Category: Jesus


Dec
2011

Trust is the Foundation

categories: Christ, Forgiveness, Fruit of the Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Love, Relationships, Trust, truth

According to Andy Stanley, these verses from 1 Corinthians 13 are historically used for marriage vows; yet they were established as a guideline for us to love people.
I want to share the points he made which are critical for us to understand to know what this looks like and how to apply it!

The health of all relationships flows out of how we trust people! This will be determined on two things:
1. What we see
2. Who we are
Trust verses from this scripture
Verses 5-6
“Love delights in those doing the right thing”
verse 7
“Love always protects, hopes and perseveres”
1. Love protects the relationship – when it is the hardest, do everything to trust
2. Hope is the explanation of that
3. Love believes and endures all things
Summary is LOVE BENDS!
1.It gives the other person the benefit of the doubt
2. It always looks for the most generous explanation
3. Love chooses trust over suspicion

The core of great relationships is TRUST
WE all have expectations and experiences. But what is in the middle of those?
I love how Andy put it that there is a gap there and WE CHOOSE what to do in that gap
When we find ourselves seeing behavior that causes a gap, what do we do? WE CHOOSE–If we CHOOSE TRUST (Believing the Best) that is love. LOVE BENDS!
Andy shared much more . . .

Summary –
LOVE BENDS – DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO YOU. Luke 6:31
When you can’t choose to trust, LOVE CONFRONTS, but not in a mean way. Only through a loving, respectful, kind and gentle way!
Go to the person, share that you want to trust them, you want to understand and you keep the door open to the relationship.
If we do nothing, anger develops internally and becomes embedded to the point the relationship is severed. A wise man will BEND!

Five points Jesus asks us to commit to:
1. When you see the gap – I will believe the best
2. When Others assume the worst about you- I will come to your defense
3. If trust is eroding by experience – I will come directly to you
4. When I cant keep a promise – I will let you know ahead of time
5. When you confront me about gaps I have created – I’m going to tell you the truth!

These are great commitments for each of us to make.

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL RELATIONSHIPS IS TRUST!


Aug
2011

Prayer

categories: Faith, Forgiveness, Glory to God, Jesus, Prayer, Thankfulness, Trust

I am a praying woman.  I pray continuously throughout the day.  I pray in my quiet space, when requests are made known, on behalf of people I may pass while driving or in the stores.  I pray for forgiveness and for God to take care of my need and the needs of others.  I praise him for the gifts he sends my way.  Prayer requires discipline and a heart for God.  Am I praying as a Child of God??

When I pray for provision financially am I being financially responsible?  Am I paying my debts, giving to others?  When I work am I giving 110%, being honest, a person of integrity and working as though I am working for the Lord?

Am I praying for kindness, love and gentle hearts from others and yet not giving that very thing to the people I come in contact with?

Do I ask for forgiveness and yet I do not forgive others?  Do I have compassion for others or am I a gossip and condemner even though I have perhaps walked the same road in my lifetime?

Am I boastful?  I did that, I have this? I, I, I when I am to be thankful and remember that all good things come from the Lord and that the Glory is his, not mine.

Am I complaining but have a problem being around those that complain?

I know that as a Child of God he hears my prayers.  Prayer takes discipline.  We need to stop and give the Lord our time, our hearts.  We should praise him for all the wonderful, colorful ribbons he drops on us.  He already knows our every thought but what a joy it is for our Lord when we come to him in prayer!  Daily, not only when life is full of trials and turmoil but when we are at peace and joyful also.

I was complaining yesterday and yet I have a problem listening to those who complain – HELLO!  I stress over bills forgetting the provision God has given me!  He is watching all these struggles to trust.

Do I say, “I will pray for you” and not do it?  If you tell someone you will pray for them, pray immediately.  Don’t tell someone you will communicate with God on his or her behalf and not follow through.

I need to be with him in quiet when I pray.  I need to empty out the world around me.  Praise him, ask for forgiveness and forgive others.  Pray for his will in my life, to be delivered from evil and to be thankful that Jesus died for me – that I am His child and that he loves me, protects me and covers me.  What comfort to know that I can go to Him anytime and he will listen to me and hold my hand.  He will walk with me, protect me and never leave me.  Make time for God – the answers come from him.

© 2011 Debbie I. Downs

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Apr
2011

The Gift of Life! Oh How He Loves Us!

categories: Christ, Forgiveness, Freedom, Glory to God, He is Risen, Jesus, Love, Thankfulness, truth

When I think about Jesus Christ coming to this earth, I am continuously reminded how special each one of us is to Him.  Jesus came to earth and died on the cross for us, to give us freedom – LIFE. He did it for one reason, because He loves us! Thank you Jesus! You are unchanging in Love, Truth and Faithfulness for yesterday, today and tomorrow!

I stay in awe that Jesus chose us to die for. I mean, we are people who are running around usually seeking our own pleasure, while sometimes hurting others in the process. But even in our self-way of thinking, Jesus came and died for YOU and ME! That is beautiful love! A love so strong that He laid down His own life and willingly went to the cross. He did not run away or try to escape from the hand of those who would kill him. He willingly went to the cross knowing He would die.

After Jesus died, with the weight of the world upon his shoulders, He was resurrected and ascended into heaven to reign at the throne! He is the High Priest, the One and Only True God who loves us! All come to the Father through Him!

Thank you Jesus for your jealous love of us! The gift of life~only by Jesus Christ!

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8


Feb
2011

A Servant’s Heart

categories: Jesus, Leadership

“…just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NIV

As followers of Christ move into roles of leadership, we are not placed there to lord over others with an attitude of superiority. We are there to serve others and become the dregs of the pot, if that is what is necessary, to serve our Lord in another’s need.

There may be those who will say things that hurt us and which are offensive and persecuting, but when pain comes and we are offended by how others treat us, we can remind ourselves of where the Lord met us. Remember how we were once so opposed to the Lord and though we hurt our Lord, He did not abandon or condemn us. He accepted us and loved us, not because of our worthiness, but because of His great love and respect of His Father.

There is nothing that anyone can do to us nearly as offensive as what we as human beings have done in opposition to the Lord. As we follow the example of Jesus Christ, let us be reminded that Jesus came to serve, heal, restore and deliver. His life was lived out on earth as one of service and offering life to others.

How is it that we are leading those in our circle of influence? In your service to the Lord, are you honoring Him by loving Him enough to live out His ways? Do people see His love manifested in you and are they  running toward Him?

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Feb
2011

Glory to God!

categories: Fruit of the Spirit, Glory to God, He is Risen, Hope, Jesus
Only God could paint this landscape!

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name. Bring an offering and come before Him, worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29 (NIV)

God is the creator of the universe and everything in it. He is the creator of you and me, and we are created in His image. He knew us when we were in our mother’s wombs. He knows our every thought and wants better than we know them ourselves. He knows every single detail of our lives, as small as the numbers of hairs on our head. He is involved in the smallest details of our lives, leading us into His goodness, truth, and righteousness. He loves us in a way that is indescribable by humankind. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for us. His Son took all the sin of the world upon His shoulders and died so that we could have forgiveness of all our sin, past present and future. Jesus was buried and after He was raised from the dead and more than five hundred people saw Him after He rose from the grave! He ascended to heaven to sit at the Father’s throne and sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us in all our ways and to help us to stay in Him. Remain in Him and He remains in us.

We obey Him from a heart of love and honor. It is our greatest hope to bring glory and praises to His name, not because we have to, but because it has become the desire of our hearts!  He is our King of Kings! He is Sovereign. He is the Great Physician. He is the Mighty Counselor! He is Peace! He is our Rock, our Shepherd, our Provider! He is our Refuge, our Judge, and our Hope! He is the LORD, our Master, our Righteousness! He is Living, a Consuming Fire! He is the God Most High! He is Everlasting and Eternal! He is our Father!

He is our Husband and we are His Bride! We keep ourselves pure and white so that on the day of His return, we will be invited to join the feast and sit beside Him on heaven’s throne. He died for us, what more could we ask of one to show his love toward us?

His faithfulness to His Word has stood the test of time. In the lives of those gone before you, in your life and in mine – whether we see it now or not. So let us put away things that hinder our intimacy with our King and put on the clothes of righteousness. He will empower us for renewal, to endure and to stand firm in Him, by the Spirit of the Father that dwells within us.

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I ward you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

Pray for your thoughts, words, and actions to bring glory to God. Ask Him to change your heart so that it will become hidden in His, transforming you to have His thoughts, His words, and His actions. It is His utmost desire to give this gift to you from His deep love of you! Those who belong to Christ no longer walk in the sinful nature, but by the fruit of the Spirit. Let us take each step trusting the Spirit of God to lead us! Seek to please God in all things and the need for approval from others will fall away. Ask God to do away with any conflict in you and remain patient as He begins His work in you!

Further Reading: Ephesians 5:9; Colossians 3:12-15; Romans 5:8; Proverbs 2:3; Philippians 2:3

Authentic worship and praise of the Lord involves us giving glory to God!

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