Tag: faith

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Be Pleasing to Him

Posted on by Dorci

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise your holy and precious Name. We give you glory for all you’ve done in and through our lives, for giving the Lord Jesus to be the Author and Finisher of our faith and your Holy Spirit to walk alongside us as we go through the trials that mature our faith.

Thank you, too, for the people you’ve so lovingly placed in our lives that we might pray for and encourage one another on this life’s journey.

I pray whatever we do in this life we would would make it our goal to be pleasing to you, our Lord and Master. Whether it’s serving as a missionary across the world or being a good neighbor, whether it’s helping in children’s ministry or doing the dishes, whether it’s visiting the sick in hospitals or driving through rush hour traffic with all humility, may we do it all for you, Lord. 

You are our joy and hope, you are the reason we live and everything we do we do for you. Help us remember to live every day in such a way that when we face you at the Bema Seat of Christ, we will not be ashamed, but we will have lived a life that brought your light and fragrance to a lost and dying world and glorified you in everything we did.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus we pray, amen.

For the Joy Set Before Us

Posted on by Dorci

 

I’d venture to say that at least most, if not all of us who have been followers of Christ for very long have faced a deep, dark, painful trial at some point and wondered if satan was attacking us or God was testing us.

And that brings to mind two people in God’s Word who stand as examples to us. First, the one who will foreshadow the second.

Job was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil.

Sounds like a pretty solid guy to me.

And yet, when satan stood before the LORD, God not only didn’t keep satan from Job, He seems to actually offer up Job to him.

 

“Have you considered my servant, Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
Job 1:8

Of course satan’s response is like a jealous sibling’s:

 
“Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.  But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
Job 1:9-11

In another story we might read next that a parent would order this evil sibling to keep his hands off his precious son.

But this is no ordinary story, and certainly no ordinary Parent.

Instead, God lets satan loose on all Job had. Still, that wasn’t enough for the enemy of God. He stood before the Lord again, and God offered up Job once more. He gave Job into the devil’s hands with the only guideline being that he had to spare Job’s life.

And of course we know what happened. Satan runs right out and afflicts Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

So, why Job? A man who carefully and thoughtfully acknowledged God in all his ways by living a righteous life. A man described as perfect, meaning “complete, morally pious, undefiled, coupled together.” Coupled together with whom? Job had joined himself with God and was made complete by abiding in Him.

So, was God testing him, or was satan attacking him?

Well, both.

Satan is always looking for a child of God to attack, to accuse, to grab onto with his grubby little bony fingers and bring him or her down from their secure place of faith in God.

But God knows our hearts. He knew Job’s heart. He knew his faith was as strong and secure as it could be and He could trust his faith to remain strong throughout this attack of the evil one and come out the other side glowing with the light of his God.

By the way, the word for God used in the book of Job is the plural word for God – ‘ĕlôhı̂ym – meaning the Supreme God. It’s the same word used in Genesis as the Creator of the heaven and earth and everything in it. Job didn’t just worship a god, but the God, the one, true God in three persons.

Satan thought he would ruin Job, but God showed His adversary the strength of the faith of one who abides in Him. God showed him the power of his faith when that faith is in the One, True God, and that his faith would even grow in the soil of trials because God’s strength and the Living Water maintains and matures it. 

In the end, God’s will was done, satan sulked away defeated, and God blessed the latter part of Job’s life even more than the first.

Remind you of Someone else?

There is another One we read about much later whose Father also allowed the unthinkable to take place. He allowed the enemy to give up His own Son to be tortured and nailed to a cross.

Our Lord Jesus lived a perfect life. In the end, of course, satan came for Him, and His Father didn’t stop it.

Isaiah 53 prophecies:
“though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer…”

The original Hebrew translates it as “Yet it pleased (châphêts: to incline to, to be pleased with, desire) the LORD to bruise Him…”

And satan gave it all he had.

Satan might have thought he had the upper hand, but the Father was always in control, and He used the death of His Son to accomplish the otherwise impossible: to save you and me.

On this side of that dark day, we know our Lord Jesus was meant to suffer and die for our sins. Though the enemy attacked Him, God had a plan and only used His enemy to accomplish it.

And on the third day the dark clouds of mourning parted, the sun shone radiantly upon the earth, the Roman-sealed stone was moved away from the tomb, and Jesus was raised up and walked out victorious and triumphant over sin and death.  

And like Job, Jesus was even more blessed afterward than before.


“For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2

 

For the joy set before Him… With all that lay ahead, all He knew He would suffer, it brought Jesus joy knowing that His sacrifice would forgive our sins and purchase our souls so that whomever would believe on Him would receive His Spirit and, like Him, be raised to new life to live with Him forever in His joy and peace.

There are times in the middle of the trial when stormy clouds cover our world and it seems so much darker than usual that we’re tempted to believe the lies coming from the enemy.

But as we hold onto our God who is Master of our trials, the One who allows only as much and as long as is needed to strengthen our faith and mold us into the image of His Son, we will persevere. No matter what comes, we can say with Christ, “for the joy set before us,” knowing we’ll come out the other side in victory, with increasing faith and hope. We’ll stand forever as a living testimony of the love and omnipotence of our Heavenly Father, and with the eternal joy of having brought Him glory.

As we submit ourselves and our trials to God as Job did, and even as our Lord Jesus did, we too will be blessed immeasurably more in the latter part of our lives, the life after this one, where the treasures of God await us. 

As we meditate on our Lord’s death and celebrate His resurrection, may we remember that He is the One who leads us, who shows us the way, in life, death, and finally, in the resurrection of spirit and body. Praise His Holy Name!


“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:10-11

Love, Love, and More Love

Posted on by Dorci

Born King of the Jews

Posted on by Dorci

Each year we’re reminded of the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth. Born in a stable, laid in a manger. But oh, He was so much more than just another baby born that night or any other night. (And by the way, why do babies love to come in the middle of the night?!)

That very night would begin the proclamation of who this Child really was as angels gathered in a holy chorus of praise glorifying His name, and shepherds ran to see for themselves this baby who was the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.  

And not too long after, the truth of who He was began to spread.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’”
Matthew 2:1-3

“And this was his (John the baptist’s) message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life…’”
John 6:35

“I am the light of the world…”
John 8:12

“Jesus said again, ‘I am the door…”
John 10:7

“I am the good shepherd…”
John 10:11

“I am the resurrection and the life…”
John 11:25

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
John 14:6

“I am the true vine..”
John 15:1

“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:28

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 
John 8:58

“…He was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:18b

“Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’”
Matthew 27:11

At the beginning of His life, wise men called Him the King of the Jews.

And at the end of His life (well, a very temporary end!), Pilate called Him the King of the Jews.

This Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus – the Son of God, the Word of God, the Creator, the Healer, the Anointed One, the Prince of Peace, the Beginning and the End…let us also remember that He is the King of Israel.

He sits on His throne in a place we can’t yet see, but He is there nonetheless, reigning over all. And someday soon He will return in full regalia as Judge and King. 

May we keep our hope and faith in Him who is not only full of grace and mercy, but is also faithful, righteous, and just. Praise His Name! 

Merry Christmas, everyone!
Dorci

Sunday Praise and a Prayer for Peace

Posted on by Dorci

 

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your mighty name, oh LORD. We ascribe to you all glory and strength. Holy and Righteous is your name.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
    He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Psalm 121:1-4

Father, we lift up Israel to you and pray for the salvation of your beloved people. May you deliver them from their enemies, both seen and unseen. May you pour out your Holy Spirit that He might give ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to receive Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus the Messiah. It’s in His name we pray, amen.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
    His love endures forever.
Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior;
    gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
    and glory in your praise.’
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.”
1 Chronicles 16:34-36

If you need prayer, please let me know.

In Him Who Saves,
Dorci

What God’s Doing – God’s Plans are Greater

Posted on by Dorci

At church this morning, among other things, we talked about the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. (Mark 5 and Luke 8)

This tortured man had been staying in the tombs among the dead. The demons that inhabited his body had such incredible strength and power that even though the man would be chained and his feet shackled in irons, the demons broke free. “Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” (Mark 5:5) What a horrifying existence. I can imagine he thought he would never be free of this hellish nightmare.

Jesus and his apostles landed there after a treacherous trip across the Sea of Galilee. Though the man probably didn’t know who Jesus was, the demons did, and the tortured man ran, fell on his knees before Jesus, and worshipped Him.

Jesus called out the impure spirit, who called itself Legion because there were many demons in control of the man. The demons had to obey and Jesus granted their request to be sent into a herd of pigs nearby.

I can’t imagine the relief of being restored to the land of the living. Well, in a much less dramatic way, I can.

The Bible says the man was now dressed and in his right mind. Jesus and his friends were now getting back in the boat.

It would seem Jesus had gone to this region for the sole purpose of freeing this man from the demons who’d had him bound. But why?

The man begged to go with Jesus. After all, he owed Him his life. But Jesus said no. He told him to “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19) 

So the man returned to Decapolis and began telling people his story of the miracle done for him, and about the Lord Jesus who’d done it.   

We’re all called to different ministries. Some are meant to serve in one way, and others in a different way. The way we’re called to serve may not be our first choice, and there may be different reasons for that. But God has a plan. He sees the Big Picture, the beginning from the end. He sees the choices we’ll make, the illnesses we’ll have, the circumstances we’ll find ourselves in, but His plans will not be thwarted.

There were a lot of things I wanted to do for God. I was filled with dreams of serving Him in certain ways. Some I was able to, but many more I wasn’t. I had one obstacle after another and even though I still tried, circumstances kept getting worse and I had to give up those dreams. So I began to write. And maybe that was God’s plan all along.

I may not have been demon-possessed, but I was sure chased down by some early in life and drawn into some things that only Jesus could have delivered me from. God used today’s teaching to speak to my heart and remind me of this powerful testimony and that He has a plan to use it, to be content with where He has me, and even joyful at the prospect of His plans for me. I’m still here so who knows what He has planned for the future.

When we give our lives to God, His plan for us will be even better than what we might have chosen for ourselves, and He’ll fulfill not only His plan for us, but for the Big Picture, one that’s greater than any of us knows or can see.

At the time, Decapolis was comprised of ten Greek cities.

One of them was Damascus, where Saul would later be headed to persecute Christians before Jesus knocked him to the ground and called him. Saul, the man we now know as Paul the apostle, continued on to Damascus where a disciple named Ananias was called by the Lord to restore Paul’s sight and take him to the other disciples there. Here is where Paul began his ministry, preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. And of course Paul went on to write at least 13 books included in the New Testament.

Another city within Decapolis was Philadelphia, one of the churches written about in Revelation to whom Jesus sent a message through John acknowledging His love for them.

The formerly-demon-possessed man with an extraordinary testimony wanted to go with Jesus to serve alongside Him, but Jesus wanted to use him in a different, even greater capacity – to go and give his testimony, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ around Decapolis, planting seeds for future harvest.

What’s God speaking into your heart?


PS – If you need prayer, please let me know.

 

Heavenly Father, wherever you have us right now, if it’s not our first choice, may we not be discouraged. We trust you have a plan for our lives, one you’ve had from the very beginning. May we be filled to overflowing with your Holy Spirit that we might be fruitful, and with hope and joy at the prospect. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Scripture Picture – Abide

Posted on by Dorci

 

Abide (stay, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, tarry)
in Me,
and I in you.
As the branch cannot
bear fruit by itself,
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.
John 15:4
~Jesus

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer

Posted on by Dorci

Dear Heavenly Father, there is nothing so important in this life than to praise you for all you are, all you’ve done, and all you will do. Our praise begins and ends with you for your love, your forgiveness, and your faithfulness and goodness toward us. There is nothing we could ever do to deserve it, but the sacrifice of your Son paved the way for us to receive it, and the indwelling of your Holy Spirit generously portions it to us.

We are in awe that you would do this for us.

Father, you are the Great Gardener, and we thank you for tilling the soil of our hearts that we could receive the Word of Truth and believe in Christ, for the softening of our hearts when we allow the world and our own sin to harden them, and that you might continually plant new seeds of truth, watering them, growing them, producing in us fruits of righteousness, peace, and joy, and bringing our faith to maturity as only You can.

Help us to be diligent to continually abide in the Vine so you’re free to do in and through us all you have planned that we might bring forth a harvest that glorifies You. 

In Jesus’ Name we pray, amen. 

 

 

 

Lesson From a Rescue #3 – A.S.K.

Posted on by Dorci

I’ve been eating eggs for breakfast for years, and since shortly after we rescued our dog six years ago, he’s virtually insisted I share my eggs with him every morning.

The routine is nearly always the same: he waits for me to get out of bed, dutifully watches as I get out the ingredients, utensils, plate…maybe paces a bit as I cook it up (depending on whether or not he’s deferred eating his own breakfast until he’s had some of mine), walks with me over to my seat, sits as close as he can get, and begins to remind me, repeatedly, that he’s there.

He stares deep into my soul, and if that’s not enough, he accentuates it with some serious begging, or he’ll whimper as pathetically as he knows how. And every once in a while, when he’s especially desperate and I’m not paying close enough attention, he’ll resort to a chest bump to the leg.  

Every day, week after week, month after month, year after year, he thinks he has to remind me all over again. That somehow I’ve forgotten him. Like I could.

All the while I’m reminding him, again, that I know he’s there, just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. I cut off his little pieces and save them until I’m finished, or at least almost. I can’t forget. There’s no way he’d let me. Yes, he’s a dog, but he’s part of my family. He’s my furry little child, and I love him.

“Yes, I know, I remember, you’ll get your eggs when it’s time.”

And so many times during this exchange I think of us.

We have needs and there may be times we’re not sure if God’s going to provide. Has He forgotten me? Does He see me? How is He going to get me out of this situation?

But Jesus tells us our Father knows what we need before we ask Him. (Matt. 6:8)

Yes, we ask for our daily bread (or eggs) and all our needs, but we don’t need to wonder if our Father’s heard us or has forgotten us.

We’re His children and we’re always on His mind and in His heart.  

Still, Rocky reminds me of a command Jesus gives us:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if your son asks for bread (or your dog asks for eggs), will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil (hurtful), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
Matthew 7:7-11


Rocky’s got it down. He asks, he seeks, and when needed, he knocks his chest right up against my leg. And in the right time, he gets what he’s asked for.

We are invited by Christ Himself to go to our Heavenly Father and A.S.K. – ask, seek, and knock, but not from a place of doubt, not afraid He’s forgotten us, or worse, believing He doesn’t care about us.

We can and must go to Him firmly seated in the foundation of our abiding faith in Him who sent His Son to die for us, who loves us with an everlasting love, and who called us by knocking on the door of our own heart to bring us into relationship with Himself. 

 

“Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.“
1 John 3:21-23

 

With His Love,

 


Related blogs: 

Lesson From a Rescue

Lesson From a Rescue – #2