5 Minute friday again! whoohoo
objective: write 5 minutes, no backtracking or editing.
word: Here
"My comforter, my all in all, Here in the love of Christ I stand."
I stand in Christ's comfort after these last few weeks. Well, I stand in it and sometimes I crumble and fall in it folded up like a scared, worn out child, with tears streaming down my face and His comfort surrounding me. But that's where I am. Still sad at times but knowing that Christ is my all in all. He is all I need, all I really want deep in my soul even when my flesh cries out for false comfort. He is the only thing that truly satisfies.
"For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live."
I live here everyday. In His death-which brought me life. Life abundantly, Life everlasting. My sin, oh the sin that entices me so often has been defeated. I must learn to walk in His victory, to stand in His grace and to love in His freedom.
"Til He returns and calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I stand"
I stand in His power. His power to walk through the unknown. To make life work in this apartmentw ith three littles all day. The power to trust when finances just aren't there. The power to love this amazing man God has given me that works so hard for us.
STOP
I love the song "In Christ alone" that is where I found these lyrics. It's my lifesong at the moment. It is the first song we heard at North Brook as well:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvnpcKUrCo4
Here is the link to Lisa-Jo baker's five minute friday: http://lisajobaker.com/category/five-minute-friday/
Friday, April 12, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
Fear comes from the Father of lies.
Faith gives strength in the midst of cauos.
Fear strangles your next step.
Faith rests on God's promises and love.
Fear wonders around in the dark wounded by things not seen.
Faith closes its eyes and takes a leap, a leap towards what's ahead, a leap toward a promise, a leap carried by God's hand.
Fear is paralyzed. Afraid. In chains. Not able to move.
Faith seems hard but it depends on what your faith is anchored in, in God's truth, faith is hard but fear is harder.
Fear is dehabilitating.
Give me faith, more faith. Faith that moves mountains and calms hearts. Faith that walks in truth. In light and in love. I need more faith. No fear, just faith!
Fear comes from the Father of lies.
Faith gives strength in the midst of cauos.
Fear strangles your next step.
Faith rests on God's promises and love.
Fear wonders around in the dark wounded by things not seen.
Faith closes its eyes and takes a leap, a leap towards what's ahead, a leap toward a promise, a leap carried by God's hand.
Fear is paralyzed. Afraid. In chains. Not able to move.
Faith seems hard but it depends on what your faith is anchored in, in God's truth, faith is hard but fear is harder.
Fear is dehabilitating.
Give me faith, more faith. Faith that moves mountains and calms hearts. Faith that walks in truth. In light and in love. I need more faith. No fear, just faith!
The Cross.
Wooden, hard, cruel, lonely, excruciating, hopeless, hurtful, dangerous, feared, humiliating, death. Mourning.
When I think about how thousands of years ago criminals were put to death in this torturous way these are the words that come to my mind. The cross was not a place for celebration. The cross was death. Naked, ashamed, alone and in horrendous pain criminals died on this wooden object, most by suffocation. Horrible.
Yet, we as Christians sing songs titled the Wondrous Cross, wear crosses around our necks as a symbol, and say phrases such as "take up your cross and follow Jesus."
WHY?
JESUS.
Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, love, grace, comfort, excitement. LIFE
Jesus is the difference. Without the entire truth of the cross, the cross we mourn and celebrate, then it is all in vain. God demanded a blood sacrifice for our sins. Nothing up until Jesus' death was enough. Nothing. Then Jesus comes to earth. Yes, born of a virgin. In a lowly stable. The king wanted him dead from the beginning, shepherds worshipped Him, His family did not believe in Him, His disciples were a ragtag bunch of men that denied Him and ultimately gave their lives for Him, the religious leaders hated Him, wise men sought Him, crowds followed Him, crowds turned on Him, miracles were seen, accusations were made: life was different.
Once Jesus came to earth nothing was the same. We can deny Him, we can accept Him, we can ignore Him, we can worship Him, we can love Him, or we can hate Him. The choice is ours but eternity is at stake. The difference is the blood.The difference is sinlessness. The difference is forgiveness. The difference is His willing sacrifice. The difference is My Savior.
Without the Cross there would be no payment, no redemption, no life. But, without the Resurrection there is no hope. Our pastor said this morning that we must believe that Jesus was really, truly dead. That His heart stopped beating and His brain stopped working, He wasn't just hanging out in the tomb waiting. He was dead. I've believed that. I truly have, but it hit me hard this morning. Can you imagine as his mother, his followers, the ones who had given up their livelihood to follow Him to see Jesus dead?
If we believe in the death but not the Resurrection then we have no hope. We are stuck in our sins always waiting for "Sunday morning." waiting for the hope and living in the dark. But it is not hopeless. Jesus arose from the grave, not as a spirit but as a person. He ate, He drank, He loved his disciples. He was still fully God and fully man.
SO, my question from before was why? why do we sing about this wonderful cross that killed our beautiful Jesus? Because that was suppose to be my cross, because that was suppose to be my death, and because the cross was not the end. Oh no sweet friends it looked like the end, but it was the beginning.
So come, come to the cross, come to my Savior. Find redemption, because it wasn't just my cross, it was yours too. And it's not just my hope, it can be yours too.
Wooden, hard, cruel, lonely, excruciating, hopeless, hurtful, dangerous, feared, humiliating, death. Mourning.
When I think about how thousands of years ago criminals were put to death in this torturous way these are the words that come to my mind. The cross was not a place for celebration. The cross was death. Naked, ashamed, alone and in horrendous pain criminals died on this wooden object, most by suffocation. Horrible.
Yet, we as Christians sing songs titled the Wondrous Cross, wear crosses around our necks as a symbol, and say phrases such as "take up your cross and follow Jesus."
WHY?
JESUS.
Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, love, grace, comfort, excitement. LIFE
Jesus is the difference. Without the entire truth of the cross, the cross we mourn and celebrate, then it is all in vain. God demanded a blood sacrifice for our sins. Nothing up until Jesus' death was enough. Nothing. Then Jesus comes to earth. Yes, born of a virgin. In a lowly stable. The king wanted him dead from the beginning, shepherds worshipped Him, His family did not believe in Him, His disciples were a ragtag bunch of men that denied Him and ultimately gave their lives for Him, the religious leaders hated Him, wise men sought Him, crowds followed Him, crowds turned on Him, miracles were seen, accusations were made: life was different.
Once Jesus came to earth nothing was the same. We can deny Him, we can accept Him, we can ignore Him, we can worship Him, we can love Him, or we can hate Him. The choice is ours but eternity is at stake. The difference is the blood.The difference is sinlessness. The difference is forgiveness. The difference is His willing sacrifice. The difference is My Savior.
Without the Cross there would be no payment, no redemption, no life. But, without the Resurrection there is no hope. Our pastor said this morning that we must believe that Jesus was really, truly dead. That His heart stopped beating and His brain stopped working, He wasn't just hanging out in the tomb waiting. He was dead. I've believed that. I truly have, but it hit me hard this morning. Can you imagine as his mother, his followers, the ones who had given up their livelihood to follow Him to see Jesus dead?
If we believe in the death but not the Resurrection then we have no hope. We are stuck in our sins always waiting for "Sunday morning." waiting for the hope and living in the dark. But it is not hopeless. Jesus arose from the grave, not as a spirit but as a person. He ate, He drank, He loved his disciples. He was still fully God and fully man.
SO, my question from before was why? why do we sing about this wonderful cross that killed our beautiful Jesus? Because that was suppose to be my cross, because that was suppose to be my death, and because the cross was not the end. Oh no sweet friends it looked like the end, but it was the beginning.
So come, come to the cross, come to my Savior. Find redemption, because it wasn't just my cross, it was yours too. And it's not just my hope, it can be yours too.
5 minute Friday: After
5 minute Friday is here again:)
Word: after
rules:write for 5 minutes and stop
I saw this theme a few hours ago and right away the song "not for a moment" at least I think that is the title came to my mind. It has been flowing through my mind all day. The line with the word after says, "after all You are constant after all you are only Good after all you are sovereign, not for a moment will you forsake me."
Wow! I just have to take a breath and think about this. This has kinda been my mindset. My husband and i are walking through a valley one that has gotten a little darker in the last few weeks. I was standing in our wonderful church 2 weeks ago and we were singing a song, I don't know what song but it was time to worship. I felt the Holy Spirit say, "You have to choose, am I good all the time? Do you believe what you are prompted to sing? I need your complete trust."
The answer is yes! God is only good. I don't always understand but He is wholly good. He is constant. He is not going to leave me. I may not like the trial. I may not like the hurt but I am in the palm of His hand, always.
Stop
Here is a link to her song. Meredith Andrews and its called "after all"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08s3GKRict8&noredirect=1
http://lisajobaker.com/2013/04/five-minute-friday-after/ Here is the link to the origional 5 minute friday blog.
Word: after
rules:write for 5 minutes and stop
I saw this theme a few hours ago and right away the song "not for a moment" at least I think that is the title came to my mind. It has been flowing through my mind all day. The line with the word after says, "after all You are constant after all you are only Good after all you are sovereign, not for a moment will you forsake me."
Wow! I just have to take a breath and think about this. This has kinda been my mindset. My husband and i are walking through a valley one that has gotten a little darker in the last few weeks. I was standing in our wonderful church 2 weeks ago and we were singing a song, I don't know what song but it was time to worship. I felt the Holy Spirit say, "You have to choose, am I good all the time? Do you believe what you are prompted to sing? I need your complete trust."
The answer is yes! God is only good. I don't always understand but He is wholly good. He is constant. He is not going to leave me. I may not like the trial. I may not like the hurt but I am in the palm of His hand, always.
Stop
Here is a link to her song. Meredith Andrews and its called "after all"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08s3GKRict8&noredirect=1
http://lisajobaker.com/2013/04/five-minute-friday-after/ Here is the link to the origional 5 minute friday blog.
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