Temptations January 25, 2008

I woke up early…turned the heat up…flipped the switch to start the fire (that is just still weird to me) and settled down to have my quiet time. God has been so good to me and showing me such cool things from a devotional journal I’m using on the life of Jesus (thanks girlfriend) …anyway today was on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and it just really hit me big time.  

One reason is because instead of reading that and having that feeling like “yeah, right, that temptation was tough, He is God’s Son, of course He would resist the devil” (that thought could be laced with a little sarcasm for emphasis) I started asking “why would Satan tempt Jesus if there was no chance that he could choose the temptation?” he wouldn’t, and that’s what really got me today. Sometimes I have been guilty of glossing over the reality of Jesus making all the right choices to live a perfect, sinless life. I forget to ascribe His earthly time with the human characteristics that He had. If His flesh was anything at all like mine than He was really hungry and he had the power to speak a word and that stone be bread…yet, he didn’t …it also intensifies for me the choice that He made to follow through with the cross…may we never forget that it was a choice our Savior made that was voluntary.  

Secondly I was reminded of the power of speaking Scripture and using the Word of God to make a stand against temptations of all kinds. One of my resolutions is to have a stronger hunger and thirst for the Word and so I have mentioned (to myself and my discipleship group) that i am going to focus on memorizing Scripture this year but as of today I am not just talking about it, I’m getting it done…and now that I’m forty that will be even more of a challenge..where was I?…see what i mean? Starting with 1 Timothy 4:7-8  

Anybody else working on memorizing? Share your verses and maybe we can inspire one another!

The temptations will come and we need to be prepared. So when we look to Jesus’ example and fill our minds with the Word of God then we will have ready arsenal to shoot down Satan (i always type Stan first, lol)  

Commitments and Resolutions January 14, 2008

Well, I think I put it off long enough…and some people might think it strange that I would write about resolutions almost halfway through January, but those of you that know me well know that I tend to stay a little off base most of the time. I love new beginnings, new years, new days, new clothes, new journals and especially new shoes. I love that God’s mercies are new every day and I really have found a huge new appreciation for that fact.  We had dinner with some close friends on New Year’s Eve and one of them wanted us to all go around and share what our new year resolutions were. When it was my turn I was able to venture a couple of thoughts(that are actually things I had been contemplating) but the truth is that I have to think things like that through a little more and when new year’s eve rolls around I haven’t really had enough peace and quiet to focus on it quite yet. i love Christmas and all that goes with the season celebrating Jesus’ birth, but lets be honest, it is very busy ( i think i fixed like a zillion meals and did 700,000 loads of laundry), When I’m able to take time to be quiet and still, I like to just pray and focus on Him and not necessarily what all I need to change in the coming year. So that brings us to why I am getting to this now. 

This year my resolutions and commitments seem to all fall under two categories: 

1. Be intentional: about loving the Word of God and not just to know it but to live it 
-about my prayer life-go to another level with Him personally
-about my family- work to develop godly character in my kids 
- about being  healthy-drink more water!
- about witnessing 

 2. Expect the unexpected-there is nothing dull about my God and living a spirit filled life 
-always be willing to put people first-before my schedule or my ‘to do list’ 
-Live each day surrendered to the Holy Spirit -then watch and expect Him to do great things daily  

that about sums it up for me…looks like its going to be a great year:)  what about you? i’d be interested to see what everyone else’s resolutions are…maybe they will inspire me and i can add to mine