Great article....espeically for us busy moms!!!
Cultivating a Home of Peace
Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS)/MOMSnext @ MWC
Monday, August 13, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Be Free
"Galatians 5:1 says, "Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery." Beseeching the Spirit for genuine repentance, radical resolve, and ruthless resistance empowers us to stand firm and free from sin's enslaving yoke." Duty or Delight - p. 94
Monday, July 16, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Take Control of Your Time (Part 1)
Below is the MWC Devotional from today called "Take Control of Your Time" and is Part 1. I know we are all busy in so many different ways.....hope that this encourages you (and me!!!!)
“Walk in wisdom…redeeming the time.” Col 4:5 NKJV
Nothing is more costly than wasted time. Every minute lost is gone forever. Today we have more time-saving devices than any other generation, yet we seem to have less time. To get control of your life you must first get control of your time. That means redirecting each lost minute toward a worthy purpose. We all have things we want to do, plan to do, and feel bad about not doing.
Understand this: the difference in who you are right now and the person you’ll be ten years from now, will largely be determined by your relationships and your reading habits. And the first book you should read is your Bible, the world’s greatest wisdom manual. Here’s a suggestion that will help you: instead of having an “all or nothing” attitude to Bible reading, seize your “in between time.” You’ll be amazed how the wasted minutes in each day and week add up to hours of productive time.
J. Oswald Sanders gives us three great insights:
(1) Stop leaks. Let us not consider our day only in terms of hours, but in smaller areas of time. If we look after the minutes, the hours will look after themselves.
(2) Set priorities. Much time is spent on things of only secondary importance. We give such undue attention to petty details that matters of major importance are squeezed out. This is especially so where spiritual things are concerned.
(3) Start planning.
Without a plan we all tend to drift. So in the attitude of prayer, ask, “How can I best plan today?” Buy up the spare minutes as eagerly as a miser hoards money.
“Walk in wisdom…redeeming the time.” Col 4:5 NKJV
Nothing is more costly than wasted time. Every minute lost is gone forever. Today we have more time-saving devices than any other generation, yet we seem to have less time. To get control of your life you must first get control of your time. That means redirecting each lost minute toward a worthy purpose. We all have things we want to do, plan to do, and feel bad about not doing.
Understand this: the difference in who you are right now and the person you’ll be ten years from now, will largely be determined by your relationships and your reading habits. And the first book you should read is your Bible, the world’s greatest wisdom manual. Here’s a suggestion that will help you: instead of having an “all or nothing” attitude to Bible reading, seize your “in between time.” You’ll be amazed how the wasted minutes in each day and week add up to hours of productive time.
J. Oswald Sanders gives us three great insights:
(1) Stop leaks. Let us not consider our day only in terms of hours, but in smaller areas of time. If we look after the minutes, the hours will look after themselves.
(2) Set priorities. Much time is spent on things of only secondary importance. We give such undue attention to petty details that matters of major importance are squeezed out. This is especially so where spiritual things are concerned.
(3) Start planning.
Without a plan we all tend to drift. So in the attitude of prayer, ask, “How can I best plan today?” Buy up the spare minutes as eagerly as a miser hoards money.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Be Free
We are all called to be free. Great image included.
What is keeping you from being free or has kept you from being free in the past?
Post thoughts.
What is keeping you from being free or has kept you from being free in the past?
Post thoughts.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Valuable to God
"If we do not see ourselves as valuable to God and valuable before God, then we will never find confidence before Him. Serving Him will always be a duty rather than the delight He intends for us.". - Duty or Delight Bible Study
Very powerful quote!
Very powerful quote!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Powerful Message
Former MWC Youth Pastor Jason Hotchkiss delivers a powerful word on God's holiness....very timely message especially because of this past Sunday evening's Night of Worship. This message is part 1 of a 7 part series and this message is called "He's Other". He also preached the last message in series just this past Sunday but that doesn't appear to be available yet. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!
http://www.eriefirst.org/podcastgod101.asp
http://www.eriefirst.org/podcastgod101.asp
Monday, June 25, 2012
No Exemptions
Devotional by Pastor Greg Laurie
| |
"For he gives his sunlight to both the
evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike."
|
When a crisis comes
into our lives, the first thing we usually ask is, "Why is this happening
to me? What have I done to deserve this?" At the outset there are no real
answers to questions like this. In fact, it is very unlikely we ever will have
the answers to the whys of life until we get to heaven.
Somehow in our minds, we may believe that, as Christians, we are exempt from suffering. We just won't have tragedy befall us. We won't get cancer. We won't have spouses ever leave us. We won't ever have anyone we love die in any kind of accident. We won't have problems with our kids. But no matter how much we may love the Lord, crises will come into our lives. We cannot control that.
Ironically, people said to me after our son went to be with the Lord, "Why has this happened to you, of all people?" I find that to be a curious question, the assumption being that I get a free pass because I am a pastor. But I live in the same fallen world as everyone else. Jesus said the rain falls upon the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45).
So I think it is very important not to make the mistake of always trying to find cause and effect for everything that happens. For example, if something bad happens, we may say, "Well, they were evil, and because of that, this came into their lives." That may be true.
However, sometimes bad stuff happens, and there is no cause and effect at all. It is simply because sin is in the world. And because sin is in the world, we have aging and sickness and disabilities and even death. But those things never were part of God's original plan.
Somehow in our minds, we may believe that, as Christians, we are exempt from suffering. We just won't have tragedy befall us. We won't get cancer. We won't have spouses ever leave us. We won't ever have anyone we love die in any kind of accident. We won't have problems with our kids. But no matter how much we may love the Lord, crises will come into our lives. We cannot control that.
Ironically, people said to me after our son went to be with the Lord, "Why has this happened to you, of all people?" I find that to be a curious question, the assumption being that I get a free pass because I am a pastor. But I live in the same fallen world as everyone else. Jesus said the rain falls upon the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45).
So I think it is very important not to make the mistake of always trying to find cause and effect for everything that happens. For example, if something bad happens, we may say, "Well, they were evil, and because of that, this came into their lives." That may be true.
However, sometimes bad stuff happens, and there is no cause and effect at all. It is simply because sin is in the world. And because sin is in the world, we have aging and sickness and disabilities and even death. But those things never were part of God's original plan.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Blogs/Websites for Busy Moms and/or Wives
These are some cool blogs/websites for us busy moms and/or wives - some great encouragement and also some fun ideas for the summer, etc.
http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
http://slowlynatural.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepurposefulmom.com
http://www.incourage.me/
http://joyfulmothering.net/
http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
http://slowlynatural.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepurposefulmom.com
http://www.incourage.me/
http://joyfulmothering.net/
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
A Fulfilled Promise
http://www.leadingtheway.org/web/guest/read/my-devotional/-/blogs/a-fulfilled-promise
June 20, 2012
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
Abraham fully trusted God’s promise that Isaac would continue his bloodline. He knew that somehow Isaac would live to fulfill God’s promise. Abraham believed that if he sacrificed his son, God would somehow return Isaac to life.
“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Abraham wasn’t worried because he fully trusted that God’s plan would happen—no matter what obstacles occurred. Genesis 22:5 says it all: “He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.’” We will come back. Even as he prepared the sacrifice, Abraham was confident that both he and his son would return alive.
God kept His promise, and Isaac did live to produce heirs. In verse 13, we see that God provided the solution—a ram caught in the thicket.
When God has a plan, He will fulfill it. What is God calling you to sacrifice as a test of your faith in Him? Is it your reputation or your net worth? Is it a relationship or an ambition? God wants us to give up anything that distracts us from Him.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the reminder today that You will fulfill Your promises and plans. Help me to trust You enough to be willing to sacrifice anything You ask of me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
June 20, 2012
A Fulfilled Promise
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
Abraham fully trusted God’s promise that Isaac would continue his bloodline. He knew that somehow Isaac would live to fulfill God’s promise. Abraham believed that if he sacrificed his son, God would somehow return Isaac to life.
“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Abraham wasn’t worried because he fully trusted that God’s plan would happen—no matter what obstacles occurred. Genesis 22:5 says it all: “He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.’” We will come back. Even as he prepared the sacrifice, Abraham was confident that both he and his son would return alive.
God kept His promise, and Isaac did live to produce heirs. In verse 13, we see that God provided the solution—a ram caught in the thicket.
When God has a plan, He will fulfill it. What is God calling you to sacrifice as a test of your faith in Him? Is it your reputation or your net worth? Is it a relationship or an ambition? God wants us to give up anything that distracts us from Him.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the reminder today that You will fulfill Your promises and plans. Help me to trust You enough to be willing to sacrifice anything You ask of me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19)
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Be Willing to Change
Today's MWC Devotional - Be Willing to Change
“If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Php 4:8 NIV
If you’re not moving closer to your dream, you may not be tenacious enough in your pursuit of it. And the key to greater tenacity is not necessarily working harder at the same things, but being willing to change. Change what?
(1)Your thinking. Are you convinced you can’t succeed? Do you describe yourself and what you’re doing in negative terms? Are you afraid to get started because conditions aren’t favorable? Do you stop trying to move forward when you don’t have the resources you need? If so, you need to change your mindset, to break the cycle of negative thinking.
(2) Your perspective. Do you have a short-term mindset? Are you expecting success in days, weeks, or months? The greater your assignment, the longer it’s likely to take. So recalibrate your expectations and create a more reasonable timetable for yourself; otherwise, you’ll live in frustration and defeat. That’s not God’s will for you. Paul’s desire was “that I may finish my race with joy” (Ac 20:24 NKJV). God wants you to experience joy in the pursuit of your goal.
(3) Your ways. How are things going in your personal life and in your home life? Are you ready to deal with the habits and hang-ups that stand between you and success? What can you do today that will bring you closer to your dream—no matter how small the progress? Author and publisher Robert Collier says, “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
“If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Php 4:8 NIV
If you’re not moving closer to your dream, you may not be tenacious enough in your pursuit of it. And the key to greater tenacity is not necessarily working harder at the same things, but being willing to change. Change what?
(1)Your thinking. Are you convinced you can’t succeed? Do you describe yourself and what you’re doing in negative terms? Are you afraid to get started because conditions aren’t favorable? Do you stop trying to move forward when you don’t have the resources you need? If so, you need to change your mindset, to break the cycle of negative thinking.
(2) Your perspective. Do you have a short-term mindset? Are you expecting success in days, weeks, or months? The greater your assignment, the longer it’s likely to take. So recalibrate your expectations and create a more reasonable timetable for yourself; otherwise, you’ll live in frustration and defeat. That’s not God’s will for you. Paul’s desire was “that I may finish my race with joy” (Ac 20:24 NKJV). God wants you to experience joy in the pursuit of your goal.
(3) Your ways. How are things going in your personal life and in your home life? Are you ready to deal with the habits and hang-ups that stand between you and success? What can you do today that will bring you closer to your dream—no matter how small the progress? Author and publisher Robert Collier says, “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Daily Devotions
These daily devotions posted on Pastor Jentezen Franklin's website are identical to the MWC Devotional. Read them electronically whenever you want :)
They are also available as a tab at the top of our blog.
http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/blog/category/daily-devotions/
They are also available as a tab at the top of our blog.
http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/blog/category/daily-devotions/
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Another Great Blog
Here is another great blog by one of our most favorite pastors and evangelist, Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA. We attended this church back in August of 2006 (over 20,000 people attend) and it changed our lives. He also has a new program on TV....look for it. I believe the program is called "Harvest". Check him out on FB, etc. God is using him in an amazing way!!!! We have been so blessed by the ministry of Greg Laurie (as so many others have). We have also attended one of his crusades in NYC....we saw streams and streams of young people give their lives to the Lord that afternoon. The new initative is called "Harvest America" which is an evangelistic outreach that is being brought to local churches to reach the lost. God is so good!!!! Check out the church's website too.
http://blog.greglaurie.com/
http://www.harvest.org
http://www.harvestamerica.org
http://blog.greglaurie.com/
http://www.harvest.org
http://www.harvestamerica.org
Link to Message
Here is the link to the message that I mentioned in previous post the other day....sorry about that!!!! This is a very powerful message for all men...married or not....but it is a great message for us women too!!! Great to see God's perspective!
Title: Leadership Is the Husband's Role - Listen to Dr. Michael Youssef from Leading The Way
Link: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/leading-the-way/listen/leadership-is-the-husbands-role-282802.html
Title: Leadership Is the Husband's Role - Listen to Dr. Michael Youssef from Leading The Way
Link: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/leading-the-way/listen/leadership-is-the-husbands-role-282802.html
Monday, June 11, 2012
Great Message
This is a powerful message from Dr. Michael Youssef titled "Leadership is the Husband's Role". This not only speaks to men but us as women as well!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Cool Blogs to Follow
Beth Moore's Blog - http://blog.lproof.org
Beth Moore's Daughter Amanda's Blog - http://babybangs.blogspot.com/
Lisa McKay's Blog - http://www.apreacherswife.com
Beth Moore's Daughter Amanda's Blog - http://babybangs.blogspot.com/
Lisa McKay's Blog - http://www.apreacherswife.com
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Living Beyond Yourself - Session 1 (Cont'd)
Free at Last
(some more thoughts that I shared with MOPS group on Friday, January 20th)
Freedom……what does that mean to you? We live in a country where freedom is at the core of what our country was built upon. However, what about freedom in Christ? Are you free in Christ?
Galatians 5:1 says “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
How many of you want more of God in your life but you don’t feel that anything is happening?
How many of you feel that you need to squash your desires and push them down in order to get closer to God?
How many of you are in bondage to different things in your life that are keeping you from having the kind of relationship that you would like to have with others and especially God?
God is a merciful God who loves us so much. He wants so much more for us but we have to be willing to reach out and grab what God has for us. We have to be willing to let go of past hurts and pains in order to step in to the fullness of God.
So do you want freedom in Christ?
Galatians 5:16- 26 says….
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
There are three things that I believe are critical to our relationship with God and attaining freedom in Christ:
1. We must accept God’s grace every day (Amazing Grace video)
a. Definition of grace – mercy; clemency; pardon - a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior
b. Daily – this is not a one step program and when you become saved and accept God’s pardon and salvation. We must believe that God forgives us over and over again.
2. We must allow God to break the chains in our life and we must pray that our desires become God’s desires
a. Bondage – what are areas in your life that are bondages that are keeping you from God? Take index card(s) and write them down and date them. On other side of card write down what you believe God will do in these different areas in 2012. Let’s pray together to see miracles in 2012.
Have we allowed bondages in our lives to keep us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us in life? Imagine chains on your hands and feet……would it be difficult to walk? What about the simple things in life like eating and drinking? Would that be easy or hard? Then imagine these chains on our hands and feet and we are trying to walk with God. It would be a lot easier for us if we allowed God to break those chains and bondages in our lives….we would walk so much easier. We used a visual example of handcuffs and asked the question of "How difficult would it be to do typical daily stuff with handcuffs on?" except we live life with handcuffs on. We also spoke about the show "The Biggest Loser" and in one of the episodes at the end where the contestants have to chain weights on to themselves that are equivalent to the weight that they have lost and then they have to try and run a race and how difficult it is. However these contestants got so used to carrying around the extra weight for so many years and it was a part of their comfort zone. Once they lost weight, they were out of their comfort zone. Some bondages could be inherently good things as well.
Have we allowed bondages in our lives to keep us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us in life? Imagine chains on your hands and feet……would it be difficult to walk? What about the simple things in life like eating and drinking? Would that be easy or hard? Then imagine these chains on our hands and feet and we are trying to walk with God. It would be a lot easier for us if we allowed God to break those chains and bondages in our lives….we would walk so much easier. We used a visual example of handcuffs and asked the question of "How difficult would it be to do typical daily stuff with handcuffs on?" except we live life with handcuffs on. We also spoke about the show "The Biggest Loser" and in one of the episodes at the end where the contestants have to chain weights on to themselves that are equivalent to the weight that they have lost and then they have to try and run a race and how difficult it is. However these contestants got so used to carrying around the extra weight for so many years and it was a part of their comfort zone. Once they lost weight, they were out of their comfort zone. Some bondages could be inherently good things as well.
b. Desires - why do you believe that the world is so unhappy with all the material things of this world? It may be because nothing is satisfying their soul. Do you feel like you have to squash your desires down in order to make room for God? How about pouring out your desires and laying them down at the Lord’s feet and then asking the Lord to pour in his desires in to you? This then means that your desires have now become the Lord’s desires. This is a lot easier than trying to push down your own desires and then trying to pour the Lord’s desires on top of them.
c. Free at last – we must walk with freedom which means with our heads held high and not walk around in despair and sadness
3. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit
a. Pouring out - we need to pour out our confessions and our concerns to God (Galatians 5:16-26)
b. Pouring in – we need to allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit – being empty is a great risk (Ephesians 5:18 - 18 - Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.)
c. Pouring forth – we are competent ministers of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 - 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Do you want to live in total freedom in Christ? You must lay everything down at the cross of Jesus daily. Watch Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – by Chris Tomlin.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Living Beyond Yourself - Session 3
Greatest of These is Love
This session has been spent learning about the different kinds of love - Eros, Philos and Agape so that we can understand the fruit of the Spirit that is love. I thought that this would be an easy session for me but I was quickly challenged to put it in to practice.
But before we get in to love, one thing that I thought was pretty interesting in the beginning of our study is how Beth Moore spoke about the fact that many people refer to the "fruits" of the Spirit. She mentioned that the word is actually singular and that Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of one kind of fruit with nine different qualitites which we will be studying. That really peaked my interest and made my realize even more that if I truly have the Holy Spirit living within me and I am truly living beyond myself and from the inside out that I would need to truly exemlify the fruit of the spirit in my life.
The first kind of love that Beth shared about was Eros which we all know to be physical or sexual love. A couple of points that Beth made during this portion of the study really stuck with me. The first is that physical love or sexual intercourse is to marriage what prayer is to our spiritual life. Some might think that is crazy to compare the two but then she explained further that prayer is the hallmark of intimacy with Christ and sexual desire and fulfillment are the hallmarks of intimacy with our mate. I would agree that this is true.
The second kind of love that was shared about was Philos which is generally defined as "the love one has toward a friend or companion". In fact, the word can simply mean "friend". A very important characteristic of philos is the adoption of like interests. James 2:23 tells us that Abraham was a philos of God. Does this scripture infer that God and Abraham were "chums"? Hardly. It teaches us that Abraham adopted God's interests as his own.
In 1 Peter 3:8, Peter challenges us to demonstrate brotherly love. The Greek word for "brotherly love" or "love as brothers" is philadelophos. It is a compound word formed from philos which means "friend" and adelphos which means "brother". In essence, philadelphos means "to love a friend like a brother". In particular, Peter is exhorting fellow Christians to love one another as if "blood related". I thank God for my sisters in Christ that are so close that we love one another as if we are blood related!
The last kind of love is Agape love. This is the one kind of love that I believe I truly understood the least amount until this study. Agape is not much a feeling as it is a response. We will discover that God commands us to agape. He is not commanding us toward a feeling. He is commanding us to surrender to an act of His Spirit which results in obedience. Emotion may accompany agape, but emotion and agape are not the same.
Beth Moore shared 15 characteristics of Agape:
1. First we learn that agape is PATIENT
2. Next, in 1 Corinthians 13 we read that agape is KIND
3. Third, Paul taught that agape does NOT ENVY
4. Fourth, we learn that agape does NOT BOAST
5. Fifth, we discover that agape is NOT PROUD
6. Agape is NOT RUDE
7. Seventh, we are reminded that agape is NOT SELF-SEEKING
8. Agape is NOT EASILY ANGERED
9. Agape keeps NO RECORD OF WRONGS
10. The tenth charactertistic of agape is that it does NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH
11. Agape ALWAYS PROTECTS
12. Agape ALWAYS TRUSTS
13. Agape ALWAYS HOPES
14. Agape ALWAYS PERSEVERES
15. Agape NEVER FAILS
So some truths that I gleaned from our study that I wanted to share:
- Agape is never without effect. Agape is never in vain! If we allow God to exercise agape through us, no matter how it appears, no matter what happens - whether the work of agape is in us as the giver, in others as the receivers, or both - it will never be in vain. If God is calling upon you to love a very difficult person with agape, rejoice that your obedience will never be in vain! Agape is always effective!
- We are incapable of agape! No matter how hard we try, we cannot exercise this kind of love. We cannot love the unlovely. We cannot love those who do not love us. We cannot love those who have hurt us. Agape is divine love. Its only origin is the heart of God. Agape is the love of God expressed through us to others. Actually it is a response more than a feeling. This is the way it works:
1. we confront a situation in which God requires us to agape another person
2. we admit to Him that we lack agape for this person
3. we consider how God would personally respond to this person according to the Scriptures
4. we act in obedience and respond as He would
Ultimately we are blessed to have been the vessel through which a holy God expressed His great love to one of His children. Nothing else is like God pouring agape through you. It may be the most difficult request God ever makes of us - and the most glorious privilege. But it is absolutely impossible without a heart transplant.
Beth shared the following poem called "A Matter of the Heart".
I've arrived at a conclusion,
maybe one of life's rare finds
that there's not a lot worth salvaging
within this heart of mine.
It's ever ready to destruct
and lie above all things...
It tends to laugh when it should cry
and mourn when it should sing.
I've wasted countless hours begging,
"Fix this heart, Lord, please!"
while it stomps its feet, demands its way
and floods with sin's disease.
At last, you're able to get through
and lay it on the line:
"You must give you that heart of yours
and trade it in for mine."
So I cry out with the psalmist,
create within me, Lord
a new heart crystal clear
that only Calvary could afford.
A heart which pounds the rhythm
of heaven's metronome
and issues forth a boundless love
and beats for You alone.
I want to love that which You love,
despising what you hate
and see myself as least of these
oh Lord, retaliate
The efforts of the evil one
who seeks to make my plea
that of his own, "I'll make no move
til I've considered me."
Peel away my fingers,
finally make me understand
the power to love and please You
can't be found within a man.
So, my Lord, I bring this offering;
a stubborn heart of stone
And ask you, in its absence,
please exchange it for Your own.
What powerful words in a great poem! Lord, I pray that this will be my life's cry!!!
When I read the question, how does God want you to respond to what He showed you today I was totally blown away by his revelation to me. There were two people that God clearly showed me that I needed to show love and compassion to that I had not as of late. Then as I was meditating on these words and realizing that it wasn't just about God's agape love for us but that he had commanded me to show agape love to others around me and then gave me the two names of people that I had to change my heart towards....a heart transplant! Boy, was that difficult! I realized it wasn't going to be easy!
In 1 John 3:11-24, the Word of God speaks to us that we must demonstrate agape love to others regardless of how we might feel towards them and even if they hate us. The Word says that is we hate we are murderers and we won't make it to heaven. That is a very sobering thought!
Verse 20 says "For God is greater than our hearts." (NIV)
So what is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and agape?
The Holy Spirit within us allows us to have agape love for those around us.
Some questions to ponder:
1. In Christ, you and I are "blood relatives". How should our kinship affect our relationship?
2. What does Psalm 145:8 tell us about God's anger?
3. Proverbs 13:10 says "Pride only breeds quarrels." The last time you quarreled with someone, was any pride involved in your part?
4. Read Psalm 119:29-32. How would your life be different if you could wholeheartedly embrace the words and attitude of the psalm?
5. Remember, God both told us He loved us and showed us He loved us. How do people know you love them? In other words, in what ways are you demonstrating agape?
Feel free to answer any or all questions or post your own comments. I know God has really been speaking to me through this study....and challenging me!
This session has been spent learning about the different kinds of love - Eros, Philos and Agape so that we can understand the fruit of the Spirit that is love. I thought that this would be an easy session for me but I was quickly challenged to put it in to practice.
But before we get in to love, one thing that I thought was pretty interesting in the beginning of our study is how Beth Moore spoke about the fact that many people refer to the "fruits" of the Spirit. She mentioned that the word is actually singular and that Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of one kind of fruit with nine different qualitites which we will be studying. That really peaked my interest and made my realize even more that if I truly have the Holy Spirit living within me and I am truly living beyond myself and from the inside out that I would need to truly exemlify the fruit of the spirit in my life.
The first kind of love that Beth shared about was Eros which we all know to be physical or sexual love. A couple of points that Beth made during this portion of the study really stuck with me. The first is that physical love or sexual intercourse is to marriage what prayer is to our spiritual life. Some might think that is crazy to compare the two but then she explained further that prayer is the hallmark of intimacy with Christ and sexual desire and fulfillment are the hallmarks of intimacy with our mate. I would agree that this is true.
The second kind of love that was shared about was Philos which is generally defined as "the love one has toward a friend or companion". In fact, the word can simply mean "friend". A very important characteristic of philos is the adoption of like interests. James 2:23 tells us that Abraham was a philos of God. Does this scripture infer that God and Abraham were "chums"? Hardly. It teaches us that Abraham adopted God's interests as his own.
In 1 Peter 3:8, Peter challenges us to demonstrate brotherly love. The Greek word for "brotherly love" or "love as brothers" is philadelophos. It is a compound word formed from philos which means "friend" and adelphos which means "brother". In essence, philadelphos means "to love a friend like a brother". In particular, Peter is exhorting fellow Christians to love one another as if "blood related". I thank God for my sisters in Christ that are so close that we love one another as if we are blood related!
The last kind of love is Agape love. This is the one kind of love that I believe I truly understood the least amount until this study. Agape is not much a feeling as it is a response. We will discover that God commands us to agape. He is not commanding us toward a feeling. He is commanding us to surrender to an act of His Spirit which results in obedience. Emotion may accompany agape, but emotion and agape are not the same.
Beth Moore shared 15 characteristics of Agape:
1. First we learn that agape is PATIENT
2. Next, in 1 Corinthians 13 we read that agape is KIND
3. Third, Paul taught that agape does NOT ENVY
4. Fourth, we learn that agape does NOT BOAST
5. Fifth, we discover that agape is NOT PROUD
6. Agape is NOT RUDE
7. Seventh, we are reminded that agape is NOT SELF-SEEKING
8. Agape is NOT EASILY ANGERED
9. Agape keeps NO RECORD OF WRONGS
10. The tenth charactertistic of agape is that it does NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH
11. Agape ALWAYS PROTECTS
12. Agape ALWAYS TRUSTS
13. Agape ALWAYS HOPES
14. Agape ALWAYS PERSEVERES
15. Agape NEVER FAILS
So some truths that I gleaned from our study that I wanted to share:
- Agape is never without effect. Agape is never in vain! If we allow God to exercise agape through us, no matter how it appears, no matter what happens - whether the work of agape is in us as the giver, in others as the receivers, or both - it will never be in vain. If God is calling upon you to love a very difficult person with agape, rejoice that your obedience will never be in vain! Agape is always effective!
- We are incapable of agape! No matter how hard we try, we cannot exercise this kind of love. We cannot love the unlovely. We cannot love those who do not love us. We cannot love those who have hurt us. Agape is divine love. Its only origin is the heart of God. Agape is the love of God expressed through us to others. Actually it is a response more than a feeling. This is the way it works:
1. we confront a situation in which God requires us to agape another person
2. we admit to Him that we lack agape for this person
3. we consider how God would personally respond to this person according to the Scriptures
4. we act in obedience and respond as He would
Ultimately we are blessed to have been the vessel through which a holy God expressed His great love to one of His children. Nothing else is like God pouring agape through you. It may be the most difficult request God ever makes of us - and the most glorious privilege. But it is absolutely impossible without a heart transplant.
Beth shared the following poem called "A Matter of the Heart".
I've arrived at a conclusion,
maybe one of life's rare finds
that there's not a lot worth salvaging
within this heart of mine.
It's ever ready to destruct
and lie above all things...
It tends to laugh when it should cry
and mourn when it should sing.
I've wasted countless hours begging,
"Fix this heart, Lord, please!"
while it stomps its feet, demands its way
and floods with sin's disease.
At last, you're able to get through
and lay it on the line:
"You must give you that heart of yours
and trade it in for mine."
So I cry out with the psalmist,
create within me, Lord
a new heart crystal clear
that only Calvary could afford.
A heart which pounds the rhythm
of heaven's metronome
and issues forth a boundless love
and beats for You alone.
I want to love that which You love,
despising what you hate
and see myself as least of these
oh Lord, retaliate
The efforts of the evil one
who seeks to make my plea
that of his own, "I'll make no move
til I've considered me."
Peel away my fingers,
finally make me understand
the power to love and please You
can't be found within a man.
So, my Lord, I bring this offering;
a stubborn heart of stone
And ask you, in its absence,
please exchange it for Your own.
What powerful words in a great poem! Lord, I pray that this will be my life's cry!!!
When I read the question, how does God want you to respond to what He showed you today I was totally blown away by his revelation to me. There were two people that God clearly showed me that I needed to show love and compassion to that I had not as of late. Then as I was meditating on these words and realizing that it wasn't just about God's agape love for us but that he had commanded me to show agape love to others around me and then gave me the two names of people that I had to change my heart towards....a heart transplant! Boy, was that difficult! I realized it wasn't going to be easy!
In 1 John 3:11-24, the Word of God speaks to us that we must demonstrate agape love to others regardless of how we might feel towards them and even if they hate us. The Word says that is we hate we are murderers and we won't make it to heaven. That is a very sobering thought!
Verse 20 says "For God is greater than our hearts." (NIV)
So what is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and agape?
The Holy Spirit within us allows us to have agape love for those around us.
Some questions to ponder:
1. In Christ, you and I are "blood relatives". How should our kinship affect our relationship?
2. What does Psalm 145:8 tell us about God's anger?
3. Proverbs 13:10 says "Pride only breeds quarrels." The last time you quarreled with someone, was any pride involved in your part?
4. Read Psalm 119:29-32. How would your life be different if you could wholeheartedly embrace the words and attitude of the psalm?
5. Remember, God both told us He loved us and showed us He loved us. How do people know you love them? In other words, in what ways are you demonstrating agape?
Feel free to answer any or all questions or post your own comments. I know God has really been speaking to me through this study....and challenging me!
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