Archive for July, 2009
If Only…..
by PRRussell on Jul.22, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
If Only…..
So now you are not a slave; you are God’s child, and God will give you the blessing He promised, because you are His child. Galatians 4:7
Maybe your past isn’t much to brag about. Maybe you’ve seen raw evil. And now you…. have to make a choice. Do you rise above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?….
Many choose the convalescent homes of the heart. Healthy bodies. Sharp minds. but retired dreams. Back and forth they rock in the chair of regret, repeating the terms of surrender. Lean closely and you will hear them: “If only.”
“If only I’d been born somewhere else…”
“If only I’d been treated fairly….”
Maybe you’ve used those words. Maybe you have every right to use them….If such is the case….go to John’s gospel and read Jesus’ words: “Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit” (John 3:6)
“When God Whispers Your Name” by Max Lucado
Our Loving Father
by PRRussell on Jul.21, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Our Loving Father
The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God. 1 John 3:1
When my oldest daughter, Jenna, was four years old, she came to me with a confession. “Daddy, I took a crayon and drew on the wall.” (Kids amaze me with their honesty.)
I sat down and lifted her up into my lap and tried to be wise. “Is that a good thing to do?” I asked her.
“No.”
“What does Daddy do when you write on the wall?”
“You spank me.”
“What do you think Daddy should do this time?”
“Love.”
Don’t we all want that? Don’t we all long for a father who, even though our mistakes are written all over the walls, will love us anyway?
We do have this type of a Father. A Father who is at His best when we are at our worst.A Father whose grace is strongest when our devotion is weakest.
“Six Hours One Friday“
More Than Meets The Eye
by PRRussell on Jul.20, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
More Than Meets The Eye
Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see.
Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel.
Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow.
Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan.
Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.
Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees His blood.
Your eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker. But by faith you look in the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face.
“When God Whispers Your Name”
Guard Against Greed
by PRRussell on Jul.15, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Guard Against Greed
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV
Greed comes in many forms. Greed for approval. Greed for applause. Greed for status. Greed for the best office, the fastest car, the prettiest date. Greed has many faces, but speaks one language: the language of more. Epicurus noted, “Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.” And what was that obvservation of John D. Rockefeller’s? He asked, “How much money does it take to satisfy a man?” He answered, “Just a little more.” Wise was the one who wrote, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Eccles. 5:10 NIV)
Greed has a growling stomach. Feed it, and you risk more then budget-busting debt. You risk losing purpose.
“Cure for the Common Life” by Max Lucado
God Forgets
by PRRussell on Jul.14, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
God Forgets
Bless the Lord, …. who forgives all your iniquities. Psalm 103: 1-2 NKJV
God doesn’t remember the past. But I do, you do. You still remember. You’re like me. You still remember what you did before you changed. In the cellar of your heart lurk the ghosts of yesterday’s sins. Sins you’ve confessed; errors of which you’ve repented; damage you’ve done your best to repair….
That horrid lie.
The time you exploded in anger.
Now, honestly. Do you think God was exaggerating when He said He would cast our sins as far as the east is from the west? Do you actually believe He would make a statement like “I will not hold their iniquities against them” and then rub our noses in them whenever we ask for help?
Of course you don’t. You and I just need an occasional reminder of God’s nature, His forgetful nature.
“God Came Near” by Max Lucado
People Who Make A Difference
by PRRussell on Jul.13, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
People Who Make A Difference
Good people have good things in their hearts. Matthew 12:35
Name the ten wealthiest men in the world. Name eight people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
How did you do? I didn’t do well either. With the exception of you trivia hounds, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday too well. Surprisingly how quickly we forget, isn’t it? And what I’ve mentioned above are no second-rate achievements. These are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotton.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one.
Name ten people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Name five friends who have helped you in a difficult time.
Easier? It was for me, too. The lesson? The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with the concern.
“And the Angels Were Silent” by Max Lucado
The Via Dolorosa
by PRRussell on Jul.11, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
The Via Dolorosa
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. 2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV
The most notorious road in the world is the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of Sorrows.” According to tradition, it is the route Jesus took from Pilate’s hall to Calvary. The path is marked by stations frequently used by Christians for their devotions. One station marks the passing of Pilate’s verdict. Another, the appearance of Simon to carry the cross. There are fourteen stations in all, each one a reminder of the events of Christ’s final journey.
Is the route accurate? Probably not…. No one knows the exact route Christ followed that Friday.
But we do know where the path actually began.
The path began, not in the court of Pilate, but in the halls of Heaven. The Father began His journey when He left His home in search of us….. His desire was singular – to bring His children home….
The path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back.
“He Chose the Nails” by Max Lucado
Endure to the End
by PRRussell on Jul.10, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Endure to the End
Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22
Are you close to quitting? Please don’t do it. Are you discouraged as a parent? Hang in there. Are you weary with doing good? Do just a little more. Are you pessimistic about your job? Roll up your sleeves and go at it again. No communication in your marraige? Give it one more shot….
Remember, a finisher is not one with no wounds or weariness. Quite to the contrary, he, like the boxer, is scarred and bloody. Mother Teresa is credited with saying, “God didn’t call us to be successful, just faithful.” The fighter, like our Master, is pierced and full of pain. He, like Paul, may even be bound and beaten. But he remains.
The Land of Promise, says Jesus, awaits those who endure. It is not just for htose who make the victory laps or drink champagne. No sir. The Land of Promise is for those who simply remain to the end.
“No Wonder They Call Him the Savior” by Max Lucado
He Kept His Faith
by PRRussell on Jul.08, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
He Kept His Faith
Continue to have faith and do what you know is right. Some people have rejected this, and their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:19
I sit a few feet from a man on death row. Jewish by birth. Tentmaker by trade. Apostle by calling. His days are marked. I’m curious about what bolsters this man as he nears his execution. So I ask some questions.
Do you have family, Paul? I have none.
What about your health? My body is beaten and tired….
Any awards? Not on earth.
Then what do you have, Paul? No belongings. No family…..What do you have that matters?
I have my faith. It’s all I have. But it’s all I need. I have kept the faith.
Paul leans back against the wall of his cell and smiles.
“When God Whispers Your Name“ by Max Lucado
Closer Than You Think
by PRRussell on Jul.07, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Closer Than You Think
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27 NKJV
When the disciples saw Jesus in the middle of their stormy night, they called Him a ghost. A phantom….To them, the glow was anything but God.
When we see gentle lights on the horizon, we often have the same reaction. We dismiss occasional kindness as apparitions, accidents, or anomalies. Anything but God….
And because we look for the bonfire, we miss the candle. Because we listen for the shout, we miss the whisper.
But it is in burnished candles that God comes, and through whispered promises He speaks. “When you doubt, look around; I am closer than you think.”
“In the Eye of the Storm” by Max Lucado