"Be Yourself"
Luke 14:11 If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
"We Have to Celebrate"
Luke 15:20 "When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.' But the father wasn't listening. ... We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! But when the day's work was done and the older son heard the music and dancing, he knew something was up. This tells me that music and dancing wasn't a part of their everyday lives. Wonder why the older brother couldn't rejoice over what was happening in the life of his younger brother.
Verse 31: "His father said, 'Son, you don't understand." We had to celebrate. He was dead and he's alive. Wonder how much I don't understand of what happens to me and others? What a welcoming Father! No lecture. No reminders. No pretense. Just wide open arms.
"Use Adversity to Stimulate You to Creative Survival"
Luke 16:8-11 - A shrewd manager knew how to take care of himself by reducing the bills others owed to him to entice them to pay a significant amount. "Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."
Dr. Luke has verified stories of how to live, I mean really live!
Britt's CT Scan was clear---just showed another secondary infection. He had so much infection in his throat. IV Antibiotics did their job. They discharged him tonight as he was so much better. Wow. He became so sick so quick this week. Made me think of Dr. Luke and what he wrote about. Be smart for what is right, Britt! Thanks so much for praying for him. He still has to fully recover. He's doing well. So grateful to God for antibiotics.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the update, Bev. So glad he's doing better. Praying for his continued healing.
ReplyDeleteLuke 16:15 "You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what's behind the appearance."
Luke 16: 31 "Abraham replied, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they're not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.'"
So much evidence to believe on Christ for our life and yet our souls can still doubt. Miracles abound even in our everyday existence. We’re so good at being “whitewashed tombs.” Makeup, the right outfit, worrying extra pounds or not enough exercise—lots of time spent on the outside polishing. I wonder if I spend even half that much time with God, in His Word, in prayer, in earnestly calling to mind sins to be forgiven, in prayer for others. Last night, I started my prayer trying to simply pray for others and not ask selfish things for myself. I began to pray, “Lord, if You just have one soul to heal tonight, heal someone with cancer. If You heal one marriage tonight, answer the prayer of another on her knees before You. If You only make one belly full tonight, give my portion to another. . .” Before I could finish, I was in tears saying I can’t honestly pray that. For one, I know that’s not the stingy Kingdom in which He reigns. He’s the One Who rose from the dead. There are enough miracles in every day to know He is the One we’ve been looking for and not to seek another. There is enough of Him to go around, but I so wanted to be about others more than myself. I admit I’m a egocentric mess as desperate for His touch as anyone, and full of my own ambitions for myself, my loved ones. I ask for others and I ask for myself. I ask forgiveness for my outer self focus and inattentiveness to my inner growth in Him.
Lord, teach us to live, really live in Your upside down world. We need You so.
Thanking God for Britt's recovery, Bev. Get some rest.
ReplyDelete"I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."
Speaks to me today. Adversity can stimulate us to creative survival. So much better option than despair.
Simplify your life - concentrate on bare essentials.
Good advice today.
And how I love the story of the prodigal son's homecoming. Rejoice Marriage Ministries is calling for a mass time of prayer/fasting for November and December...crying out for prodigals to come back home. Everyone is asked to say a scripture prayer on their pillow when they awake and when they go to bed for prodigals around our world to come home.
I'm broken for three prodigals in my life. I will be praying for my husband and my two daughters. If you think about this call to prayer, lift up prodigals to our Heavenly Father.
Praying those who are dead will be alive again...
Good morning, Annette.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Sabbath.
Your post was beautiful and stirring and heartfelt.
I am off to seek the biggest pumpkin in Georgia today. I will be enjoying a country drive with Jesus and simplifying my life to just spend time enjoying His beautiful world today.
Fall is so beautiful. Wondering what nature will reveal to me today...
So thankful he was well enough to be discharged from the hospital..prayed this morning for the meds to do thier mighty work with the hand of the great Physcian. Praying for a full and total recovery. Praying that you can rest now that he so much better....So sorry about Lindsey, Annette...she has to be very sore even as young as she is...ouch that has to have really hurt. Praying for no lasting affects of the injury. Blessings on every one's week end and day of worship tomorrow...
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