who holds your rope?

A long time ago there was a famous bottenist. He was visiting Scotland at the time. One day on a walk he noticed some rare flowers growing in the cleft of a rock. They were several hundred feet up. He wanted to get a sample so he could study them. Alas they were so far up he couldn't reach them from the ground. He couldn't reach them by leaning over the edge. There was a family who lived close by who had small twin daughters.  He asked them if one of them would be willing to do him a favior.  He told them he would tie a rope tightly around the waist of one of them and lower them down to get a sample he could study.  One of the twins told them she would do it on one condition, that her daddy hold the rope.  Are you letting your heavenly daddy hold the rope today?  We cant hold it on our own as much as we try sometimes.  The best thing we can do is let go of our right to ourselves and let our hevenly father hold the rope. 

Dont misinterpret suffering or present hardships for a lack of his presence.  He said he would never leave us or forsake us.  Look at present suffering as refinment for a greater day ahead.  There is a story in a book by nik ripken of a man named dmitri.  He (dmitri) fell in love with jesus during the communitst reign in russia.  

The following youtube link explains it better than i can.  I pray it moves you as it moved me. 

The Insanity of God - Dmitri's Unbelievable Story: http://youtu.be/4XCN__jBi2s

integrity at any price

below are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs.  I find it all too often in these days we are too busy to stop and enjoy a simple game of catch, or swimming with your children, or loved one.  If you or I were gone tomorrow, what legacy would we leave?  I for one want my children to know that i loved them with all i am.  Our heavenly father loves us in the same way.  I want to leave behind a godly legacy that is so overwhelming and so obvious that they cant help but follow it. The way might be narrow and rocky, but it's the only path worth taking.


Phillips, Craig, and Dean - Nothing to Prove

You taught me how to ride a bike
Tie my shoes and fly a plane
How to swim and how to fish
To see a star and make a wish

Said it’s ok to make mistakes
Just don’t get stuck in yesterday
Forgive, forget and move ahead
‘Cause life is what you’re livin’ in

Now you’re gone and all I have
Are memories I hold dear
But if I’m quiet I hear your voice
Still ringin’ in my ears

[Chorus:]
Sayin’ live with no excuses
Love with no regrets
Laugh a lot and leave this life
With nothing left unsaid
Make this world a better place
Don’t be afraid to cry
When it’s finally time to say goodbye
There’s nothin’ to prove, nothin’ to lose, nothin’ to hide

You said life cannot be measured by
The place you live, the car you drive
The thing that counts the day you die
Is who you are and what’s inside

So tell the truth, don’t ever lie
Integrity at any price
Your words, you’re bought, you’re highest prized
So guard it close and live your life

So many things I learned from you
‘Bout life and love and play
I learned more by how you lived
Than what I heard you say

[Repeat Chorus:]

I only wanna live my life
Half as well as you
To leave behind what I receive
Is all I wanna do

[Repeat Chorus:]

Reflecting God - heir force

Romans 8:1-17

I will never think of either the word “heir” or “air” the same again. That is because one year my younger sister’s Bible quizzing team called themselves “Heir Force.” They had it all: camouflage t-shirts and a marching cadence to yell through the hallways. They were cute kids with a winning record.

Despite my mental chuckle, we do have incredible force behind the claim of “heirs with Christ.” Heaven and earth belong to Him. Angel armies march at His command. Demons tremble in fear at His Name. However, with the great power also comes great responsibility and suffering. Christ died for the sins of this world, and he calls us to take up our cross and follow Him (Matt. 16:24). We must share in His sufferings to share in His glory.

The power of Romans 8 should not be missed. By the Spirit we are God’s children (vv. 14-15). He will help us live every day free from slavery to sin (vv. 1-13), and we have a great inheritance in Him (v. 17). We should not forget our place in the ranks of the “Heir Force.”

Author: Laura E. Roller

Reflecting God - be mine

Deuteronomy 26:16—27:10

My family moved cross-country frequently during my childhood. In each new place, I struggled to find a place to belong and people to love. I grew tired of constant transition.

The Israelites dragged themselves across the desert for years on end. Because of their previous disobedience, they forfeited their purpose and a place to belong. That is when God stepped in yet again. He reminded them – in essence – you all are my kids now. I will love you like no other nation. You must remember and follow my commands. They, in turn, worshipped and praised Him. What a refreshing feeling! Instead of wandering aimlessly, their belonging and purpose were restored.

God offers us the same privilege today. We are His children if we accept His Fatherhood. He will be our Father, we will be co-heirs with Christ, and the Holy Spirit will be alongside us every day. We are joined in a community of believers who set out to follow God’s commands and worship Him together.

No matter how many times we move or things change, we know our true home and our True Father are in heaven.

Author: Laura E. Roller

Reflecting God - Hope Brings God’s Strength

Isaiah 40:21-31

Human beings have short attention spans. We focus on what we can see, feel, smell, and taste right now, right in this moment. It’s important for us to be present in the moment. But we can’t live there. We may find that the present moment is terrible. If all we feel is suffering, or hunger, or oppression, or sickness right now we will miss out on what life is really about.

Isaiah wants those who will listen to wake up! It’s not a new message, he tells the people. It’s the same one that has been told since the beginning of all things. What is this message? God cares for us. God cares about our weariness, our pain, our suffering. God cares about our joys, our successes, our dreams. God cares. Isaiah reminds us to listen, to remember and to be people of hope.

Listen to the message: God cares. Remember the past: God has been faithful and that won’t change. Step forward in trust: when we trust in the Lord, no matter what we face, God will provide renewal, life and strength.

Author: Olivia Metcalf

Arrow

I want my life to be an arrow pointing not only those i know, but those i dont know to the one who came to me when i wasnt worth coming to.  I want my life to point all who i know and dont know to the narrow path.  The road less traveled is the one worth traveling.  Lord use me for your glory. 

Ephesians 5:1-6, 8-20 NLT

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Keith green - make my life a prayer to you (live)

Make my life a prayer to you
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise

I wanna shine the light you gave
Through your son you sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know you're really there

[Chorus]
Well I wanna thank you know
For being patient with me
Oh it's so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I'll have to trus
And just believe what you say
Oh you're coming again
Coming to take me away

I wanna die and let you give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope you gave me
The love that set me free

I wanna tell the world out there
You're not some fable or fairy tale
That I've made up inside my head
You're God the son and you've risen from the dead

[Chorus]

I wanna die and let you give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope you gave me
The love that set me free

Reflecting God - no "isms" needed

Ephesians 2:11-18

We have so many “isms” which separate us; racism, sexism, ageism, elitism, and intellectualism are just a few. All humans are great at creating these invisible barriers within our minds and constructing social norms, taboos and etiquettes to divide us from one another. We each have an “ism” we follow.

In our scripture today, Paul is writing to a church divided between those who maintained the Jewish rituals and those who did not. Paul looks beyond Judaism and Paganism and calls for unity. Paul does not point to another “ism” but to a person, Jesus Christ.   It is a point we need to consider today. Jesus makes this issue personal; because we must wrestle with the implication of what He did. Are we going to embrace the new humanity Jesus created? Are we going to give our “isms” over to Him? Will we receive the good news that together we can stand before the Father in one Spirit? Or are we going to retreat back behind our invisible barrier holding tightly to our “isms”?

Author: Paul Sheneman