Tag Archives: inspiration for living

Jul5

God Uses the Ordinary for Extraordinary Purposes

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But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.
The Lord does not look at the things people look at.
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
 

On a recent trip to Costa Rica, I was awakened each morning at dawn to an exquisite sound…the beautiful song of the Clay-colored Thrush.  Before I ever spotted one of these birds, I was mesmerized by its beautiful serenade.  And when I finally saw one of them, I was surprised by its bland appearance, and I was even more surprised when I learned that this plain-looking bird is the national bird of Costa Rica!  In a country full of flashy and iconic birds – such as the macaw, toucan and motmot – why in the world would a tawny-brown bird that blends into the scenery be chosen as their national bird? But then when I connected this ordinary bird with its ethereal song, it became extraordinary in my sight.

The Clay-colored Thrush has achieved national bird status not by being showy, strong, colorful, huge or any other superlative. This common bird gained its status by simply using its God-given talent of singing its beautiful song. It has a tendency to live close to humans and is widespread throughout the country of Costa Rica, so each day its residents are all awakened by the same lovely sound – a rich, enchanting call which unifies the entire nation – making it an excellent choice for a national bird!

This ordinary bird is a great example of how God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. God knows what’s in our hearts, and He’s not concerned with outward appearances. Most people spend hours each week maintaining their outward appearance, but they spend very little time developing their inward character and seeking out God’s purpose for their lives. Samuel almost overlooked David as God’s choice to be king of Israel, because he was young with a ruddy complexion, and he did not have the outward regal appearance of a future king. Not everyone is destined to become a king, but God has designed each one of us with a unique and meaningful purpose in mind. Live your life the Clay-colored Thrush — use your God-given talents and “sing your life song” to make an impact in the lives of those around you. Don’t let any excuses (such as your age, physical abilities, or outward appearance) stop you from fulfilling the extraordinary purpose for which you were designed!

Jun29

Be Still

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“…Be still,

and know that I am God…”

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

How often do we ask God for help or guidance, but we don’t stop to listen and wait for His response? The act of being still means more than simply remaining in place, it also means to be free from sound or noise, and free from turbulence or commotion. Yet in the busyness of life, it is challenging for us to carve out quiet chunks of time being still. The world requires action from us, yet God asks us to simply be still and spend time focused only on Him.

Not only is it difficult to come to a complete rest from motion, it’s also nearly impossible to quiet our thoughts. Silence can be intimidating because that’s when our anxious thoughts seems to kick into turbo speed – “What if something bad happens? What if I fail? I’m not smart enough; I’m not good enough; I’m not successful enough; I can’t handle this; I’ll never get through this; I’m a failure; There’s no hope; etc..”  If we fill our time with endless activity, non-stop work, mindless television, internet surfing, or social media browsing, it’s easy to dodge our concerns and block any worries. Silence can force us to face issues that we might be trying to run away from, yet God wants us to bring those cares and apprehensions to Him. In Mark 4:39, Jesus quieted a raging storm with these word, “Peace, Be still!” Ask Him to quiet the tempestuous thoughts in your mind with those same words. He will shine the light of His truth into your life and replace those fears and self-doubts with His peace.  Both your mind and your strength will be renewed through this process.

On a recent trip to Central America, our group came upon the sloth pictured above.  We were enthralled with this unique creature and thrilled that we were able to experience this rare sight! During the entire time I watched him hanging by his shaggy arms, he remained motionless and seemingly oblivious to the chatter and activity below from our group of observers. As I stood viewing this fascinating animal, the Lord gently reminded me that His slow-motion-creation provides a great example of what it means to be still.

So when you need strength or help from God, or when your anxious thoughts are overpowering you, learn a lesson from the sloth.  Cling to Jesus and rest in His unending love and care for you. Block out the distractions and noise from the world and meditate solely on His voice. Simply, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Apr16

God’s Help When We are Powerless to Help Ourselves

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What a wonderful God we have—
He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the source of every mercy,
and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.
And why does he do this?
So that when others are troubled,
needing our sympathy and encouragement,
we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4 (TLB)
 

“I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through…We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again.”  2 Corinthians 1:8 – 10 (TLB)

Have you ever been in a perilous situation where you felt “crushed and overwhelmed,” where the circumstances were so dire that you feared you might not live through it, and you were powerless to help yourself?  It’s these types of extreme difficulties that drive us to our knees…because we have no where else to go.   At some point we come to the end of ourselves, and we have nothing left to cling to except God Himself.  During severe trials, our faith is stretched beyond the limits, and it emerges on the other side of the hardship much stronger and deeper than ever before.  When we experience such extraordinary suffering, we learn to rely not on our own strength or abilities for deliverance, but only on God.  We learn to set our hope on Him alone and trust that the One who raised the dead can surely save us too!

It is our precious Savior who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”  He graciously speaks peace into troubled souls, calms our raging fears, comforts with His tender mercies, binds up the broken-hearted, heals the most painful wounds, strengthens the weak, and provides hope and joy during the heaviest of sorrows.  We must learn to put everything in the capable hands of our Heavenly Father who loves us and who alone can save us.

Jan18

God’s Infinite Love

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“May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love;
and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should,
how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is;
and to experience this love for yourselves,
though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.”
Ephesians 3:17 – 18 (TLB)
 

The Lord’s faithful, unfathomable love is from forever-ago to forever-from-now for those who honor him.  He loved you before the beginning of time and will continue to love you into eternity.  His love for you is deeper than any dark valley you might be trudging through and higher than any mountain that you might be facing.  As far as the sunrise is from the sunset, His love is greater!  It is ever and always, eternally present with His children…even if you’ve made mistakes.  

“How great is God’s love for all who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth!”  
Psalm 103:11(CEV)  

 So let your roots go down deep into the rich soil of God’s marvelous love.  Embrace the idea that His unconditional love for you is so great that you will never see the end of it, no matter what – His love will never fail!  May you be able to feel, experience and understand how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love for you really is. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
 
Jan13

Say it Forward

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good morning suwanee

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.

Ephesians 4:29 KJV

Words are powerful.  The right words spoken at the right time can bring about a glorious sunrise in someone’s soul.  You never know when one encouraging comment can set someone’s life back on course and turn them in the direction of God’s destiny for their future…or even their eternity!    Positive words are powerfully uplifting, while negative, corrupt words are powerfully destructive.   Do your words “minister grace” to those with whom you communicate?

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.  Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)

King Solomon, perhaps the wisest man who ever lived, said this about our words, “What you say can mean life or death.  Those who speak with care will be rewarded.” Proverbs 18:21 (NCV)  “The tongue has the power of life and death…”  Proverbs 18:21a(NIV)  Anything that has the power of life or death is serious business!  Allow this truth to penetrate your mind and heart, and realize that careless words spoken in moments of frustration or anger can have devastating effects.  Encouraging, uplifting and inspiring words can have the effect of a refreshing rain shower on a drought stricken land. 

Thoughtless words cut deeply like a thrusting sword, but the speech of the wise is a healing balm.  

Proverbs 12:18 (VOICE)

Try this “word edification experiment” today:  Focus on your communication with others, and only allow yourself to speak words that will build up and bless those around you.  Consider this a day in which you are a “minister of grace” to all who hear you speak…your spouse, children, co-workers, store clerks, waiters, receptionists, bank tellers, and anyone else with whom you might come in contact.  If you are a teacher, coach, parent, manager, boss, minister, team captain, or any other kind of leader, you are in a unique position to inspire those individuals whom you lead.   For some of us this experiment may be extremely challenging, but at the end of the day take note, not only of how you feel inside, but also your perception of how others responded to your edifying words.  Similar to the “Pay it Forward” project in which one good deed for another can start a ripple effect of kindness around the world, this “Say it Forward” project could start a ripple effect of encouragement and inspiration around your community and beyond. (Imagine if our world leaders became part of this movement?!)  Your kind, uplifting words to another might prompt them to speak kind words to someone else, and so on.  If enough people embrace this experiment, we could witness the transformational power of grace in exponential proportions!  

Remember, “What you say can mean life or death.  Those who speak with care will be rewarded.”  Let your words be a blessing to others.  Not only will you build them up, but you will also be rewarded in ways you could never imagine.  So get started with this “word edification experiment” and Say it Forward…

Jan5

Get Going!

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“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

What sort of things drive you, motivate you and and inspire you?  Is there something that you keep thinking about that one day or some day, when all the conditions are right, you will begin to do.  How many times have you used the phrase, “If only….”  or “I would like to do this, BUT….”  Perhaps God has placed a calling upon your heart, but you allow a continual stream of excuses to flood your thoughts and drown out His voice.  You can easily enumerate a list of personal limitations and excuses that would keep you from fulfilling His calling or achieving a certain goal.

When God met with Moses at the burning bush, Moses had several objections to God’s calling.  Why are you asking ME to lead the people out of Egypt?  What if they don’t believe me?  God patiently responded to each of his questions, yet Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”  God said, “And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn’t it I, God? SO, GET GOING. I’ll be right there with you—with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.”  Exodus 4:10 – 12 (MSG)

So what is it that God is motivating you to do?  Perhaps He hasn’t met with you at a burning bush, but in your heart you know there is a still small voice wooing you in a certain direction.  And even though He’s not asking you to lead His people out of bondage in Egypt, He might be leading you into some sort of ministry, or it could be that He is directing you to start a business, leave your current job for something better, go back to school, foster a child, become a stay-at-home mom, go on a mission trip, help out at a food pantry, teach a class, play a sport, coach a team, lead a Bible study, minister to unwed mothers, or volunteer at a local school.  Who knows how God might use you to fulfill His purpose for your life?  An activity that might seem “secular” could turn out to be the very way God wants to use your life to minister to others in your community.

So what’s holding you back?  What’s your excuse?  As a child of God, He promises that you will lack nothing:

  “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack NOTHING.” Psalm 23:1  

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:8

If you are in God’s will for your life, doing the very thing He has created you to do, you can rest assured that He will provide the resources you need to accomplish your task.  God will be right beside you every step of the way, teaching you, guiding you, supporting you, providing for you, and strengthening you!  Don’t allow self-doubt or excuses to hold you back.  You can do anything with God’s help! Get Going!

Nov9

Above All Else

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Above all else,

guard your heart

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Your heart…is it’s protection your top priority?    Why should this be such an extremely important task?  Take a moment to let the meaning of these words penetrate your mind:

Above all else… Make this the most important priority in your life.  Use this instruction as a guide to filter your thoughts, actions, affections, desires, dreams and feelings.  If your heart’s desires are set on the best that God has in mind for you ~the very purpose for which He created you ~  then you will stay on His desired path for your life, and you won’t veer off course.

…Guard Your Heart…  You guard things that are valuable to you, things that you treasure, things that you want to keep safe from harm, and things that you want to protect.   Your heart is what drives you to action, and it is the essence of who you are.  It’s the core of your being, and with it you connect to God and others.  Watch over your heart with vigilance, and set up protective boundaries around it so that the desires which flow from within are pure and in line with God’s will.  Consistently examine the information you take in visually (through television, movies, internet, social media, print, video games, email, texting, etc…) and audibly (through radio, cd’s, or other audio sources.) Diligently monitor the relationships in your life, and make sure that those with whom you surround yourself also want God’s best for your life.  Do not give your heart to anyone who could cause you to stumble or lead you astray.  Put up virtual signs within your heart which read, “NO DUMPING ALLOWED,” and don’t allow any trash to enter.  You make time for the things that you love and enjoy, so make sure that the things cherished inside your heart are from God and in line with His will.  

…for it is the wellspring of life…. Imagine a pure spring deep within the earth.  Visualize its crystal clear waters bubbling up and flowing out to form the headwaters of a major river.  Similarly, your heart is the internal fountainhead, or wellspring, from which everything else in life flows.   If you fill your heart with pure, excellent and honorable things, those same types of  things will cascade out of it.  Don’t pollute the wellspring with dishonorable contaminants, because everything downstream will be toxic.

Your heart determines the course of life, and from your heart originates your destiny.  Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard and protect it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life ~ God’s best.

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7a

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Oct27

A Safe Haven

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Beautiful Harbor North Lake Tahoe with boat

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.

He calmed the storm to a whisper
    and stilled the waves.
What a blessing was that stillness
    as he brought them safely into harbor!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love
    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.

Psalm 107:28 – 31(NLT)

Just imagine the amazing feeling of relief and deliverance when sailing into a peaceful harbor after passing through a dark and tumultuous sea…

The disciples endured a similar experience as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus was on board the boat, but He had fallen asleep, seemingly unaware that they were in the midst of a sudden and fierce tempest.  High waves were breaking onto the boat, and it began to fill with water.  The disciples’ hearts were melting with fear, and they cried out to Jesus for help.  “When He awoke, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased and there was great calm.” (Mark 4:39)  The terrified disciples were struck with awe after witnessing this miracle and asked themselves, “Who is this man?” … “Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4: 41)

Are you sailing through a tempestuous season in your life’s journey? Your heart may be gripped with overwhelming fear as giant waves of affliction seemingly crash over your head.  You are tossed up and down with no ability to control your course.  As a child of God, there are no guarantees of smooth sailing throughout life, and sometimes there will be seasons of extreme turbulence. Like the disciples, you may be right in the middle of God’s will, doing exactly what He has instructed you to do, but still you may experience a sudden life storm.  In the midst of the turmoil, hold tightly to the promise that Jesus is always right beside you…He’s in your “boat” in the midst of the storm.  He stands ready to calm your turbulent circumstances and save you from your extreme distress. Instead of being fearful, trust completely in the One whom the wind and the sea obey.  Watch in awe as He guides you into a safe haven, and praise Him for His great love and the wonderful things He does in your behalf.  Peace!  Be Still!

 “This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself…” Hebrews 6:19(TLB)

Oct25

The God Who Sees Me

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2011 Football banquet and Field Trip 254The Lord talked to Hagar.

She began to use a new name for God. She said to him,

“You are ‘God Who Sees Me.’”

She said this because she thought,

“I see that even in this place God sees me and cares for me!” 

Genesis 16:13 (ERV)

Mistreated, abused and rejected, Hagar was running away from her circumstances.  She found herself alone in the desert feeling frightened, forgotten and weary from her journey.   Yet, at her lowest point, the angel of the Lord appeared to her, calling her by name, and encouraged her…right in the middle of her wilderness.

Maybe you are in the midst of a “wilderness” in life.  The path you are traveling seems rocky and desolate, littered with extreme difficulties.  You feel that no one knows or cares about your dire circumstances.  You are lonely and afraid, and perhaps you feel the only possible solution is to “run away” from your problems.  The God Who Sees also cares about you.  He sees you right where you are, and He knows about every tumultuous detail of your life.  He knows your name…and your needs.  Turn to Him for guidance and direction.

As for Hagar, the Lord instructed her to return to her owner, Sarai, and to submit to her authority.  Notice that He didn’t remove Hagar from her circumstances, but He gave her guidance and encouragement on how to live the life she was destined for.  He also promised to bless her for her obedience and encouraged her concerning the child she was carrying, Abram’s son.  If Hagar had continued running, she and her unborn child would have met with certain disaster.  God knew His plans for her life…and the life of her unborn son…, and He gave her specific instructions about how she should live.

This story is a great example of how God causes all things…even bad things…to work together for good.  (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28) Hagar’s obedience brought God’s blessings upon her life.  God also sees you in your wilderness, and He has a marvelous plan for your life.  Listen to His instructions.  Remember that “running away” is not the solution, and it often leads to sure disaster.  Instead of running away…run into His arms and listen to His instructions.  Your obedience to His plan will bring divine blessings upon your life. Remind yourself that “even in this place, God sees me and cares for me!”

“…I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.”  Hosea 2:14b

Sep2

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

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In His hands are the depths of the earth

and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

The sea is His for He made it,

and His hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95:4 – 5

God is magnificent; there are no boundaries to His greatness.  No one can fathom the magnitude of His understanding, and He alone is worthy of our praise and worship.  He holds the deepest caverns and darkest valleys in His hands, as well as the highest mountain peaks.  He scooped out the great depths of the ocean floor and sculpted all the impressive land formations.

So if it seems like you are facing a mountain of insurmountable problems or trudging through a deep valley of difficulties, remember that you are being held in the capable hands of your Heavenly Father.  No difficulty you face is too big for Him, and no valley you walk is too low for Him to reach.  Hand everything over to the One who is big enough to handle anything.

“This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord…” 2 Kings 3:18a

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. 

Nothing is too hard for you.”  Jeremiah 32:17