If you are like the average American, you own twice as much stuff as your parents did. You probably earn more money than your mother could. You are surrounded by luxuries. You eat out three times more often, own more cars, and travel more. You possess more rights and freedoms as a woman. But do you experience contentment, that is, the sense that "I have everything I need?" Or are you constantly looking to the future thinking, "If I can just do this or have that, I'll be happy?"
All kinds of pressures keep you from being content-because you don't possess this thing or you don't look like that person or you lack a certain ability. Refusing to dwell on comparison, developing a generous spirit toward the attributes of others, provides greed controls. Otherwise, you'll only tolerate what you have until you get more.
J Burroughs said, Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.
CONTENTMENT - Do you have it?
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Contentment
Contentment - 1. ease of mind. 2.. pleased with things as they are. 3. a comfortable geniality. 4. Biblical: the knowledge of the presence and grace of the Lord. 5. Personal: complete acceptance of what God is doing and providing for you.
The Hebrew word for contentment is sabea, which means "to have one's fill of," "to have desires satisfied," even "to have in excess."
Contentment is to be comfortable with your lot in life. The poor can have it; the rich might not.
How many of us are content? Something to think about as you go through your day. If I were to be honest, I am not "content" in every area of my life. There are some things I would like to change. But as far as having everything I need, the basics in life, food, shelter, and clothing, yes, I have more than enough. The Bible says that is all you need to be content because contentment centers on your relationship with God, how close you are to Him, how well you know Him.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hugry, both to abound and suffer need. Philippians 4:12
Taken from: Words to live by for women
The Hebrew word for contentment is sabea, which means "to have one's fill of," "to have desires satisfied," even "to have in excess."
Contentment is to be comfortable with your lot in life. The poor can have it; the rich might not.
How many of us are content? Something to think about as you go through your day. If I were to be honest, I am not "content" in every area of my life. There are some things I would like to change. But as far as having everything I need, the basics in life, food, shelter, and clothing, yes, I have more than enough. The Bible says that is all you need to be content because contentment centers on your relationship with God, how close you are to Him, how well you know Him.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hugry, both to abound and suffer need. Philippians 4:12
Taken from: Words to live by for women
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Daily Bread
Satan wants to destroy your faith. Once that is weakened or gone altogether, you are powerless against him. Your faith is constantly under attack. Some battles you will win; some you will lose. But regardless of the shape your faith is in, your salvation is always intact. For whereas your faith is often tuned in to your changing circumstances, your salvation is anchored in the unchanging nature and grace of God.God remains faithful, even to the faithless. -Charles Stanley :The Power of the Cross"
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Daily Bread
You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings. God gives us His promises in a quiet hour, seals our covenants with great and gracious words, and then steps back, waiting to see how much we believe. He then allows the tempter to come, and the ensuing test seems to contradict all He has spoken. This is when faith wins its crown. This is the time to look up through the storm, and among the trembling, frighten sailors declare, "I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me" (Acts 27:25) ~Selected
And Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. -Mark 11:22
And Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. -Mark 11:22
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Daily Bread
Daily devotion: I have been studying sanctification. It is a very interesting topic to study, and very informative.And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. -Luke 9:23
There is that word again, daily. The Bible speaks so much about today.We need to daily put ourself in it's place. If you want victory that place is in Christ. We do this by forsaking our own agenda, our own desires, and "take up the Cross." By Jesus telling us to do this on a daily basis tells us that we have a problem that must be addressed constantly. What is your "daily" problem? What one thing do you wrestle with on a regular basis? For some it is alcohol, drugs, sexual sins, food, money, etc. Some are more subtle, we don't even know about them, but prayer will bring them to the light.How do you take up our cross? You look only to Jesus for your answer, not some scheme devised by man. If you look at the church world today they seem to have so many answers for our problems, but rarely mention the word sin, or the Cross of Christ. How many christians do you know that claim to have faith in Christ yet they place their faith, their way of getting victory from different things by doing certain things. Confess this, give that, do this, do that, etc. The Bible tells us not to do anything, but to believe. Believe in what? Believe that Christ' death on the Cross is complete payment for our salvation and our victory. By grace we are saved, thru faith, not of works. It is so simple, people don't get it. They think they have to do something, when in fact, when Christ died on the Cross, it was finished. All we have to do is believe. When you truly believe, works will follow. You don't work to get something from God, you work because you love God. Will giving to God bring blessing? YES, you will reap what you sow. But giving to God is not what will deliver you from money problems. You can't buy your deliverance, Christ already paid the price. When you give your money only to reap a blessing so you can pay down your debt, (which is a result of greed, not trusting in God's provision) you are not addressing the real sin problem in your life. I would dare say that 95% of the church world would not give money to the church to further the gospel if they wasn't promised a return. Most people give in faith that they will be blessed from it. Any christian can tell you Christ died to save you from your sin, but then they can't admit they have any sin. There is no such thing as sinless perfection, so if you are breathing today, you are wrestling with something. We go from glory to glory the Bible says. It is a process called sanctification. You can look at it this way, we are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. It was born into us from the fall, unfortunately. Getting saved did not take away your nature to sin. But instead of admitting that, we try all of these different ways to get our victory, instead of admitting what the true problem is. Jesus said, ye shall know the truth, and truth shall set you free.We are deceived into believing that we must "work" to get victory. I need to read so many chapters a day, or pray more, or give more money, be a better church member, etc. All of these things are good and important, but it is Christ and His death on the Cross and faith in that + nothing, that brings victory.Oh, the simplicity of the Gospel, and the deceitfulness of sin. Open our eyes Lord to the truth. Jesus is the Truth. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. Yes, He is the Way, no other way, not works, not anything, just Jesus. You get this in your spirit and you will have life, and have it more abundantly.
There is that word again, daily. The Bible speaks so much about today.We need to daily put ourself in it's place. If you want victory that place is in Christ. We do this by forsaking our own agenda, our own desires, and "take up the Cross." By Jesus telling us to do this on a daily basis tells us that we have a problem that must be addressed constantly. What is your "daily" problem? What one thing do you wrestle with on a regular basis? For some it is alcohol, drugs, sexual sins, food, money, etc. Some are more subtle, we don't even know about them, but prayer will bring them to the light.How do you take up our cross? You look only to Jesus for your answer, not some scheme devised by man. If you look at the church world today they seem to have so many answers for our problems, but rarely mention the word sin, or the Cross of Christ. How many christians do you know that claim to have faith in Christ yet they place their faith, their way of getting victory from different things by doing certain things. Confess this, give that, do this, do that, etc. The Bible tells us not to do anything, but to believe. Believe in what? Believe that Christ' death on the Cross is complete payment for our salvation and our victory. By grace we are saved, thru faith, not of works. It is so simple, people don't get it. They think they have to do something, when in fact, when Christ died on the Cross, it was finished. All we have to do is believe. When you truly believe, works will follow. You don't work to get something from God, you work because you love God. Will giving to God bring blessing? YES, you will reap what you sow. But giving to God is not what will deliver you from money problems. You can't buy your deliverance, Christ already paid the price. When you give your money only to reap a blessing so you can pay down your debt, (which is a result of greed, not trusting in God's provision) you are not addressing the real sin problem in your life. I would dare say that 95% of the church world would not give money to the church to further the gospel if they wasn't promised a return. Most people give in faith that they will be blessed from it. Any christian can tell you Christ died to save you from your sin, but then they can't admit they have any sin. There is no such thing as sinless perfection, so if you are breathing today, you are wrestling with something. We go from glory to glory the Bible says. It is a process called sanctification. You can look at it this way, we are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. It was born into us from the fall, unfortunately. Getting saved did not take away your nature to sin. But instead of admitting that, we try all of these different ways to get our victory, instead of admitting what the true problem is. Jesus said, ye shall know the truth, and truth shall set you free.We are deceived into believing that we must "work" to get victory. I need to read so many chapters a day, or pray more, or give more money, be a better church member, etc. All of these things are good and important, but it is Christ and His death on the Cross and faith in that + nothing, that brings victory.Oh, the simplicity of the Gospel, and the deceitfulness of sin. Open our eyes Lord to the truth. Jesus is the Truth. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. Yes, He is the Way, no other way, not works, not anything, just Jesus. You get this in your spirit and you will have life, and have it more abundantly.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Losing Weight God's Way...pt3
Why are so many people overweight? First, lets look at some of the excuses for being overweight. Obesity tends to run in families, but since family members share diet and lifestyle habits as well as genes, identifying genetics as the sole cause may be difficult. Simply put, you are not overweight because your mom was, or your grandma was, you are overweight, and they were too, because of poor eating habits. There are some medications that will make you gain weight. I have taken steroids for bronchitis and felt like I could eat a buffalo on the run. The effects should not last a lifetime though. I am guilty of overeating at stressful times. When Abe was so sick and in the hospital I put on over 10lbs from stress eating. I had my focus on the wrong thing. I am getting back on track finally.I love what Charles Stanley said, "Remember the flesh that rages within you is at war with God, not with you. You may feel as though the battle is yours, but in a spiritual sense it is God's battle. We are the ones that must learn to say no to the desires of the flesh, but not just because we are disciplined. Without a sincere love for God and a desire to obey His will for our lives, discipline becomes nothing more than a physical exercise."The flesh is the part of us that stands in opposition to God's truth. It cannot be improved, disciplined, or changed. It is totally self-focused. It is self-centered, self-pleasing, self-promoting, self-seeking, self-concious, self-righteous, self-indulgent. Oswald Chamber writes: "If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself." We overcome the flesh by setting the focus of our hearts on loving the One who gave us life.There you have it, the answer to permanent weight loss is summed up in those 2 paragraphs. Change your focus. Change your eating habits for God, not because you want to look good in a pair of jeans. When you say no to that second helping, or that krispy kreme, because you want to please God, He will help you with the rest. Soon, you won't even be thinking about food. But it is a DAILY battle. Have you ever noticed how much the Bible says about "today?" Choose you THIS DAY whom you will serve, TODAY is the day of salvation, etc. That is why you should live for the day, not worry about tomorrow. Every day give your eating to God as worship, you won't believe how much that will change your spiritual life. So give up the urge to listen to worldly wisdom. Admit your gluttony is a sin problem, and remember, only Jesus can deliver from sin. You can't get deliverance from a pill, or a diet.How many overweight people 50 yrs of age or older have you seen in church requesting prayer for different things like diabetes, heart disease, etc, and testify that the devil put those diseases on them when the truth is the devil had nothing to do with it. They chose death by their years of overeating. Deut 30:19 - I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life... Lets not spend our lives digging our graves with a fork, and expect the results of that to go away in a prayer line in an instant. Yes, God is a loving God but He is also just. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
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