buildingbodies4christ

building on the foundation of Jesus Christ

22 Aug 2012
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Nails and Pennies

A few times a week I walk my neighborhood. I like to think it is an extension of my prayer time. However, there are many times when I am thinking about the day ahead or what I need to write next. While I was walking this morning, I was looking around not really thinking about much. On the last stretch of road my attention was drawn to a nail laying there. The nail was a reminder not of a spiritual truth, but there has been quite a bit of rebuilding in my neighborhood over the last year and a half. I have picked up many nails as I have walked about. If God brings my attention to something in the road, I pick it up (within reason, of course). I don’t know if it’s impacting anyone, but maybe it’s saved a tire or two.

I have also found that when I am concerned about financial matters, God will place a penny on my path that day. I also scoop it up as well. One penny isn’t very valuable. However, I look at the inscription on that penny, and it reminds me “In God We Trust.” This impacts no one really but me. It gives me encouragement.

The truth of the matter is: what am I doing for my neighbors as I walk the neighborhood? How am I impacting them? The nail really is a spiritual truth. Jesus died, nailed to a cross for the ones I am passing by. The Holy Spirit helped me to remember the reason I am in this neighborhood is to make an impact for Jesus. That’s the truth of the nail. That’s the reason I really should be stopping to pick up a nail. Maybe I found the nail in front of a house that needs prayer. God has a purpose for everything in our paths. But we have to be paying attention in order to be obedient to our call. He cares more for the condition of the neighbors rather than the condition of the path.

Thank you God for nails and pennies. Let me consider thoughtfully the things you put in my path today. Amen.

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:27-31

Posted in Faith and tagged , , ,
15 Aug 2012

Mirror Mirror

Last week I wrote about “do something.” God pointed out another issue about doing something through a sermon from Andy Stanley (Senior Pastor, North Point Community Church). Don’t you just love how God works? Pastor Andy spoke on Matthew 7:24-27 and James 1:22-25. Basically, the same principle: one spoken by Jesus and the other by James, Jesus’ half-brother. James had the analogy of a mirror. Jesus had the analogy of a wise man building a house. I listen to several teachers every week on spiritual matters as well as health matters. It doesn’t do me any good if I just listen and do nothing else. Jesus says we are to “put these things into practice.” James says it is like us looking in a mirror and seeing ourselves but doing nothing with what we see. I know there are many people who spend at least an hour getting ready to face the world every morning. We are grateful that they have taken the time to do so. But what if our spirits were showing in the mirror instead? What would we do with what we see? We are to be a reflection of Christ. Is our spirit reflecting Him or do we need to spend more time working on it before we leave to face the world?

After looking at the Olympics for the last two weeks, I am aware of the practice it took for the athletes to be able to do the things they can do. As a child, I took piano and guitar lessons. I liked the theory of playing, but I hated to practice. As a health coach, my goal is to help others become healthier. I can talk to them and give them advice. It does no good unless they actually put the suggestions into practice. I can purchase the treadmill, but it is no good as a clothing rack. I have to do something with it. What we hear is nothing until we actually put it into practice. As the athlete practices to become better able to compete, I have to practice what I hear so that I can become better as well. I have found the best part of hearing the Word, is the freedom found from doing what I hear. This has made the difference in my life.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

Posted in Faith and tagged , ,
08 Aug 2012

Do Something

Have you asked God to confirm what you think you have heard? I started asking a few days ago to confirm what I believe God was saying to me. I listened to sermons from the different pastors I follow. I read my Bible as I do every day. I paid attention to the ones I was speaking to thinking He would confirm it through a friend. But nothing was confirmed through those means of communication. I wasn’t discouraged, but continued to ask that the message I heard is the right thing. I did hear two words during this time, and it was “stop procrastinating.” Ouch. Was I doing that? Yes, I was. I do that a lot. When I procrastinate, I am usually controlled by fear. Faith and fear do not coexist. You either have one or the other. The next day I started working on my next step. I put the fear into the right place – behind me and moved in the direction that I believed God was indicating.

I finally heard my confirmation last night. When I took a break from writing, I popped over to my email account, and I found an email from a daily devotion email blast. The title was Letting Our Light Shine. In it, I found my confirmation. As I was reading, the words jumped off the page. I knew then, God was saying “you’re on the right track, go for it and let me deal with the consequences.” This morning, I was going through my Anne Graham Lotz Bible Study, it was focused on Lazarus’ resurrection in John 11. The scripture reminded me that we have to do something first before the miracle happens. The stone had to be rolled away before Lazarus could be resurrected. We have to put our faith into action. God showed me first that I had to get busy doing what I believed to be right before He confirmed it was right. I can hear the word, but I have to believe it’s true. I have to do something to show my belief. Then God promises I will see His glory.

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”John 11:40

Posted in Faith and tagged , , ,
01 Aug 2012

The Other Side

I have a monthly newsletter that I write and send out.  This month (August), I wrote about swimming and my fear of it. The gist of that particular newsletter was about different water heights. The passage was on Ezekiel 47:5. The water that is over our heads is the water that can be crossed only by swimming. Only God can help us cross this water height. In the last paragraph of this article, I wrote: “There is something on the other side I now want to reach. God is waiting for me to wade in until it’s too deep for me alone. He is waiting to see if I have the faith to get my ankles wet, if I have the power and strength to wade further in than I have ever been before. I may be afraid of getting in over my head, but God will not let me drown. Just as a father takes the hand of his child, my God will take my hand and help me across.”

As I was finishing up with the last tweaks of the newsletter, I heard a sermon about the other side. This is the rest of the story. Jesus is on the bank of the Sea of Galilee, and he asks his disciples to cross over to the other side (Mark 4:35-5:20). Jesus had a reason to cross over to the other side. He went to help a man who was demon-possessed. Jesus crosses for one person who is lost. When the man with the legions of demons was healed, he wanted to go back with Jesus, but Jesus told him to “go home and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” In the parables of the lost sheep and coin found in Luke 15, Jesus says there is great rejoicing in heaven when one who is lost has been found.

There is a reason to get to the other side. Jesus pursues us individually. The other side has one person who is lost and needs Jesus. He wants us to cross over with Him. He didn’t go alone. The disciples were with Him. He uses our story of our crossing to bring others to Him. There is great rejoicing to be done. Praise the Lord for finishing the story.

The Lord had mercy on me. He found me and restored me. Someone crossed over to the other side for me. Now, I have a story to tell. How about you?

We give thanks to You, O God. We give thanks that Your name is near. Men tell about the great things You have done. Psalm 75:1 (NLV)

To read the newsletter, see my Facebook page at Denise4Health.

Posted in Faith and tagged , ,
25 Jul 2012
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Open Door

A couple of years ago I had a dream. I believe it was a vision from God. I mentioned it in my newsletter in May (Think Myself Free). This dream or vision was not clear. I remember only the open door and my need to close it, but it would not close. When I woke up, I was immediately filled with fear. I thought someone was in the room with me. And I prayed immediately that if I was in danger or demons were present for God to protect me. I was immediately filled with peace and went right back to sleep. I did not know how to interpret all that had transpired.

I have mentioned it to a few people, and they gave me different possibilities. At the time of this dream, I was in a middle of a transition to another path in life. One thought was the door represented the future, and I was trying to close off the future. I didn’t like what was on the other side. I was fearful of going through the door. One thought was the door represented people who needed to come in and out of my life. Another thought was that my old path was not yet done, and I wanted it to be done – representing me closing that door.

I believe God’s visions always reflect a spiritual issue. God doesn’t focus on the physical as much as He does on the spiritual. We are spiritual beings in a physical world. I believe I finally have the interpretation. The open door means I need to tell my story, going where He wants to send me and doing the thing He has placed in me. The fear comes from sharing my story. It’s something I thought I could take to my grave, but God has a different plan. His ways are not my ways.

The scripture in Habakkuk 2 I used last week, and a message from Craig Groeshel opened my eyes to the vision, and I believe it is true. It’s time to tell, and it’s time to write it down. So in May, I started my next book. It will tell of my journey, and how I got to where I am today. It’s scary to be this open, but I know God wants to use it to reach someone else that needs to hear. May it be as He says!

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:7-8

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , ,
18 Jul 2012

Wrestling with God

Do you know when you hear a message from God? Do you always like what you hear? I think of Jonah at times when I’ve heard something that I just didn’t like and want to run in the other direction. I think of Jacob when he came face to face with God and wrestled with Him (see Genesis 32:22-32). Jacob wanted a blessing, and Jonah wanted an exit. What do I do when I hear a message or witness God’s presence? Run and hide or run toward Him expecting to see the blessing? Jacob’s name was changed to Israel on the day he wrestled God’s messenger. Israel means “because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” And Jacob received the blessing. God always has a blessing for those that overcome. The blessing may be here on earth, or it may wait for us in heaven.

Jonah ran as far as he could from God’s purpose. God wanted to use Jonah as a prophet to a people who Jonah hated. He knew of God’s compassion. If the people repented of their sins, God would forgive them and not destroy them. Jonah would rather have died himself then to do what God had asked of him. But God’s plan is always righteous. His ways are not our ways. He is always seeking people to do what He asks when He asks.

I believe I have my next step in my journey, and I am not thrilled with the prospect of doing it. I will be stepping out into a place I really don’t want to go, much like Jonah. I’m not sure if I’m wrestling with God or with Satan right now. I think if its God then there will be a blessing. But if it’s Satan, there will be nothing good coming from it. I will have procrastinated beyond God’s timing. I want to overcome and not run from God’s plan. It’s time to move forward and not look back.

Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:2-3

Posted in Faith and tagged , , ,
16 Jul 2012

Fitness Level

As I was working out over the weekend, I realized what a great work God has done in my life. I see the results of my physical fitness through a more energetic body. I have so much more energy today than I did twenty years ago. I started this path about seven years ago (time flies). But also in that time, God was working on my financial well-being as well. I am blessed with a financial head. I know all about budgeting for my wants and needs. I know how to save and invest properly.

I have been fortunate to have good jobs throughout my career, but I didn’t really put into good practice what I did for other companies. I went through a Dave Ramsey course at my church back in 2007. I knew better than to spend more than I make, but being the single that I am, I had no one to account for my every penny. When I started the Ramsey program of budgeting every penny, I realized I was wasting too much money on junk. God placed the desire to go to a holistic school in New York around this same time. I do not do debt. And I quickly realized I needed to adjust a few things in order to afford this school. I did cut back, cut out and sold a few things in order to pay all the expenses.

Since that time, I had set money aside for my emergency fund, a car fund and certain expenses I knew that would come (like Christmas!). God was making a way for me in 2007 to become financial fit for such a time as this. As I was learning discipline in my physical being and my financial being, He was also working on my spiritual being. Discipline by nature is hard. But the rewards are awesome when put in the right perspective. I am better able today to do the things I love to do, because I have more energy, no stress, and a determined God to get me to the place I need to be.

How’s your fitness level?

Keep yourself growing in God-like living. Growing strong in body is all right but growing in God-like living is more important. It will not only help you in this life now but in the next life also. These words are true and they can be trusted. 1 Timothy 4:7b-9

Posted in Health and tagged , , ,
11 Jul 2012

Opportunity Knocks

I find it annoying, when going about my business on a Saturday morning, someone knocks on my door. Most of the time it’s the Jehovah Witness’ doing their thing. Most of the time, I ignore those knocks. It happened again on this particular Saturday. I didn’t answer the door. But this time I felt the Holy Spirit disagreeing with that decision. I was convicted this time that I missed an opportunity. I don’t know what that opportunity was at this point. I stopped what I was doing and went to the window to see if there was a car on the street or whatever other indication I could find of what I had missed. No car, no neighbors out and about, no one walking around. Did I miss an angel visiting me? Did I miss someone in need that I could have helped? Did I miss an opportunity to minister to someone who did not know Christ? I will never know now what God wanted to do through me on this particular day. It could have been a divine appointment. Or maybe someone giving me a check for a million dollars (doubtful) – but I’ll never know.

I say I want the power of the Holy Spirit to work through me. In order for that to happen, I have to open the doors of opportunity. The Holy Spirit needs a place to work. If I stay in my nice comfortable place, the Holy Spirit is not needed. Sometimes I feel like I am not ready. But if I ever feel ready, the Holy Spirit is not needed. If this is about me, what good is it anyway? If opportunity comes knocking again, I’ll let the Holy Spirit work as He wants.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6

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