, or simply one of those Holy Spirit things: In my departmental prayer meeting this week, the devotional verse that we went over was Philippians 2:3 which says, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking others better than yourselves.”

Humility. That is the emerging theme here. Don’t we all sometimes get bogged down in the “importance” of ourselves? Focusing on and vying for the next big promotion. Boasting about how great we are at golf or how smart we are scholastically. Vanity! Haven’t we got it figured out yet? It isn’t about who is the strongest or the best at something. It isn’t about self-promotion. Yet, such things are rampant. “Look at me!” “See how good I am at this or that!” “See how important I am!” But truth be told, HE is it! HIS importance should be what we are promoting. His power is made perfect in us when we are weak. We are to be humble, not boasting and prideful. Humility is a concept that is looked upon by the world as weak and odd. This society, this day and time, humility is counter-cultural. It is WEIRD. But, it is what we are called to. Reflecting His strength, His glory, His honor, HIS IMPORTANCE is our job. If He is to increase, I must decrease. That is tough for most to swallow. But when we do, that is when His power is made perfect in us. IN US! And when it is made perfect in us…THEN do we boast? No. NO! Read what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12: 1-12, he has reason to boast, he even said it, but he did not boast about it so that Paul wouldn’t be the center, the focus. We must follow suit. Humility, I challenge all of us to take it on, in all aspects of our lives.

That does not mean to be pitiful, victimized, sad, and pathetic. Because we are also told that we have been made more than conquerors. But how did that happen? Because we are so great, because we are so smart, or because we are so important? NOPE. It is only because HE gives us our strength. He is the source of all that we are, all that we’ve been blessed with, and all that the world sees in us. Because of that we should remain humble and only boast that HE is the source and HE is the reason. See the difference? It is not about you or me! It is ALL Him. Now go and reflect that difference to the world!

THE DAY!

THE DAY.

Easter. Triumph. Hope. Life.

Easter is THE DAY, as far as I am concerned. What other day could possibly hold that much JOY?!?

The day that all the questions were answered. The day they all knew it wasn't over. The day that confirmed it all. The day Jesus defeated death. The day he got up and emerged ALIVE from the tomb that once held his lifeless body. The day that changed EVERYTHING. The day He was born was...blessed. The day He died was...painfully tragic. The day He overcame death and arose...GLORIOUS! The rest would have been pointless without the third day. In His triumph over death, we know...we KNOW He is who He said He was, we know that all He has promised is available to everyone who believes and follows His commands. WE KNOW. We are no longer condemned. We are free, we are forgiven, and we will live with Him forever, even after we leave this place, we will go on to be with Him. What hope! What love! Easter!!! The day of life...for Him and for all of us.

Thank you Jesus for all that you bore on my behalf. Thank you for beating death and triumphantly emerging from the tomb. Thank you for loving me beyond all reason and to the farthest lengths. I humbly thank you and serve only you.

Happy Easter one and all!

Girl Talk

I had the best lunch that I have had in a long time, yesterday. I don't mean the food, by the way. Although it was really good too. It was the company that was so refreshing. I had lunch with someone I have never had lunch with before one on one. Someone with whom I am becoming really fond of. A fascinating friend.

We found out that we actually have a lot in common and we talked and talked until we realized that we had been gone way too long and both had to head back to work. It was one of those times where one hour felt like a minute. I love spending time with people like that. You enjoy them so much that the time seems to just fly away. She was fun, real, down to earth, and such a Godly lady. We had a ball talking about food, men, family and most importantly God. It was delightfully refreshing to find someone who is genuinely a ton of FUN and also madly on fire for God and others. She was upbeat, lively, silly and had such a positive outlook on just about everything. Not once did she whine or complain about anything...not anything. How different! How refreshing! How FUN!

Not that I don't like people with issues, problems, challenges and need to talk, vent, let it all out. I do. We all have those times and those needs. But sometimes we can turn into a bundle of negativity and defeat and that is a big problem. This lady was a warrior, she was triumphant, she was a normal human being just like the rest of us, but she sees reality...GOD'S reality and that elevates her to levels far above the norm. She soars, she rises above all the junk that seems to brings so many of us down. I love that about her.

I hope that I can adopt some of her qualities that I so enjoy and admire. I don't want to be a negative person. Because of my relationship with God, His gift of salvation because of His Son's death and resurrection, and my daily guidance and from the Holy Spirit, I have so much to be joyful and thankful for. It should radiate from within me. It should change all that I do, say, and am. Like this lady...it should turn me into a refreshingly FUN and Godly woman.
Let's see if I can adopt this standard of living and go from just being set to SURVIVE to THRIVE!

Orchestrated

God just keeps on surprising me. Yet, I still keep wondering why I am surprised.
I believe in Christian men being around and bonding with other Christian men. I wholeheartedly do. I believe men need to be in close relationship with other Christian men. They grow in different ways spiritually because of those relationships that they simply cannot in relationship with women. One of the reasons I SO love working in that ministry.

I have a new friend who is very connected at church, is a member of a small group and volunteers etc...but I encouraged him to come to the breakfast for men this weekend at my church. He'd never been. Although it was early and he could have been out playing golf...he went. I didn't get to talk to him much there (I was working...not attending). But he did say when I saw him briefly that it was PERFECT. He left with a BIG smile on his face.

Turns out that later on he told me that he loved it! The message was EXACTLY what he needed to hear. He felt God had led him there. He totally related to the speaker. He was broken by the message in a way he needed to be. It was a God thing. Truly a GOD THING. The words he used to describe the experience to me got me teary as well.

I love it. God crossed our paths recently. I work in that ministry. I encouraged him to come... He went. He was hit hard by a message he really needed. He loved it and he thanked God for orchestrating it all. I did too. What an amazing God we serve. I love stories like this. I pray God continues to find ways to use me in His service even when I don't realize what is happening. It gives me a rush of blessing every time He uses me to HIS glory.

Thank you God for doing what you did. Thank you my friend for sharing the details with me.