We are studying Matthew in Sunday School at our Church right now. It is so beautiful and thought provoking. We are in Matthew 9 at the moment. One verse really stuck out to me and made me think about my attitude in comparison to the attitude of Christ.
Matthew 9:36 "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd,..."
I do not often have compassion for the fainting multitudes. I often feel disgusted with them. Even though I was part of that fainting multitude at one time. I still do not have the compassion that Jesus shows for all of us.
In verse 37 and 38 He says "Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers in to His harvest".
So, I see why I am not a good labourer most of the time. I do not have the compassion that Jesus has for the people that are the harvest. I go about my business not wanted to be bothered by those who "faint and are scattered without a shepherd". All they need is to see Jesus' compassion, His love and His mercy. How could you say no to that? If I call myself a Christian but do not have the compassion, love and mercy of Christ, I am a hypocrite. But along with that compassion, love and mercy truth must be conveyed. Our Lord Jesus was very blunt in truth. When you think about it, love, compassion and mercy are not love compassion and mercy without the truth. It is empty and is not eternal.
Today, in my own home and when I go out, I am going to have the mind of Christ and see people with the compassion He does. It is not easy, but with Christ it is possible.
It is a blessing to serve our wonderful Lord!!!
Lori
Monday, March 26, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Heaven is closer now
The children and I were driving in the car yesterday. Little Mary (almost 3) said "I want to go to the hospital." I asked "why?", "I want to go see Baby Elijah". I explained that Elijah was not at the hospital but in heaven with Jesus. She then said "I want to go to heaven to see Jesus and Elijah."
"Yes Mary, I do too".
Being separated from Elijah is hard. We miss him. We can't wait to see him again. Heaven seems a lot closer now. I know my children have a different view of death because Elijah is waiting for us. I have a different view of heaven as well, it's more like a front row view. We will live our lives to the glory of God but wait expectantly for our heavenly homecoming.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, not height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Elijah's death has brought us closer to God, closer to eternity and closer to each other. We all have a longing for the things not of this world. Like Elijah.
What a blessing!
Lori
"Yes Mary, I do too".
Being separated from Elijah is hard. We miss him. We can't wait to see him again. Heaven seems a lot closer now. I know my children have a different view of death because Elijah is waiting for us. I have a different view of heaven as well, it's more like a front row view. We will live our lives to the glory of God but wait expectantly for our heavenly homecoming.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, not height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Elijah's death has brought us closer to God, closer to eternity and closer to each other. We all have a longing for the things not of this world. Like Elijah.
What a blessing!
Lori
Monday, March 19, 2007
See Him
We are back from our wonderful weekend at the Above Rubies retreat. Hannah, Casey, our good friend Tara and our new good friend Patty and I rode together. We all jumped in our Suburban and drove through drones of slow traffic to get to the Black Lake Bible Camp outside Olympia. It is always very refreshing to be around ladies who love the Lord, believe in family and the blessings of children. But as much as we have in common, if you take a good look at all the ladies at the retreat, you would see a lot of differences. There was everything from nose rings to headcoverings, and everything in between. It is very apparent. You know the differences.
Saturday morning I was reading 1 Corinthians 2. I have a KJV and AMP parallel bible and I read verse 2 in the AMP version. It says,
For I resolve to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.
This verse was one of those verses that just stuck like glue in my head. I was thinking along the lines of it's meaning being, only thinking about Christ, only having knowledge of Christ. But this morning when I read it again it finally hit me. "Among you".
"Oh Lord, I get it!" To see only Christ in others. Turn off the judgement of the outside, the denominations, the doctrines, the differences and see Christ only.
This just excites me! OK, I know, it basic. But it's huge! Can I do it? Can I look at you and see Christ only? It's a struggle in our human minds but with Christ in us it is possible. I wish now I could go back and look at each one of those women and see Christ. Not that I didn't but I saw more of the outside that Christ. I am challenged.
The other huge thing that happened to me this weekend was that I went to be ministered to. I went because I thought I needed a retreat. What I found when I got there was, I lost myself. There were so many other needs, women hurting, struggling, suffering. Women in need of prayer and compassion. I really forgot about my needs, they seemed so small. I felt energized when we prayed for these women. I felt free from my struggles. I came back refreshed. Yes, Nancy ministered to my heart but it was in a different way than I expected. I can hardly articulate it. It was like my emotions vanished and my God took over. I was blessed.
I am but a handmaid for my God, I am but a vessel for His plan. You are too. I pray that this is what we can see in each other.
Blessings,
Lori
Saturday morning I was reading 1 Corinthians 2. I have a KJV and AMP parallel bible and I read verse 2 in the AMP version. It says,
For I resolve to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.
This verse was one of those verses that just stuck like glue in my head. I was thinking along the lines of it's meaning being, only thinking about Christ, only having knowledge of Christ. But this morning when I read it again it finally hit me. "Among you".
"Oh Lord, I get it!" To see only Christ in others. Turn off the judgement of the outside, the denominations, the doctrines, the differences and see Christ only.
This just excites me! OK, I know, it basic. But it's huge! Can I do it? Can I look at you and see Christ only? It's a struggle in our human minds but with Christ in us it is possible. I wish now I could go back and look at each one of those women and see Christ. Not that I didn't but I saw more of the outside that Christ. I am challenged.
The other huge thing that happened to me this weekend was that I went to be ministered to. I went because I thought I needed a retreat. What I found when I got there was, I lost myself. There were so many other needs, women hurting, struggling, suffering. Women in need of prayer and compassion. I really forgot about my needs, they seemed so small. I felt energized when we prayed for these women. I felt free from my struggles. I came back refreshed. Yes, Nancy ministered to my heart but it was in a different way than I expected. I can hardly articulate it. It was like my emotions vanished and my God took over. I was blessed.
I am but a handmaid for my God, I am but a vessel for His plan. You are too. I pray that this is what we can see in each other.
Blessings,
Lori
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The mind of Christ
My mind is a funny thing. It sometimes seems to have a will of it's own. I know what is right and good in Christ. I have the bible as my guide and The Lord Jesus as my role model. Then someone says something that just really gets to me. Someone judges me or makes a statement that says I am wrong. My mind goes into a tailspin. How dare they! Who do they think they are? How cruel! My mind dwells on it. It consumes my thoughts. All of the sudden my mind is on the negative and I am sitting in darkness. How did I get here?
Brother Brian spoke this Sunday on Ephesians 4. Verse 1 tells us to walk worthy of the vocation in which we are called. It goes on to say in verse 2, " With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;".
The last thing I was thinking of when this happened recently was long suffering and forbearing in love. So where was my mind? I know the word of God. I have studied it and meditated on it. Why does my mind want to flee from it as soon as I am wounded? For one thing I know that my mind is steered by my heart. It is a heart problem. It is also a programing that I have had from the world. The world says "don't take it!" "fight back!". God says "love your enemy, do good to those who hurt you". He also says follow ME, Do as I do, walk as I walk. Jesus was mocked. The Son of God was said to be a devil. He was spit on and jeered at. People talked about how to get rid of him and HE loved them.
OK, so now can I do the right thing with love, without dragging my feet? I am going to try. I really believe that God uses these times to not only point out weakness but to teach and refine our hearts. As long as I have the word of God to guide me, the Spirit will speak through it and my heart will come around. It is a process, a refining, a metamorphosis. Maybe it is the moving from the spiritual child stage to the adult stage. I believe God is saying it is time to grow up (past time!).
For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge?
But we have the mind of Christ(the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His Heart. 1 Corinthians 2:16 AMP
I thank the Lord for His working in me. I thank Him for His loving chastisement.
Growing hurts sometimes but it is always a blessing.
Lori
Brother Brian spoke this Sunday on Ephesians 4. Verse 1 tells us to walk worthy of the vocation in which we are called. It goes on to say in verse 2, " With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;".
The last thing I was thinking of when this happened recently was long suffering and forbearing in love. So where was my mind? I know the word of God. I have studied it and meditated on it. Why does my mind want to flee from it as soon as I am wounded? For one thing I know that my mind is steered by my heart. It is a heart problem. It is also a programing that I have had from the world. The world says "don't take it!" "fight back!". God says "love your enemy, do good to those who hurt you". He also says follow ME, Do as I do, walk as I walk. Jesus was mocked. The Son of God was said to be a devil. He was spit on and jeered at. People talked about how to get rid of him and HE loved them.
OK, so now can I do the right thing with love, without dragging my feet? I am going to try. I really believe that God uses these times to not only point out weakness but to teach and refine our hearts. As long as I have the word of God to guide me, the Spirit will speak through it and my heart will come around. It is a process, a refining, a metamorphosis. Maybe it is the moving from the spiritual child stage to the adult stage. I believe God is saying it is time to grow up (past time!).
For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge?
But we have the mind of Christ(the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His Heart. 1 Corinthians 2:16 AMP
I thank the Lord for His working in me. I thank Him for His loving chastisement.
Growing hurts sometimes but it is always a blessing.
Lori
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