Believe

Ex 6-8; Luke 23

Luke 23:40-43

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus was crucified on the cross and he was still alive at this point. He was hanging there in pain, suffering the selfishness of His people. Making the ultimate sacrifice that we may live an abundant life. The second criminal hanging next to Jesus symbolizes those that are desperate for Him. That in the lowest point in their life they reach for God and they find Him.

The first criminal who said: ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

He symbolizes those that have an encounter with Jesus or hear about Jesus but just don't care. They are set in their selfish ways and think of Jesus as a magic genie. The second criminal in his last hours saw who Jesus really was and reached out to him the only way he could...through desperation.

Jesus listens to our hearts and whats really inside. The first criminal only had selfish desires inside, if he would have been saved from the cross he would have become a criminal again. The second if he would have been saved he would have become a disciple. However, it wasn't for Jesus to save them physically on the cross...but to save them if they believe. The second believed and his heart was right when crying out to Jesus therefore he is in heaven today.

All Jesus wants is for us to believe and reach out to him in our belief. Many things can happen in life that can take us away from the pathway of God and make our belief steer away from the truth but even in those moments Jesus wants us to look at Him and reach out for His love.

Lord,

Thank you for your love and belief in me. You believed that i can be more than I think and you make opportunities for me to grow as a follower and disciple. Keep me in the same path so i can keep learning, keep believing, keep loving You.

I forever love you Always

On being weak

Exodus 3-5; Luke 22

^{Exodus 4:1-4}

¹ Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” ² Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.³ The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Moses loved God. He answered Gods call and will for his life. The only problem was that Moses was weak. He was the type of person that needed things to be proven to him to believe that they were true. For example:

1. exodus 3:6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,^a]">[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The bush was already on fire but not burning...God had already spoken but it wasn't until God said who He was that made Moses believe it truly was God

2. exodus 3:11-12 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” ¹² And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^b]">[b] will worship God on this mountain.”

The most powerful God was telling Moses that he was chosen to free his people, yet he still didn't believe in himself and God had to give him set instructions on what to say...because Moses still didn't believe he was chosen

3. exodus 13-14 ¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.^c]">[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

He was still trying to make excuses...

There are different types of people. 1.Those who hear audibly from God and know it to be God but still doubt and 2.Those who hear from God but are not sure it is God (me)

There are many instances when Moses was trying to get out of the idea that God wanted him to free his people. Moses was weak and needed to be shown signs to make sure that God was legit. He doubted Gods plans even though he loved God with all his heart. And in that doubt it made God angry because essentially he was doubting God all together.

Its easy to be mad at Moses because he was able to hear God audibly when so many of us (me included) haven't really heard Gods voice tell us to do anything. I've had feelings, hunches, dreams, but never a full on audible conversation with God. But what would I have done if God told me the same thing he told Moses? I may have questioned God too. Are you sure you want ME to do it? Did you get me mixed up with someone else? I may look like someone you thought you wanted to choose...

One thing that i know is that God doesn't mess up. When He chooses someone for something its for a specific reason and purpose and its all for His glory. When God calls us to do something sometimes we doubt and ask for signs and thats how Moses wanted to make sure he wasn't going crazy. I'm a signs kinda girl, I want to make sure the idea in my head is not a devil one but a God one. So if your like me ask for signs (unless God talks to you audibly than i think you already have your sign)...because, i admit, i am weak and i want to make sure that I am in Gods will and not my own.

Lord,

Thank you for the call on my life. There are times when I doubt what you have for me and I feel uncomfortable and scared, but I know what you have is far greater than any plans I may think of. You are my Father and Savior and in you I lay my life and any plans I may have selfishly thought of.

I forever love you always

Two coins

Exodus 1, 2; Psalm 88; Luke 21

Luke 21:1-4

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

I've read this passage many times and have heard it preached...mostly for offering. But there are two things that i never paid attention to until now. Jesus said "these people gave their gifts out of their wealth...but she out of her poverty..." Jesus was trying to teach the people when they give they should give out of theyre most deperate state. When someone is rich they are comfortable, they are able to give some and still have some left over for themselves. But when someone is poor they have scraps, barely anything to get them by, if they give they won't have anything left over.

Jesus wants us to give as if we won't have anything left over. If I have food on my plate and i see someone who is hungrier than me..He doesn't want me to give them my fries and I keep the steak. No, He wants me to give the steak and fries. If someone is freezing and I have a sweater around my waist, he doesn't want me to hug them and try to warm them up...He wants me to give them my sweater. When we are giving, we need to give with EVERYTHING, not just material things either but also with a giving spirit.

Money is great but if we give with a spirit that makes us happy that we are giving to God, than thats better than a million dollars. God would rather us give knowing we are giving what we can instead of having a forced giving attitude.

The rich man knew he was rich and gave a little bit, he even probably thought he was doing a good thing giving a little bit and helping the church, but his heart was selfish...it was still about him, what he was doing, what he was giving. The poor widow gave her last two coins because she probably believed that God could do something bigger with it. She probably praised God for those last 2 coins because she was able to give them to God.

Lord,

thank you for your words that i can read them over and over again and they can be a different revelation every time. You are constantly teaching me new things and help me to always keep an open heart to You.

I forever love you always

1/16/11

Gen 39-41; Luke 16

Luke 16: 22-26

The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abrahams side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and sae Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 But Abraham replied, ‘Son remember that in your lifetime you received good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

As human form, Jesus felt what it could be to be greedy. He didn’t have to heal people, He didn’t have to feed people, He didn’t have to do anything for anyone. But also as a human, he felt our raw emotion. The needs. The desires. The desperation. Than as divine spirit He knew that whatever He could give to His people, He would do it without hesitation. But he wanted us humans to feel others desperation for a better way of living, so we could give them a piece of heaven on earth.

People that have more money or articles have the ability to give someone who doesn’t have those things a piece of heaven. Heaven is about love, praise, forgiveness, joy, peace, kindness…ALL THE TIME. While on earth there are not many places that you can feel all those things at the same time. There are people who are going through hell and don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. They see homelessness, they see hunger, they see dirt, they see tears. But I as 1 person can only do so much. But if people band together to give more, to love more, to reveal God more., those desperate people will be able to believe that there is a God that loves them.

The rich man in the scripture is just like any one of us. His name could be Melissa. But I refuse to be like the rich man…I refuse to allow myself see a hungry person and do nothing about. I refuse to believe that poverty is taboo. I want to stare it in the face and kick its butt. I want to stand against hunger, poverty, abuse, desperation. I know I’m only one person…but so was Jesus.

Lord,

Thank you for constant strength. You give me more each day so I can give it back to your people. When others are hungry, confused, desperate allow me to be an instrument in them finding you. Help open my eyes to more of what is going on in this world. Don’t let me sit back and relax, make me confront this and help as much as I can. Forgive me for my oblivious attitude, forgive me for my selfishness. I am Yours

I forever love you always

Humble pie

Gen 34-36; Luke 14

Luke 14: 8-11

When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat’. Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus knew how people thought. He knew that some thought more highly of themselves than others. He wanted to show the people that everyone was created equal…no matter where they came from (because God created us all). However, even though some people have higher status quotas than some they should still be humble people. Jesus, knowing He was the Son of God, knowing that He would die for these people, knowing He had the power and authority to heal all, still sat with the lowest of the lows.

Being around the elite and the poorest and rejected I see no difference. I think I feel sorry more for some of the elite because they think they have it made and in any minute they don’t realize that all of it can be taken away. And not only by Gods wrath but by nature, or human error, or anything at all. I try to keep a humble attitude at all times, I don’t like sitting in the front only when I am asked to. I try to look at everyone equal (but I know that doesn’t always happen). I try to be modest and non judgemental, but I know that it doesn’t always happen. I just want to be open, free, and accepting. That’s what I want.

Lord,

You are God yet you remain humble. You are Savior yet you forgive what we perceive as unforgivable. You are Master yet you allow us to mess up. Show me your ways to become a more graceful and humble person. Allow me to see the ways of your heart and hear your voice when I am only listening to mine. Forgive me Lord, for my sins and my thoughts that are not pleasing to you.

I forever love you always and forever