Saturday August 27, 2016

If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5

Nothing is more frustrating than knowing someone could help you but they choose not to. Please keep in mind, this is the character of man, not God.

God NEVER withholds Himself from us. When we ask for the things that draw us closer to God and bring glory to Him, He gives in great and overflowing abundance. We must pursue God’s character as fervently as some men pursue silver. Seek the face of God and strive to mirror It in our entire being.

Through the Looking Glass,

Gretchen

Friday August 26, 2016

Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cites of our God. The LORD will do what is good in His sight. 2 Samuel 10:12

Have you ever had your motives questioned? Had your kindness thrown back in your face?

This verse is lifted from an episode in the history of David as he is establishing the nation of Israel. A neighboring king, the king of the Ammonites died and David sent a delegation to express sympathy and show kindness. His envoy was not received in the manner in which it was sent and these men were treated to great humiliation. Hanun, the new king erred on the side of cynicism and momentary power, realized he just picked an unnecessary fight and prepared to defend. David responded in kingly fashion and gathered his army.

As the armies amassed on the battle field. David’s military commander Joab realized they were terribly outnumbered and gave this pep-talk: Be strong, fight bravely for the cities of our God, the LORD will do what is good.”

Joab spoke in this reverence because all the land was God’s not man’s. He also acknowledged that God is good, His will is good.

Standing on the cusp of battle surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy it is hard to comprehend that what we are fighting so furiously for is not even ours. It’s God’s and He’s got it. God is good so let Him worry about  the small stuff and of course the big stuff too. Just do good.

Gretchen

Thursday August 25, 2016

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. I Peter 3:11

As Jesus’ close friend, Peter would most certainly understand the passions of His heart and the purpose of His actions. They were pure and transparent, “Do good; seek peace,” with deliberate pursuit.

Any agenda other than peace is unacceptable. Doing good brings about peace. Others may not come into a state of peace, but you will and you is what you answer for.

When I come to my day of judgement, God will not ask me, “How did everyone treat you down there?” However, He will ask, “How did you treat others?” Doing good and seeking peace is the only acceptable answer to this question.

God loves peace and so must I.

Gretchen

Wednesday August 24, 2016

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7

If you are reading this you probably have a knowledge of salvation and for that I am truly thankful. I was saved at the age of twelve and while I still stand amazed in the miracle of that moment I often struggle with the deep dark parts of my heart and mind that want to take a break from my conscience and tell the world what I really think. Soon my heart breaks for its moment of carnal will and I’m defeated. It’s a vicious cycle, but God as our creator, great redeemer and lover of our souls has this under control.

Two things are working in the act of salvation: Jesus’ blood given freely and God’s grace in boundless supply. At the point of death, sin lost it’s power over Jesus and at the point of resurrection, sin lost it’s power over the believer. Now for that unlimited grace. There is no sin God can’t and won’t forgive. His riches cross the expanse of man’s moral and physical poverty. DO NOT live in defeat! Daily accept this gift, tell Satan to take a short hike off a tall cliff, and accept God’s rich grace as your own.

Living in Victory,

Gretchen

P.S. I encourage you to read the entire first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. It will strengthen you.

Tuesday August 23, 2016

But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son born of a woman, born under the law. Galatians 4:4

As the Son of God, Jesus had no boundaries, no restrictions of linear time, no limits of aging flesh and certainly no carnal temptations, but as Son of Man, Jesus took on all of these characteristics. He became fully man. He became just as we are so that we have a hope to become just as He is.

It’s just this simple, Jesus became human so that we can be Holy. Jesus came to earth to lead the way to Heaven.

In Christ,

Gretchen

Monday, August 22, 2016

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

Following the death of Moses Joshua was charged with leading the nation of Israel into the promised land. Things hadn’t been easy for Moses. It had been a long arduous trip, forty years wandering in the wilderness, not because God designed calamity, but because people are hard headed and hard hearted. Yet God remained true to His covenant and His promises. Now Joshua had a call to answer and God was paying forward the comfort and confidence Joshua was going to need to see His mission through. I especially love the promise of God’s constant presence.

Loneliness is the world’s deadliest disease. Horrible choices are made to avoid or end unwelcome solitude. People terminate their lives alienated from hope. Yet here we hear God’s voice to Joshua saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Even if you are alone, you will not fail ever! I am here! Here’s the great news! We get the same deal Joshua got!

It is inevitable that there will be times we feel friendless, forlorn, but if we look at Joshua’s story, he steps out into a state of being okay with just him and God. What tremendous victory over the trials of this world when we can shout, “It’s just God and me, and I’m good with that!”

Being Noisy!

Sunday Stories, August 21, 2016

Just get in the car!

When I was a small child my secret love was a world far beyond my front porch. My favorite book was an atlas or an encyclopedia. No I wasn’t a prodigy, I sat up late into the night looking at pictures. Despite all my passions for distant places, my life was very stationary. Ordinary people didn’t globe trot as readily as they do today. So I imagined, read books and hoped (without much faith) that someday I would chase the wind to the four corners of the planet.
Years went by and I met a boy. There was a great attraction. Attraction became love, love became marriage. Marriage became adventure and adventure became our lifetime.
WE GO! When people ask us where we’ve been, an appropriate answer is, “Everywhere.” Going is what we do best, but there have been times in our adventure that going was not an option. Sometimes managing family, home and employment meant remaining at our postal address for longer periods of time than was desirable. Don’t misunderstand me, I love my little house and the walls that hold all my joys and sorrows, but there is no better feeling than pulling out of the driveway knowing before you return the world will be smaller and hearts will be bigger.
There came a summer break when responsibility required that the Rooney family of four stay put. It wasn’t miserable, but we all got itchy feet. The beginning of school was fast approaching when my husband Keith came in the house one evening and said, “Pack some bags, when the sun comes up tomorrow we’re heading out.” There was great excitement with myself and our daughters but we were not without our inquires. I wanted to know if we needed clothes for warmth or swimsuits and sunscreen. How many days would we be gone and how far would we travel? Child number one wanted to know if she needed her hairbrush and would there be a Wal Mart stop along the way. Our youngest was most concerned with the question of weekly allowance when she wasn’t actually doing chores.
These responses are typical of our roles within the family unit and our basic personalities and impulses. Keith became very impatient when the questions didn’t stop the next morning. He had everything planned for quality family time. He just asked that we get in the car and trust him. He was worthy of our trust, he had successfully led us thousands of miles but we wanted assurances before we made a total commitment to fun.
This story led us to Southeast Missouri, and places off the beaten path that Keith had always wanted to visit. We went to Elephant Rocks and marveled at nature’s sculpture with only wind and rain for tools. Our journey continued to Johnson’s Shut-in, God’s own water slide. It was wonderful, or in other words, FULL of WONDER and has become one of my favorite family togethers.
As I reflect on this story I think how often God asks us to, “Just get in the car.” We drag things down asking for highlighted roadmaps and bulleted itineraries. The plan God has for us is prosperous and will always lead to His glory. My childhood dreams have come true in the perfection of God’s wisdom and timing so I can say with enthusiasm, “Put your face to the Son and buckle up because it’s going to be great!”

Saturday, August 20, 2016

But He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him and by His wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Today’s scripture is taken from the prophesy of Isaiah 700 years before the Son of God became the Son of Man. If I said nothing else, this fact alone speaks volumes about God’s plan to redeem mankind. However, peace is mentioned and if there is one ideal my heart yearns for, it is peace.

Peace is simply, the absence of strife and struggle; laying aside hostility. Every relationship on the face of the earth has some dynamic of peace or lack there of. In the promise of a redeeming Savior we find the word peace and the acknowledgement that to achieve this, someone had to make a sacrifice. Through Christ’s torture and death we are reconciled to God and that’s the biggie, but we are left with time here on earth in a discordant world. God didn’t just provide a victor over death, He afforded a means for us to live in harmony with each other and reside in a global community with confidence that God is in charge, always has been, always will be.

Have a great weekend!

Gretchen

Friday, August 19, 2016

Day after day, in the temple court and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 5:42

In addition to this verse I encourage you to read Acts 5:17-41. The Apostles were suffering extreme injustice and persecution for their evangelical work. Yet, no threat of abuse or loss of life was worth losing the promise of eternal life. Verse 41 tells that following a flogging intended to shut them up, the Apostles began rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer for the cross. Then came ‘Day after day, in the temple courts…………….’

I’ve heard of praising God, ‘In the Storm,’ I’ve even managed to praise Him in the storm, but these men were praising God FOR the storm.

It takes great maturity and faith to look back across life’s journey and be thankful for the tempest that nearly took us out. Yes, it is crucial that we praise God in the storm for this is the only way to survive and grow, but it is huge when we can reflect and see that the cross we were bearing was leading another to the cross of Calvary.

As the Apostles did, be faithful, grateful and very vocal knowing it will be worth it throughout all eternity.

Love,

Gretchen

 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

And in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over
every power and authority. Colossians 2:10 NIV

I should really back this devotional up to verse 8 which states, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

There is no argument that humans across the globe share similar patterns of behavior. We tend to act and react the same way in response to stimuli. We cry over a sad story, we cheer when the underdog triumphs over unsurmountable odds, AND we all get bogged down in the drudgery of everyday life. We are a very predictable species.

Except………

In Christ’s fullness you break the barriers of ordinary, habitual and frustratingly destructive conduct. In Christ you become all you are meant to be! You are no longer commanded by predictable human nature. Christ has every power in Heaven and earth and through Christ you are filled with that same power to overcome the ordinary responses of human nature. Faith tears down fear, love nullifies anger, mercy wins over vengeance and grace irradiates poverty of body and soul.

The fulness of Christ means to lose our human nature and take the nature of Christ. It’s a total makeover, totally free and totally worth it!

Love,

Gretchen