Spin
1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are stained with blood,
your fingers with guilt.
Your lips have spoken falsely,
and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice;
no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies;
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are evil deeds,
and acts of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.
They pursue evil schemes;
acts of violence mark their ways.
8 The way of peace they do not know;
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;
no one who walks along them will know peace. Isaiah 59:1-8
No, you didn't read incorrectly, I said spin not sin. It is interesting how closely the words are related, one has just one more letter than the other. Do you sit back and see how some people can spin things in their favor, even if it does look wrong. Sometimes people can spin something in so many directions that they make it sound right and correct. That is the thing with sin, you can try to spin it in many different ways, but in the end it is still sin. If you think about the spider who spins his web, that is the just like the enemy trying to trap us in sin with his spinning of evil things to make them look good. The nice thing about this passage in the Old Testament, it shows there is hope to those who can avoid the spin.
21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the LORD. Isaiah 59:21
While we may not live in Old Testament times like in this Isaiah passage, we can still avoid the spin and rely on our Lord's spirit, because He is always here.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Fantastic Friday #309- Finished
Finished
29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:29-30
Do you find yourself asking if this or that finished? Do you look forward to the work week being finished? Have you ever sat down and thought about what being finished actually means? We are never quite finished with what is going on in our lives, except for one thing. Christ finished what we could not do as human beings and finished God's plan of covering our sins with His son's sacrifice. So, take a moment and look at starting something for God and not focusing so much on us. God's plan has already been finished and we need to focus on finishing our race to get back to our Father and not finishing the little things. Look around and see where you can start to have an influence on others.
Have a great weekend.
29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:29-30
Do you find yourself asking if this or that finished? Do you look forward to the work week being finished? Have you ever sat down and thought about what being finished actually means? We are never quite finished with what is going on in our lives, except for one thing. Christ finished what we could not do as human beings and finished God's plan of covering our sins with His son's sacrifice. So, take a moment and look at starting something for God and not focusing so much on us. God's plan has already been finished and we need to focus on finishing our race to get back to our Father and not finishing the little things. Look around and see where you can start to have an influence on others.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Fantastic Friday #308 - Lift
Lift
3 But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:3-4
Did you need a lift this week? Do you have those days when you feel like all the weight is on your shoulders, pushing you down so you don't feel like getting up to do anything? All of us need that little lift every now and then or even a huge lift due to the enemies schemes. Look carefully at these two verses. Our Lord is a shield of protection around us to keep the enemy from pressing down on us, and making us feel like no one can help us. Our Lord has the ultimate strength and ability to lift us up from anything that is attempting to hold us down. How does that happen? We just have to ask, and He will answer. I hope this Lifts you up, but don't rely on me, rely on Him. The Lifter of all.
Have a great weekend.
3 But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:3-4
Did you need a lift this week? Do you have those days when you feel like all the weight is on your shoulders, pushing you down so you don't feel like getting up to do anything? All of us need that little lift every now and then or even a huge lift due to the enemies schemes. Look carefully at these two verses. Our Lord is a shield of protection around us to keep the enemy from pressing down on us, and making us feel like no one can help us. Our Lord has the ultimate strength and ability to lift us up from anything that is attempting to hold us down. How does that happen? We just have to ask, and He will answer. I hope this Lifts you up, but don't rely on me, rely on Him. The Lifter of all.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Fantastic Friday #307- Quite
Quite
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:14-16
Language is a funny thing. Do you ever think of the words that you use and what they actually mean? I was going to finish reading that, but I am not "quite" finished. I was going to make it, but something "quite" unexpected happened to me. I am not "quite" prepared to take that test or present that project tomorrow. When you look at the word "quite", it really means completely, wholly, or entirely. How prepared are you? The scripture states "because of the grace God gave me." This is a reminder that I know I am "quite" ready for what He has next for me, are you? When we commit our lives to God, he gives you the tools to "quite" boldly do His work. So take a moment to remind yourself that God made you for who you need to be. Quite Amazing.
Have a great weekend.
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:14-16
Language is a funny thing. Do you ever think of the words that you use and what they actually mean? I was going to finish reading that, but I am not "quite" finished. I was going to make it, but something "quite" unexpected happened to me. I am not "quite" prepared to take that test or present that project tomorrow. When you look at the word "quite", it really means completely, wholly, or entirely. How prepared are you? The scripture states "because of the grace God gave me." This is a reminder that I know I am "quite" ready for what He has next for me, are you? When we commit our lives to God, he gives you the tools to "quite" boldly do His work. So take a moment to remind yourself that God made you for who you need to be. Quite Amazing.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Fantastic Friday #306- Speaking
Speaking
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
their lives from perishing by the sword. Job 33:14-18
Can you think back this week to when God was speaking to you? God doesn't speak the way He did during Old Testament times, so we must be careful to listen. God uses the Holy Spirit and takes many moments to get His point across to us. One big way that God speaks to us is through experiences where we have to rely on Him. I learned a big lesson this week about God's faithful protection. The flesh side of me had doubt and a real lack of faith that He would protect this situation that we were dealing with as a family. Some 24 hours later He showed Himself and once again made me wonder why I even questioned His faithfulness. We have to remember that God speaks to us and we need to listen, because He is our Father and He is faithful.
Have a great weekend.
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
their lives from perishing by the sword. Job 33:14-18
Can you think back this week to when God was speaking to you? God doesn't speak the way He did during Old Testament times, so we must be careful to listen. God uses the Holy Spirit and takes many moments to get His point across to us. One big way that God speaks to us is through experiences where we have to rely on Him. I learned a big lesson this week about God's faithful protection. The flesh side of me had doubt and a real lack of faith that He would protect this situation that we were dealing with as a family. Some 24 hours later He showed Himself and once again made me wonder why I even questioned His faithfulness. We have to remember that God speaks to us and we need to listen, because He is our Father and He is faithful.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Fantastic Friday #305- Whisper
Whisper
5 “The dead are in deep anguish,
those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6 The realm of the dead is naked before God;
Destruction lies uncovered.
7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
he suspends the earth over nothing.
8 He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
9 He covers the face of the full moon,
spreading his clouds over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
for a boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,
aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;
by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies became fair;
his hand pierced the gliding serpent.
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” Job 26:5-14
Do you stop and listen for God to see if you can hear Him? When I read this passage, I reflect more on who He is and what He has created. When you walk in the light, do you notice the darkness? Is the darkness there for the light to shine bright or is it there to prove that we need the light? Maybe the darkness in your life is sin, or it could be a deep chasm that you need filled by God. If God has the power to mark the horizon, churn the sea, and hold the earth in place, how much more is He there for you to fill your darkness and chasm with His light. If you think about His works being these huge acts, his power is not fathomable and we need to hear His whisper, because His thunder is seen every day.
Have a great weekend.
5 “The dead are in deep anguish,
those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
6 The realm of the dead is naked before God;
Destruction lies uncovered.
7 He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
he suspends the earth over nothing.
8 He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
9 He covers the face of the full moon,
spreading his clouds over it.
10 He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
for a boundary between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens quake,
aghast at his rebuke.
12 By his power he churned up the sea;
by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.
13 By his breath the skies became fair;
his hand pierced the gliding serpent.
14 And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” Job 26:5-14
Do you stop and listen for God to see if you can hear Him? When I read this passage, I reflect more on who He is and what He has created. When you walk in the light, do you notice the darkness? Is the darkness there for the light to shine bright or is it there to prove that we need the light? Maybe the darkness in your life is sin, or it could be a deep chasm that you need filled by God. If God has the power to mark the horizon, churn the sea, and hold the earth in place, how much more is He there for you to fill your darkness and chasm with His light. If you think about His works being these huge acts, his power is not fathomable and we need to hear His whisper, because His thunder is seen every day.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Fantastic Friday #304- Rely
Rely
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Galatians 3:7-9
When you rely on something, what does that mean to you? Do you count on someone to do what they say they are going to do, or do you lean on someone who you need in times of struggle? A word that I see relating to the word "rely" is "trust." Trust is a funny word in today's society, because the enemy has his way with so many people, there are those who cannot be trusted or relied upon. So, you might find yourself asking, who can I trust or rely on to help me in my needs? I believe trust is built in someone through our own faith in our Lord and Savior. I am not saying just because we have faith in Christ that you are going to be able to trust every person that comes into your life, but what I am saying is that if you have that faith, I think it is much easier to discern who these people are and if you can rely on them. Clearly in the scripture it talks about those who have faith are blessed. I think being blessed allows you to see things that the enemy tries to hide from you. Faith brings about a strength and clarity we wouldn't have otherwise. So Rely on Him first, before you rely on your fellow man.
Have a great weekend.
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Galatians 3:7-9
When you rely on something, what does that mean to you? Do you count on someone to do what they say they are going to do, or do you lean on someone who you need in times of struggle? A word that I see relating to the word "rely" is "trust." Trust is a funny word in today's society, because the enemy has his way with so many people, there are those who cannot be trusted or relied upon. So, you might find yourself asking, who can I trust or rely on to help me in my needs? I believe trust is built in someone through our own faith in our Lord and Savior. I am not saying just because we have faith in Christ that you are going to be able to trust every person that comes into your life, but what I am saying is that if you have that faith, I think it is much easier to discern who these people are and if you can rely on them. Clearly in the scripture it talks about those who have faith are blessed. I think being blessed allows you to see things that the enemy tries to hide from you. Faith brings about a strength and clarity we wouldn't have otherwise. So Rely on Him first, before you rely on your fellow man.
Have a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)