My post today is on an epic fight about fathers; it's appropriate for the day after Father's Day, I think!
Jesus is teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. He liked to teach near the offering boxes and watch people as they put their offerings in. Incidentally, these boxes were located in the court of women. This is significant because it means that Jesus liked to be where everyone could hear, even the women, though they were considered "less important."
He'd just told the people, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." And of course, the Pharisees were there to challenge him.
He engaged.
He told them that he knew who He was, where He came from and that He wasn't alone. "...I stand with the Father, who sent me." John 8:16
Then they verbally sparred. "Where is your father?"
"You do not know me or my Father." Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
He kept talking and confused them.
He told them that they were from below and He was from above.
They were of this world and He was not.
They were confused because those who don't belong to God, can't hear his voice. They didn't understand what he was saying because they were listening to the voice of their father, the devil. They only "heard" what they wanted to believe about themselves.
But the Bible says: Even as he spoke, many believed in him. Some of them received clarity and he explained who God's true children really were and the effect his teaching would have on them...
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32
If you want to go deeper, you can read all about it in John 8:12-58
So now I ask you...Who's your daddy?
Showing posts with label truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label truth. Show all posts
Monday, June 17, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
My Story
Today is a great day for me! On this day, 10 years ago, I received God's grace and the Holy Spirit of his son. This is the day Christ came to me and set me free. On this day I was born again and to honor him, I'm going to tell you the story. But before I do, I'm going to ask you a question...Do you have a "God" story to share with others, particularly with your children?
Deuteronomy 4:9 says this: Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Here's my story:
Ten years ago today, I woke up and before my feet even hit the floor, the devil was on me. I walked, miserably, from my bed to the bathroom. I was sick and hung over. I flipped on the bathroom light and looked in the mirror. Now, if you've ever been hung over, you'll know that what you see in the mirror the next day is never pretty.
I took one look at myself and a voice dripping with contempt spoke to me inside. It said:
"Look at me. I look like s#%t."
"Why can't I be better?"
"How did I let this happen? What kind of moron am I?"
"What a hypocrite. God must be so ashamed of me."
"What kind of mother am I?"
"I'm a crappy Christian."
"I should just die."
At that moment I wanted to die. I wouldn't have taken my own life, but I begged God to send someone to put a bullet in my head. Then I got into the shower.
By this time I was crying, and as I started washing myself, I heard a different voice. This voice was gentle but fierce and strong. It spoke inside of me and was inside of my spirit. That's the only way I can describe it. This voice said:
"I didn't die so you could feel this way about yourself."
It was so clear and startling, I actually said, "What?" out loud. Again, it said:
"I didn't die so you could feel this way about yourself."
And I began to weep because I knew it was Jesus and he said, "I have washed you clean. You are clean."
I continued to wash with a renewed energy, and as I did, shame and all those terrible feelings came off of me. Just like that, He took it from me. I spent an hour in that shower, washing, crying and thanking and I stepped out of it with a totally different spirit.
A clean spirit and a fresh heart. A heart on fire.
That was the day I received him and believed him. That was the day I chose to accept his words as truth and as a result, received his grace. That was the day I was reborn.
Like the woman at the well, who was so exuberant about her personal encounter with Jesus, I ran to tell my friends. I only had two at the time, Terri and Bethany. I got dressed and ready to go to the small group I was leading.
Yep, you heard that right. At this point in my life, I was a baptized believer, served in church for 8 years and was "leading" my first Bible study. But I had never received Jesus' grace. I'd never, in my heart, understood that my own unworthiness didn't matter. When He died, he took care of it once and for all. I had to do the hard work of repentance and ridding myself of sin and He was there to help me every step of the way.
Now I celebrate the anniversary of my freedom.
Deuteronomy 4:9 says this: Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Here's my story:
Ten years ago today, I woke up and before my feet even hit the floor, the devil was on me. I walked, miserably, from my bed to the bathroom. I was sick and hung over. I flipped on the bathroom light and looked in the mirror. Now, if you've ever been hung over, you'll know that what you see in the mirror the next day is never pretty.
I took one look at myself and a voice dripping with contempt spoke to me inside. It said:
"Look at me. I look like s#%t."
"Why can't I be better?"
"How did I let this happen? What kind of moron am I?"
"What a hypocrite. God must be so ashamed of me."
"What kind of mother am I?"
"I'm a crappy Christian."
"I should just die."
At that moment I wanted to die. I wouldn't have taken my own life, but I begged God to send someone to put a bullet in my head. Then I got into the shower.
By this time I was crying, and as I started washing myself, I heard a different voice. This voice was gentle but fierce and strong. It spoke inside of me and was inside of my spirit. That's the only way I can describe it. This voice said:
"I didn't die so you could feel this way about yourself."
It was so clear and startling, I actually said, "What?" out loud. Again, it said:
"I didn't die so you could feel this way about yourself."
And I began to weep because I knew it was Jesus and he said, "I have washed you clean. You are clean."
I continued to wash with a renewed energy, and as I did, shame and all those terrible feelings came off of me. Just like that, He took it from me. I spent an hour in that shower, washing, crying and thanking and I stepped out of it with a totally different spirit.
A clean spirit and a fresh heart. A heart on fire.
That was the day I received him and believed him. That was the day I chose to accept his words as truth and as a result, received his grace. That was the day I was reborn.
Like the woman at the well, who was so exuberant about her personal encounter with Jesus, I ran to tell my friends. I only had two at the time, Terri and Bethany. I got dressed and ready to go to the small group I was leading.
Yep, you heard that right. At this point in my life, I was a baptized believer, served in church for 8 years and was "leading" my first Bible study. But I had never received Jesus' grace. I'd never, in my heart, understood that my own unworthiness didn't matter. When He died, he took care of it once and for all. I had to do the hard work of repentance and ridding myself of sin and He was there to help me every step of the way.
Now I celebrate the anniversary of my freedom.
Do you have a God story of your own that needs to be shared?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Running with Jesus
Hello friends! Well, even a week later, I'm still processing the stuff I learned at The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer's Conference. My brain was tired so I took time off to celebrate the fact that my kids passed their year-end tests (YAY!) and get caught up on all the souvenir laundry.
Before I went to BRMCWC though, I was thinking something, and I wondered if it were possibly blasphemous. I've talked with God about it for the past few weeks and I decided to write about it.
I'd been thinking....
...if I knew what the Christian life was really like, I'd probably never have become one.
Again, I've already been through this with God so it's not like He doesn't know. He knew before I knew.
I've seen many of my friends and family suffering lately; it's overwhelming. There's suffering in all areas, over all things and I feel helpless, although I know my prayers aren't weak.
At first, I worried about people's reactions to my thoughts, but then God reminded me.
I fell in love with Jesus first. I truly, truly, fell in love, and by then it was impossible for me to turn back. And even though I didn't know how hard it would be, I'd already been filled with his Spirit that enables me to walk with him, day by day.
I was pondering this at the writer's retreat when it came to life for me during a walk in the woods. Right before I entered the forest I came upon this sign:
I thought, Yes! I WILL meditate on His wonderful nature. Then I took about 5 steps into the woods and came upon this sign:
Well that's stupid. Didn't you just tell me to enjoy the nature? Way to try to ruin my walk. God created these woods and dang it, I plan to enjoy them! And I stomped into the forest.
About 10 steps later, I came across this sign:
Give me a break! Enjoy. Don't enjoy. What kind of fool.... and then I remembered. Bears! I'd heard earlier there were bears in the woods. At registration I'd seen a handout about bears behind the front desk, but since they didn't give me one I figured there was nothing to worry about. Was the stream filled with dirty water or did the bears pounce on you when you went to take a drink?
I decided to be brave, pray, and walk on. I began singing because I thought surely that would scare the bears away. And after all, God has control over bears - right? I got about 100 yards in the woods and thought, my mama didn't raise no fool! And I ran out of the woods, singing and hoping that someone who was actually meditating on his wonders wouldn't sit at my table during dinner.
It's just like those trail signs: back in the day, when people were literally following Jesus, He told them the truth. There's nothing safe about the Christian life. It requires sacrifice, discipline and hard work - every day. He didn't promise his followers easy, he said things like this:
"Whoever clings to this life will lose it, and whoever loses this life will save it." Luke 17:33
"If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine." Matt 10:38
"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" Matt 5:44
He also said things like this:
"...and I assure you, everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come." Luke 18:29
"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:20
I ran out of those woods, but Jesus was by my side singing along with me!
Before I went to BRMCWC though, I was thinking something, and I wondered if it were possibly blasphemous. I've talked with God about it for the past few weeks and I decided to write about it.
I'd been thinking....
...if I knew what the Christian life was really like, I'd probably never have become one.
Again, I've already been through this with God so it's not like He doesn't know. He knew before I knew.
I've seen many of my friends and family suffering lately; it's overwhelming. There's suffering in all areas, over all things and I feel helpless, although I know my prayers aren't weak.
At first, I worried about people's reactions to my thoughts, but then God reminded me.
I fell in love with Jesus first. I truly, truly, fell in love, and by then it was impossible for me to turn back. And even though I didn't know how hard it would be, I'd already been filled with his Spirit that enables me to walk with him, day by day.
I was pondering this at the writer's retreat when it came to life for me during a walk in the woods. Right before I entered the forest I came upon this sign:
I thought, Yes! I WILL meditate on His wonderful nature. Then I took about 5 steps into the woods and came upon this sign:
Well that's stupid. Didn't you just tell me to enjoy the nature? Way to try to ruin my walk. God created these woods and dang it, I plan to enjoy them! And I stomped into the forest.
About 10 steps later, I came across this sign:
Give me a break! Enjoy. Don't enjoy. What kind of fool.... and then I remembered. Bears! I'd heard earlier there were bears in the woods. At registration I'd seen a handout about bears behind the front desk, but since they didn't give me one I figured there was nothing to worry about. Was the stream filled with dirty water or did the bears pounce on you when you went to take a drink?
I decided to be brave, pray, and walk on. I began singing because I thought surely that would scare the bears away. And after all, God has control over bears - right? I got about 100 yards in the woods and thought, my mama didn't raise no fool! And I ran out of the woods, singing and hoping that someone who was actually meditating on his wonders wouldn't sit at my table during dinner.
It's just like those trail signs: back in the day, when people were literally following Jesus, He told them the truth. There's nothing safe about the Christian life. It requires sacrifice, discipline and hard work - every day. He didn't promise his followers easy, he said things like this:
"Whoever clings to this life will lose it, and whoever loses this life will save it." Luke 17:33
"If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine." Matt 10:38
"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" Matt 5:44
He also said things like this:
"...and I assure you, everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come." Luke 18:29
"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:20
I ran out of those woods, but Jesus was by my side singing along with me!
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