Jer.18:3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
Have you ever had "one of those days"? You know, one of those days where you feel like you don't have one more drop of energy left. Have you ever felt like if one more person asks one more thing of you you might just explode or fall out from exhaustion? I know I have and it's all too familiar to many as we live in a world of "what about me". With all the "what about me's" coming from every direction and demanding our full attention, the "me's" can pull all the energy you have right out.
Well, I had "one of those days" recently where I had been pouring and pouring out into people and I found myself on the phone with a friend and out of my mouth I say " I don't want to encourage one more person, I'm spent, I have nothing left to give... I am dry". Well those of you that know me would say that doesn't sound like you, you would never say that. I have to admit, even though I encouage people and do it so much that it's as natural as breathing there are times when I just have nothing left.
I know of a certain widow in the bible that knows what this feels like. She was down to her last drop of oil and flour, enough to make one cake for her and her son and die. That day the prophet came to visit. Little did she know that all she had was going to be asked of her in order for her to be filled. The prophet asked her to go and gather as many "vessels" as she could. So she gathered all the "vessels" and as she poured all she had into the first "vessel" the "oil" (of the Holy Spirit) kept coming. So she filled all the "vessels" she had and the "oil" stopped. The prophet then told her to go and sell all the oil and from the money she made she was able to live and her needs were all met.
Sometimes we don't understand all the reasons for doing what God asks but as we obey He always provides all we need and even an abundance. As my friend I was talking to plainly stated, we don't get to decide what kind of vessel we are, we are just asked to be a "vessel" that He can pour His "oil" through. As we pour out, not ourselves, but as we pour out the "oil" of the Holy Spirit on a hurting world we can be assured that He will fill us to overflowing so that He can reach every "vessel" within our reach.
Father,
I pray that I can be a vessel You can pour through. The world doesn't need nice words and empty promises filled with good intentions, they need You. Fill me, Lord ... I'm dry. Fill me with more of You, until all I give is You.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
What is Love...
1 Cor.16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
What is Love? Well, some might say it's a feeling, an emotion. Some might say it's romance and captivativing passion. Society and movies have definately painted for us a picture of what it feels Love is. Sadly though, most of the messages we are given about Love is filled with lust, greed and selfishness.
The Word of God says for us to "be on guard". We really must guard against believing the lies that we are told about what Love is. For Love is not selfish and never seeking to fulfill it's own desires. Love us selfless, choosing to seek to please the other person. Love isn't given only when it is received, Love is given when no Love is received. It is truely better to give than to receive.
"Stand firm in your faith and be courageous". To Love is no cake walk. It takes great faith in Jesus because only He can Heal your heart when it gets broken by false love. You must be courageous, because you can only live off the sweet'n sappy lovey dovey stuff so long. It takes great courage to stand by the one you Love when the loss of a job or a family member threatens to destroy and rob your family of every great and awsome Work and Blessing God has on you.
Remember, the things and people worth Loving are worth more than money can buy. So, do everything in Love. Let the lonely one sitting beside you at work, at school and in church know that God truely does Love them. God needs us to be the arms that hold someone close when they feel they are about to fall apart. Love today, expecting nothing in return.
::::Father, I pray that we first of all learn to receive all your Love that You want to bestow upon us. Then Father, as we receive the Love You've given, help us to pour out Your Love on a dieing and wounded society we are in. Thank You for Your Unchanging Love expressed since before time began. Thank You that Your Love burns a path laid out for us, consuming all sinfull distraction, since before creation. Amen
What is Love? Well, some might say it's a feeling, an emotion. Some might say it's romance and captivativing passion. Society and movies have definately painted for us a picture of what it feels Love is. Sadly though, most of the messages we are given about Love is filled with lust, greed and selfishness.
The Word of God says for us to "be on guard". We really must guard against believing the lies that we are told about what Love is. For Love is not selfish and never seeking to fulfill it's own desires. Love us selfless, choosing to seek to please the other person. Love isn't given only when it is received, Love is given when no Love is received. It is truely better to give than to receive.
"Stand firm in your faith and be courageous". To Love is no cake walk. It takes great faith in Jesus because only He can Heal your heart when it gets broken by false love. You must be courageous, because you can only live off the sweet'n sappy lovey dovey stuff so long. It takes great courage to stand by the one you Love when the loss of a job or a family member threatens to destroy and rob your family of every great and awsome Work and Blessing God has on you.
Remember, the things and people worth Loving are worth more than money can buy. So, do everything in Love. Let the lonely one sitting beside you at work, at school and in church know that God truely does Love them. God needs us to be the arms that hold someone close when they feel they are about to fall apart. Love today, expecting nothing in return.
::::Father, I pray that we first of all learn to receive all your Love that You want to bestow upon us. Then Father, as we receive the Love You've given, help us to pour out Your Love on a dieing and wounded society we are in. Thank You for Your Unchanging Love expressed since before time began. Thank You that Your Love burns a path laid out for us, consuming all sinfull distraction, since before creation. Amen
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Jesus Loves me this I know....
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails
1Corinthians 13:7&8a
Remember the song,"Jesus Loves Me this I know..."? Yes, I've sung that song for as long as I can remember. The only problem was, I didn't really know. Yes, I knew cognitively that Jesus loved me but "life" had happened and when "the rubber met the road" I didn't feel loved.
Let's just start with "it always protects".
Well, I didn't feel protected when I suffered at the hands of people. Instead, I was a victim of abuse. But this victim mentality left me full of shame and I soon found it hard to feel worthy of love, much less Jesus' Love.
So life went on and I began to lose hope in people and began to see Jesus as I saw everyone else. People had let me down and in my eyes Jesus had let me down.
After searching for love in all the wrong places, I found myself moving to Alabama. Without my knowledge, Jesus was calling on the heartstrings of my broken heart. I began to soak up every ounce of His love like the desert soaks up a drop of rain. Jesus had begun the restoration process but this would take time. The enemy of my soul had been sucking out the life in me most of my life. Ya feel me...
So I started seeking out books on love. Listened to sermons on love. I began to see my idea of what love is was really distorted. Romantic movies, novels and poetry had painted a terrible picture to society as to what love is. Then I found out my "love language". I'm not sure how much help that was, at this time in my life, because I soon began to demand Jesus love me in my "love language". I know, not a real good idea to be demanding. But I just didn't understand why I didn't really feel loved by Jesus. Was it dissapointment? Hopelessnes? Feelings of rejection? Probably so..
Tonight was my night. The rubber had met the road and I needed Jesus to SHOW me He Loved me. Bills were piling up, things were getting cut off and I needed to see Jesus' hand move in my life, in my situation, right now! You know what I mean, right? Yesterday wasn't soon enough. Now I'm crying and begging Him "PLEASE SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME!" It didn't help that my "love language" was "acts of service". I just wanted to see His hand move. This mountain was too big and I was too weary. Friends were praying with me that night. I went home with a desperation to feel His Love, to KNOW His Love.
As I laid across my bed, tears falling in a steady stream and my stomach in knots from the anguish in my heart, I closed my eyes and that's when I saw it.
A vivid image in my mind, one I could hardly bare. My heart sank, my selfish demands crashed before my eyes. The image forever burned in my mind and in my heart. My Savoir, my Beloved,dieing on a cruel cross. An uncomprehensible death and suffering. His body completely ripped apart, naked and rejected, lonely and abandoned. I was totally humbled to the core, because He did this for me. He did this because He Loved me. If I was the only one alive that day He would had done this for me. He SHOWED me that night He Loved, is still Loving and will always Love me. He Love you, my friend. Jesus Loves me this I know...
1Corinthians 13:7&8a
Remember the song,"Jesus Loves Me this I know..."? Yes, I've sung that song for as long as I can remember. The only problem was, I didn't really know. Yes, I knew cognitively that Jesus loved me but "life" had happened and when "the rubber met the road" I didn't feel loved.
Let's just start with "it always protects".
Well, I didn't feel protected when I suffered at the hands of people. Instead, I was a victim of abuse. But this victim mentality left me full of shame and I soon found it hard to feel worthy of love, much less Jesus' Love.
So life went on and I began to lose hope in people and began to see Jesus as I saw everyone else. People had let me down and in my eyes Jesus had let me down.
After searching for love in all the wrong places, I found myself moving to Alabama. Without my knowledge, Jesus was calling on the heartstrings of my broken heart. I began to soak up every ounce of His love like the desert soaks up a drop of rain. Jesus had begun the restoration process but this would take time. The enemy of my soul had been sucking out the life in me most of my life. Ya feel me...
So I started seeking out books on love. Listened to sermons on love. I began to see my idea of what love is was really distorted. Romantic movies, novels and poetry had painted a terrible picture to society as to what love is. Then I found out my "love language". I'm not sure how much help that was, at this time in my life, because I soon began to demand Jesus love me in my "love language". I know, not a real good idea to be demanding. But I just didn't understand why I didn't really feel loved by Jesus. Was it dissapointment? Hopelessnes? Feelings of rejection? Probably so..
Tonight was my night. The rubber had met the road and I needed Jesus to SHOW me He Loved me. Bills were piling up, things were getting cut off and I needed to see Jesus' hand move in my life, in my situation, right now! You know what I mean, right? Yesterday wasn't soon enough. Now I'm crying and begging Him "PLEASE SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME!" It didn't help that my "love language" was "acts of service". I just wanted to see His hand move. This mountain was too big and I was too weary. Friends were praying with me that night. I went home with a desperation to feel His Love, to KNOW His Love.
As I laid across my bed, tears falling in a steady stream and my stomach in knots from the anguish in my heart, I closed my eyes and that's when I saw it.
A vivid image in my mind, one I could hardly bare. My heart sank, my selfish demands crashed before my eyes. The image forever burned in my mind and in my heart. My Savoir, my Beloved,dieing on a cruel cross. An uncomprehensible death and suffering. His body completely ripped apart, naked and rejected, lonely and abandoned. I was totally humbled to the core, because He did this for me. He did this because He Loved me. If I was the only one alive that day He would had done this for me. He SHOWED me that night He Loved, is still Loving and will always Love me. He Love you, my friend. Jesus Loves me this I know...
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