Book Study

Len and I are doing this book study "Wild Goose Chase" written by Mark Batterson. In chapter Four titled "Eight Foot Ceilings", I came face-to-face with my regression to a childhood developmental problem. I'm pretty sure other adults face this but don't want to admit it.
Mark is talking about God instructing Abraham to go out of his tent and look up at the stars in the sky. He was having his focus, attention, perspective redirected. It was clear that God wanted Abraham to unobscure his vision. As long as Abraham held on to his obscured vision it would keep God's promises from his sight. Mark refers to this as "undeveloped psychological capacity in children known as object permanence: out of sight, out of mind. We lose perspective when we lose sight of the promises of God."

I don't know about you, but I confess that I am guilty of object permanence. Yep, sometimes I forget just how big God is. I need to go stargazing and "get a grip" on how small I am. I need to stop putting Eight Foot Ceilings on what God can do in the world around me and wants to do an amazing work in me too.

This book is excellent. Mark says he has prayed for you even before you begin to read this book.

Hey thanks Mark for responding to my note in facebook and I'm glad my word pre-prayers earned a :-) with you. It's good to know your real small-just like me.

Pick it up, I think you'll like the insights God has given to him to share with us.

Pondering this week

I love this time of the year as well as every believer should. It's a time of reflection and appreciation for the many blessings afforded to us in Jesus Christ. This week Len and I watched "Walking With Jesus" on the Discovery Channel.
Ponder this:
Jesus did not do anything in his ministry that wasn't planned
He had control of everything that occurred from entering the gate on a donkey to being crucified on the cross
He had a total understanding of the reactions that he would cause during this significant time of celebration by turning over the moneychangers tables
He knew the actions of his friend Judas
He knew the hearts of men then and He knows the hearts of men now

It gives me great peace and comfort to know that He will be in complete control in the days before His return.

I invite you to consider all that He did and count the ways He is in control.....beginning with your life.

Renewing the Mind, Counting the cost..."paid in full"

Before I begin telling you something that recently renewed my mind, I want to share a picture of the group shot from Week 3 at Bring Me Hope. What a group, what a response to the need they had for operating costs to be met for week 4.

I think I've said this before - God is Good.

Yesterday during my devotional time I think I was whining in my prayer time about some recent issue with not having the cost of the China trip covered and some other things that were taking place....come on be honest - aren't there times when you find yourself whining. Well anyway, God brought to my mind something really significant...

Matthew 11:30"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

He made it clear to me that everything that was taking place in my life was free of cost...he had provided everything that it would cost to follow Him. Not just for salvation but for every need I would have, every problem that would come. He would supply what I needed...AND here was the real word that got my attention...if you think about cost real cost... those without Christ are paying everything they have to spend eternity outside of the presence and security of living with God... Now that's costly !!

I'm glad for the patience of God...that He works in us as we read and meditate on his word and pray asking Him to renew our minds. You don't have to keep the same way of thinking you had yesterday or last week...His word has a better way for you. Here's some of my favorite verses:

Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Isaiah 30:21 (Contemporary English Version)
21Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, "This is the road! Now follow it."

Isaiah 42:16 (New Century Version)
16 Then I will lead the blind along a way they never knew; I will guide them along paths they have not known. I will make the darkness become light for them, and the rough ground smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not leave my people.

Isaiah 42:16 (Contemporary English Version)
16I will lead the blind on roads they have never known; I will guide them on paths they have never traveled. Their road is dark and rough, but I will give light to keep them from stumbling.
This is my solemn promise.

These are promises worth banking on.

Reflection of God that is worth the wait

Theresa Clay and Gwen Hamsher, volunteers overseeing parts of The ReignForest, shared recently in our Sunday morning huddles. What they shared, provided me with food for reflection. Today I pondered my journey of waiting on God as I searched scripture verses on the topic.

Learn to wait; you show God your seeking Him.
Psalm 38:15 I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.

God waited.
1 Peter 3:20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

An action follows a wait.
Isaiah 64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Here's a promise of His double action, rising and blessing.
Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Sometimes it takes “waiting” to understand the plan, to perfect the plan in you or for your acceptance of His plan. You’ll never finish learning about how big HE is, so get ready, get set, wait for Him.. ..it’ll be worth it.
God is worth the wait.

Compelled to share...

Over the past six months I've come to learn something about myself. If I find something or read something really good that motivates me or inspires me - I just have to share it. It just can't sit still within me. Hmm, here's a thought I think children are often like that too. They just have to show you the latest bug or the latest toy or take your hand and lead you to look at something they've just discovered.
Well here's the devotional I want to share with you. John Fischer knocks it out of the park on this one.
"The power of a changed life"
http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx?ARCHIVEID=1171

Ever hear the saying "that sometimes to go forward you have to go backwards". I hope you remember your first encounter with God and saw it as a time He knocked your socks off with life changing power. For some of us it's time to revisit that encounter and renew your childlike faith to see Him again like it's the first time...after all there's work to do and you need your eyes wide open.