daily IMPACT by selahV today

Faithfulness

"Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23) Holman

Well done my good and faithful servant....

"well done"... won't those two words mean absolutely everything to us when we see the Savior?  Oh, that my love could be as faithful for God as God's love is for me.

Today I sit here thinking about... praying for... and loving those whom God has placed in my life. Family, friends, acquaintances, strangers.  How do I glorify God in their presence?  I shudder.

I think about times in my life when I've been ever faithful to what He asked me to do--serving as a youth leader for over 20 years, a pastor's wife, a mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother. This past year has been a wild ride of chaos.  With failures.  Robbery. Surgeries.  Health issues. Twists and turns from decisions that seemed to mock every sense of discernment within my being.

I began to wonder where God wanted me to "bloom". Writing became a drudgery and I wondered if the Lord had placed me on some sort of shelf.  He is the Potter after all, and can do with me as He so chooses.  Then I thought about the lilies of the field and how they do not toil, yet bloom in all their glory at the whim of God's blessing. 

Recently, I've come to a place wherein I expect to see God work like I've not seen Him in a long while.  I expect to see a manifestation of His Spirit. Today I think of how God's filling my mind with new thoughts, my heart with new fervor, my spirit with a new fire.  He is so faithful.  I do get excited thinking about what He has in store for me.

I'm so very grateful God's faithfulness is not like mine.  His is ever present.  His is unconditional.  His doesn't depend on His mood, circumstance, or situation. Isn't that a wonderful thing to consider?

OVERCOME WITH IT ALL

Various fungus-born plants grow beneath the surface of Bermuda grass in our lawn and burst through the earth creating tangles of hard stems which poke our bare and tender feet.  Here and there dandelions and thistles sprout and dot the yard and threaten to take over the flowerbeds. To overcome the invasion of stubborn broad-leaf grass takes vigilance, perseverance and work.  Much work. Sometimes I am overcome with it all.

Just as these things threaten a healthy lawn, so do things we allow into our lives that strangle our hope and rob us of strength to keep growing and going. There are things people do and say that attack our faith to stand when others falter, to walk when others faint.  We must set our sights on the goal to follow Christ's commands...to resist cultural pressures and tolerance for sin, as society attack own families.

As time nears for our Lord's return, we may get discouraged, and falter in our steadfast walk to keep "the works" set before us from our Savior. Yet, we cannot let the world and its ways overcome us.  We must cling to the promises of God.  We must rest in the promises of God.  We must understand and trust the promises of God.  We must keep going.  Walking, talking, teaching, and encouraging one another. For in our walk, we do not walk alone.  We have our Savior's hand.  We have His Holy Spirit as our guide and comforter.

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; even as I received of my Father.  And I will give him the morning star." Revelation 2:26-28 

"power over the nations?"  I don't know about you, but I cannot imagine having power over much more than my own emotions and desires when I think of being perfected in heaven.  Christ may give me power someday, but I will be happy just to hear Him say, "well done, my good and faithful servant."  Won't you?  selahV

Who Should Be First

A squabble of sorts erupted before dinner at my daughter's last week.  Kinsey, 4, decided she wanted to sit in a different space at the table.  She also wanted her daddy to sit beside her.  However, she had moved into the spot where her daddy usually sat--which is between Kinsey and her elder sister, Haylee, 7.  No amount of reasoning or cajoling helped solve the situation.  Finally Haylee dropped the issue and let Kinsey have her way.

We all have times in our lives like that.  We want to sit next to the leader, the most esteemed, the keynote speaker.  We want to be first in the checkout line, or buffet table. We love a designated parking spot.  Our need to be given special recognition can provoke anger and annoyance in others.  Such is the case with the passage I read this morning.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and they wanted Him to let them sit on each side of Him when He came into His kingdom.  Of course, at the time, they thought Jesus was going to set up His throne on earth.  Jesus informed them that to receive that honor, they'd be required to do some heavy-duty sacrificing.  And of course, those two impulsive characters immediately agreed they could handle that.

"When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John." Mark 10:41

It didn't set too well with the other disciples. Jesus had to help them understand that whoever wanted to be first in the kingdom, must be willing to be a servant to all. This desire to be elevated above others was quite self-centered.  Jesus turned the tables on James and John and the other disgruntled disciples.  He told them to be first, one must be willing to be last.

I couldn't help but remember times in my life when I wanted this elevation.  I thought back to times I longed for position, status and title.  I found that to have those things, I had to first learn to sacrifice and do tasks others did not want to do.  I was the owner of an Antique Mall, but I had to clean my bathrooms.  I had to serve my customers.  I was the publisher of my newspaper but I had to deliver the papers to the stands each time the paper came out.  I had to cater to the advertisers, and schedule my time around others.

I remember reading once about a very successful businessman.  He was asked one day how others can become successful.  He said, find a product or service alot of people want or need, then work hard to provide it for them.  Notoriety, popularity, and position come with a pricetag.  We don't make it to the top without a willingness to sacrifice ourselves for others.  And Jesus sacrificed everything for us.  He left the splendor of Heaven, came to earth to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin so we could live eternally in Heaven with Him.  selahV

So When You Give

...do so with humility.

How often have you seen a person give a great donation and expect accolades for their generosity?  Hospital wings are built; funds are collected for the needy.  Do we give to others with great expectations?  do we attach strings?  Do we seek status, power, position in return?  As Christians we know the Lord will reward us for what we do on earth.  We know when Jesus returns He will have a reward in His hand for those who are faithful to Him.  But it means more to Jesus that our hearts are pure in the process.   

Who are the faithful?  What will we receive?  Over and over Jesus spoke to the churches in the book of Revelation.  Again and again he commended the churches for their zeal, their enthusiasm, their sacrifices, their ministries.  However, He reminds each of them that it is not how much one does, gives, and says that matters to Him. They didn't really care about the people...they cared about the praise of people.  Jesus wants the heart that loves Him with all purity.  When we love Him, He fills our hearts and His love pours out naturally, without thinking about what we will get in return.

How can we know our desires are aligned with His?  How can we know that we give with the best of intentions, the highest motives?  He tells us:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:2-4

Insecurity seeks the praise of men.  Self-centeredness craves the pat on the back, a pedestal to stand on, the head of the table.  Those things make us feel good for a season, of course, but they do not honor God.  Humility doesn't need to be thanked or lauded.  Humility doesn't seek credit, prizes, medals or trophies.  Humility merely walks as God leads and does so without fanfare or attention.  Then what is done in secret will be rewarded openly by our Lord.

Jesus washed dirty feet.  He touched the leper's hand.  He shared eternal life with a prostitute, and ate dinner with those considered scum.  He forgave Peter's betrayal.  What about us?  Can we honestly say our greatest joy is to please God by loving the unlovely and caring for those in need?  without reservation or recognition? selahV

by hariette petersen, selahV Today

WHAT DOES "IT IS FINISHED" MEAN FOR YOU?

I finished doing the dishes and grabbed a cup of coffee.  I finished that cup, and had another as I edited devotions for a book, and studied sayings of Jesus on the cross. In Greek, "it is finished" was an accounting term. It meant paid in full.  Ever wonder what that said to onlookers at the crucifixion of Christ so many years ago?  Surely a few questions rose in their minds: What could this man hanging on a cross mean by "It is finished"? He breathed no more. Was He predicting His last breath, His death? Some theologians tell us it meant that Jesus had paid in full the price for the sin of man. His death and words meant His work, His commission, on earth was over, completed, finished. But was it?

"Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled...Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:28-30.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. He stood by the open grave and questioned Mary for her weeping; He preached to her and told her not to cling to what was--but what had come through His death and resurrection. He met and talked with the lost on their way to Emmaus. (Lk.24:13-35) He appeared to the bewildered followers hovering in the Upper Room. He preached to Thomas and showed him His nail-scarred hands. He met Peter on the beach. He rose in the clouds and told thousands of onlookers to go into the world and baptize, make disciples and teach them to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded. He sat down beside His Father. He makes intercession as our advocate today. He will someday judge the world. He will separate His sheep from the goats. He will come again to take His people home. No, the cross was not the final act of Christ. There's so much more to come.

I can finish a cup of coffee, I can finish the dishes, but if I want to eat, they will get dirty again. I will always be washing the dishes. Jesus finished the commitment He made to the Father to go to the cross in obedience. He showed us how to love, how to talk, how to pray, how to sacrifice. Until we breathe our last breath, it will not be finished for us.

We sit with Him in glory and abide in HIm; we walk with Him on earth by faith, in his power; we stand with Him, in His power and protection against the evil one.  We follow Him wherever He leads and rely on Him to keep us in the grace sufficient to meet every need we have to stay the course until this life is finished for us, too. What a friend we have in Jesus. What a joy to walk with Him, to talk with Him, to know His love and fulfillment of His live within us. What do you say? What are you doing with Jesus today? If you are a Christian, are you now "finished" because you know you have salvation? Or are you ready to go for a walk with someone today?

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2010

WHEN MY WORK INSULTS GOD

Could it really? Could all my efforts and plans and strategies and maneuverings be an insult to God?

“All my devotion is an insult to God unless every bit of my practical life squares with Jesus Christ’s demands. Let Him make our lives narrow; let Him make them intense; let Him make them absolutely His.” Oswald Chambers.

Whew! Oswald is pretty tough here. “Unless every bit of my practical life squares with Christ’s demands,” I am insulting God. The sincerity of my speech. The attitude I show. The idleness or diligence in my workplace. Washing dishes. Writing blogs. Cooking dinner. Folding laundry. Cleaning toilets. Caring for my grandchildren.  My “entire practical life”, all my thoughts and all my works.

“Commit thy works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

Notice that says “thy” works. Not someone else’s. It’s what you do–no matter what that work is in your mind–menial or significant, it needs to be committed to the Lord. Then He will establish your thoughts and direct your path and bring it to pass.

Are your works half-heartedly done? Do you do them begrudgingly? The trouble with some of us is we commit ourselves to our jobs, our positions. We commit ourselves to our goals, our dreams. But we fail to commit ourselves to Jesus. It’s when we yield ourselves to Jesus and we commit our works to Him, that our thoughts are in sync with Him. Our words and attitudes will reflect His control over us. What do people see in you? What do you see in me? selahV

[copyrighted, 9/12/2007, SelahVToday, hariette petersen, 2009]