Easter

A Sacrifice...

Here is an amazing video that gives us a look at Easter and how God sacrificed his Son for us...





Some questions to think about...

How is this clip like God saving us?

How is it different?
-One thing is that Jesus didn't accidentally die for us, he willingly gave his perfect life for ours.

Do the people on the train know what happened?
If someone told them would they care?
- Would they want to talk to the man who saved them, thank Him?

the next thing

Why is it so hard to be happy where we are? I'm always looking to the next thing. It's so hard for me to just be content where I'm at.

I've been looking forward to this weekend and having some time to catch up on cleaning and relax since Bethany is in Victoria at the Roosmas. Now she's there and I miss her and I'm looking forward to her coming back!

I know it's ok to look forward to things, just as long as it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the present.

Life is all about re-evaluating and adjusting. I notice these things, which is the first step, then I have to practice a new habit. Like slowing down and enjoying the moment.

I keep coming back to my quote

a foolish man seeks happiness in the distance
a wise man grows it under his feet

ultimately I know it's God who lovingly points out adjustments I need to make and helps me make them!

"God please help me to actually be content with where I'm at and take time to find joy in the little things"

Mother hen

Such a good sermon today about Jesus being a mother hen. It's based on this verse...

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"
Luke 13:33-35

When we think of an animal that represents Jesus, it's often a lion or something strong, but Jesus compares himself to a mother hen.
Sid was saying how there have been records of when hen houses catch on fire they will find the mother hen scarred and burned and underneath her are the baby chicks alive and well, saved by the devoted mother.
Just like Jesus sacrificed himself to save us.

Jesus wants to gather us under his wing and protect us and care for us... are we willing?
...are we willing to let go of our own plans?
...are we willing to trust that Jesus will protect us from troubles?

Jerusalem wasn't willing and often we are rebel chicks running away from our mother's loving care and warm safe wings.

For me it seems like each day it's a struggle to just trust.
To not worry,
not stress,
not try to do everything on my own.
I feel like I keep wandering away from the safety of the mother hen when I put the weight of everything on myself instead of trusting God to be my strength and trust that he's taking care of everthing.

Jesus gives us such a lesson by calling himself a mother hen. He humbles himself to a female fowl, totally opposite of what a strong leader is expected to be. But also asking us to humble ourselves to be willing to be baby chicks who don't need to find all their own food or venture out on their own, but just need to be gathered under loving wings.

The Fear of the Lord...

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7

To fear the Lord is to hate evil... Prov. 8:13

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Prov. 9:10

He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress,
and for his children it will be a refuge. Proverbs 14:26

The fear of the Lord leads to life:
then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Prov. 19:23


Just reading through Psalms the last few weeks and there are so many verses about "the fear of Lord" and what is wise and foolish. It's interesting because one of my friends was asking me about fearing the Lord. It doesn't seem to make sense to be scared of God, like He might hurt us or is scary. But reading these verses it's definitely a different fear than just being frightened. It's a respectful fear. It makes sense that we should reverently fear the all powerful God who made us and everything around us.
It also reminds me of something I heard at a Young Life conference about fearing the Lord. When we fear God when don't have to fear anything else. The speaker, Hal Merwald, explained it using the song "Amazing Grace."
It says, "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved."
The first fear is the fear of the Lord and because we fear the Lord all other fears, of sudden ruin, of bankruptcy, of disaster, of evil, are gone.

I liked the last proverb, but I know it doesn't mean that those who fear the Lord don't experience trouble. They are untouched by trouble. Kind of like stainless steel isn't actually stain free, it just stains LESS. They are touched LESS by trouble. When we fear the Lord and troubles come they don't hit us as hard and even small troubles can hardly touch us because we don't fear and fret over them, we fear the Lord.
It's amazing that we can be content when troubles come, but God is bigger than any problem or situation that arises. He is even bigger than death.


Paul writes...
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippian 4: 12-14

The Road Less Traveled

This phrase came up this morning and last week at church.

The Road less traveled...

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Matthew 7:13-15

It's hard to take a different road than everyone else. You could get made fun of. People might look at you funny, question you, challenge you. But the road less traveled leads to life.

If we're on the narrow, less traveled road our lives should be different than those on the wide road.
But what if you don't know what road you're on or how to get there?

Here`s a great explanation:

“Ever lie awake at night worrying whether or not you're really right with God? Have you committed too many sins? Have you done enough good to balance the scales? Is your faith strong enough to hang in there for a lifetime? Will Judgment Day drag you before an angry God who shakes his head in bitter disappointment at your performance and who sentences you to an eternity of indescribable suffering in hell?

If you have worried about that... congratulations! It`s a sure sign that God`s Holy Spirit is working in your heart, prodding you to ask the really important questions in life.

So how would the Bible answer your questions?

Like this:
- No, you`re not right with God . (Roman`s 3:10-12)
- Yes, you have committed too many sins. (Ephesians 5:5-6)
- No, you haven`t done enough good to balance the sales. ( Isaiah 64:6-7)
- NO, your faith isn`t strong enough, not without God`s help. It doesn`t have to be...Jesus is powerful enough to save us.
- When you believe in Jesus he becomes your own defense lawyer, on the judge`s bench! You`ll be given full pardon because Jesus paid the penalty for you. You are justified.
Jesus says, `I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand` (John 10:28)”
(R. De Moor)


I hope if you haven`t made this decision that you`ll think about it.

I just watched a movie called “Fireproof” where a husband is trying to fix his marriage before his wife files for divorce. He tries everything and cannot believe or understand her coldness and lack of caring. He wonders how he can keep showing love to her when she basically throws it back in his face.
We are like that wife that keeps turning away from a husband trying to win us back. God shows his love over and over and over, and a lot of times even people who say they are Christians turn away from that love and are ungrateful. But He keeps loving us no matter what. He keeps giving us good things and He won`t give up on us.

Turning to God, trusting Jesus to save us and following Him puts us on the road less traveled.

The road that leads to life, now and forever!

Discipline

This is my New Year's resolution, to be disciplined. Pretty vague, but basically to take different areas of my life and pay closer attention to them, plan and be consistent.
One thing I'm trying to do is read my Bible everyday. Another one that I just figured out will help be more disciplined in all areas is to get up earlier, before Bethany, and get stuff done. My Bible reading has actually helped encourage me in my waking up early.
It's really hard to wake up early when you have a warm bed to snuggle in and the baby's still sleeping and there's not anything pressing to wake up for. The Bible will still be there to read later, the laundry will still be there to fold later. So a couple mornings I really struggled setting my alarm numerous times and never actually getting up out of bed.
Then I read this verse a couple days ago and it really encouraged me...

" Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider it's ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8

This verse is about discipline. It puts me to shame that even the smallest dumbest creatures are disciplined enough to work hard and be diligent. Great reminder that I CAN get up a little earlier, I CAN make time to read my Bible each day, and I CAN make time to do all my housework and other work.

The rest of the verse is just a kick in the butt to get me on my way...

" How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." Prov. 9-11

When will I get up from sleep each morning? When the baby starts to cry?
John gets up early everyday for work, so as part of disciplining myself I'm trying to get up at 6. (sometimes he gets up at 5 and I haven't been able to do that yet)
I got up at 6 this morning and it was WONDERFUL! I had time to read my Bible, pray, clean the bathroom and do some exercises all before 8:00!
When Bethany woke up I was way happier and ready to see her and get her ready to start our day together.

I have found that a small sacrifice of sleep and time can have huge benefits!
I hope this encourages you to look at areas of your life that you might want to practice more discipline in and ask God to help you be successful.