Mark 10:18 (ESV)
And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Good morning Zebras,
Don’t you wish you were perfect? I do.
I am so tired of making mistakes and having to ask for forgiveness that I just want to curl up and do nothing.
Of course doing nothing accomplishes nothing and I think that is a sin.
None of us are perfect. All of us make mistakes and because of that we need to learn to forgive one another and give each other grace.
This weekend our pastor gave a great sermon on relating with others. He gave a list of characteristics that mark an unhealthy relationship. One of those characteristics was a tendency to be defensive, which unfortunately I have.
I could give you a lot of reasons, like having been wounded so often in the past I immediately go into a defensive position when I feel I am being attacked, but that doesn’t really matter. My reaction is a sin.
The funny thing is I am most defensive with the people I really want to like me.
Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages talks about ways to make others feel loved. He says that people feel love different ways. Some like acts of service, some like gifts, and others prefer that you spend time with them, or have some type of physical contact. But I think I must be a “words of encouragement” girl.
I will work like a dog if you will praise me, but I curl up like a wounded animal when rebuked. Of course that makes it hard to hear criticism, valid or not, so it is something I need to work on.
All of us have areas we need to work on but the great thing is God knows that and loves us still. He knows we are not perfect, but He has the ability to see our heart. He knows the motive that lies beneath the action and He understands and wants to help.
It has been my experience that I can try really hard to change a behavior by focusing all my energy on it with very little success, or I can focus on who God is and who He says I am and the behavior stops.
Love,
Jill
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sacrificing Idols
Exodus 34:14 (NIV)
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Good morning Zebras,
Since yesterday, I have been thinking about what would have happened if Abraham had said no. If instead of getting up early and going where God told him to go he got up early, took Isaac, and ran in the other direction.
Obviously it would have had a different ending because God could not allow Abraham to love anything more than he loved Him.
God had given Isaac to Abraham, he was the son that God had promised him and it would only be human to love that child with all his heart. In fact, the first time the word love is used in the Bible is in Genesis 22:2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
God knew what He was asking and the implications for us are huge.
God has given us everything, our homes, our jobs, our families, our ministries, our life. Do we love any of them more than we love God? Would we be willing to give them up if God asked us to?
As women we often put our children first and that’s a mistake. God has to be first, not church and church work, but God Himself. Our husbands’ should be number two and then our children. God did not design the family to be run by a child.
Nor did He design ministry to replace Him and feed our egos, or for our work to be so all consuming that we have time for nothing else.
I don’t think any of us start out planning to turn one of God’s blessings into an idol. We usually start out being incredibly grateful but along the way something changes, what started out as a blessing becomes a stumbling block. And you know you are in serious trouble when God asks you to give it back and you won’t.
Love,
Jill
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Good morning Zebras,
Since yesterday, I have been thinking about what would have happened if Abraham had said no. If instead of getting up early and going where God told him to go he got up early, took Isaac, and ran in the other direction.
Obviously it would have had a different ending because God could not allow Abraham to love anything more than he loved Him.
God had given Isaac to Abraham, he was the son that God had promised him and it would only be human to love that child with all his heart. In fact, the first time the word love is used in the Bible is in Genesis 22:2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
God knew what He was asking and the implications for us are huge.
God has given us everything, our homes, our jobs, our families, our ministries, our life. Do we love any of them more than we love God? Would we be willing to give them up if God asked us to?
As women we often put our children first and that’s a mistake. God has to be first, not church and church work, but God Himself. Our husbands’ should be number two and then our children. God did not design the family to be run by a child.
Nor did He design ministry to replace Him and feed our egos, or for our work to be so all consuming that we have time for nothing else.
I don’t think any of us start out planning to turn one of God’s blessings into an idol. We usually start out being incredibly grateful but along the way something changes, what started out as a blessing becomes a stumbling block. And you know you are in serious trouble when God asks you to give it back and you won’t.
Love,
Jill
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Passing the Test
Genesis 22:1-2
Sometime later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
Good morning Zebras,
I continue to process what God taught me at retreat and I am beginning to think the retreat was more for me than for those who attended.
Getting ready for retreat was a difficult task. I will spare you all the details but I felt God was asking me to do something that made no logical sense. I kept taking it to God, but He kept confirming I had heard Him correctly.
In hindsight, it is easy to see it was a test.
At Meribah, God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth, but Moses in his anger and frustration struck the rock instead. Because of that Moses was denied access into the Promised Land.
People often think this is a very harsh punishment for a very small indiscretion. I mean Moses had put up with those whiny Israelites for forty years. Anyone else would have snapped long before he did.
But that isn’t the point, the point is God TOLD Moses to do it a certain way and he didn’t do it. He did it his way, and God wasn’t pleased. God’s work must be done God’s way.
When God asked Abraham to give him Isaac, the son he loved, He knew Abraham would do it. He knew Abraham loved Him more than he loved his own son, but until Abraham raised the knife to slay Isaac I bet Abraham had his doubts.
He probably knew he was supposed to love God more than anything else, but did he? Had he gotten so fond of Isaac that he had let him take God’s place?
That moment on the mountain God put all of Abraham’s doubts to rest.
When God puts you to the test it is so you can see “what you are made of” and when He asks you to give up something, it doesn’t mean He is actually going to take it away. It just means you need to be willing to let it go.
Love,
Jill
Sometime later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
Good morning Zebras,
I continue to process what God taught me at retreat and I am beginning to think the retreat was more for me than for those who attended.
Getting ready for retreat was a difficult task. I will spare you all the details but I felt God was asking me to do something that made no logical sense. I kept taking it to God, but He kept confirming I had heard Him correctly.
In hindsight, it is easy to see it was a test.
At Meribah, God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth, but Moses in his anger and frustration struck the rock instead. Because of that Moses was denied access into the Promised Land.
People often think this is a very harsh punishment for a very small indiscretion. I mean Moses had put up with those whiny Israelites for forty years. Anyone else would have snapped long before he did.
But that isn’t the point, the point is God TOLD Moses to do it a certain way and he didn’t do it. He did it his way, and God wasn’t pleased. God’s work must be done God’s way.
When God asked Abraham to give him Isaac, the son he loved, He knew Abraham would do it. He knew Abraham loved Him more than he loved his own son, but until Abraham raised the knife to slay Isaac I bet Abraham had his doubts.
He probably knew he was supposed to love God more than anything else, but did he? Had he gotten so fond of Isaac that he had let him take God’s place?
That moment on the mountain God put all of Abraham’s doubts to rest.
When God puts you to the test it is so you can see “what you are made of” and when He asks you to give up something, it doesn’t mean He is actually going to take it away. It just means you need to be willing to let it go.
Love,
Jill
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Reestablishing Faith
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
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.
Good morning Zebras,
Yesterday was a processing day. So much happened at retreat that I needed a day to rest and reflect, but this morning I woke up ready to go.
The first thing I did was my quiet time and I started peppering God with questions again. “What’s next? Where are we going from here? Was that it? One retreat and I’m done? Do I need to go back to teaching?”...etc.
Then I read Oswald Chambers. “How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be free to concentrate on our service to Him?”
At retreat God showed me how much time and energy I waste trying to figure out what He is going to do. Like Abraham, I believe God’s promises enough to obey but I’m not sure how He is going to accomplish them, so I spend a lot of time coming up with possible solutions. Instead of just trusting that God will do what God has said He will do, I worry and fret and try to “figure God out.”
Of course you can never figure out God. If we could He wouldn’t be God.
One time, many years ago God “let me down.” I asked Him for something and He didn’t answer my prayer the way I expected. So I decided He wasn’t trustworthy and I walked away. I didn’t give Him a chance to reveal His plan for me I just decided I was done.
This weekend God showed me I should have waited.
God has promised to love us and take care of us and to work everything out for our good. He hasn’t promised us an easy road, because easy roads don’t grow faith.
Love,
Jill
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.
Good morning Zebras,
Yesterday was a processing day. So much happened at retreat that I needed a day to rest and reflect, but this morning I woke up ready to go.
The first thing I did was my quiet time and I started peppering God with questions again. “What’s next? Where are we going from here? Was that it? One retreat and I’m done? Do I need to go back to teaching?”...etc.
Then I read Oswald Chambers. “How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be free to concentrate on our service to Him?”
At retreat God showed me how much time and energy I waste trying to figure out what He is going to do. Like Abraham, I believe God’s promises enough to obey but I’m not sure how He is going to accomplish them, so I spend a lot of time coming up with possible solutions. Instead of just trusting that God will do what God has said He will do, I worry and fret and try to “figure God out.”
Of course you can never figure out God. If we could He wouldn’t be God.
One time, many years ago God “let me down.” I asked Him for something and He didn’t answer my prayer the way I expected. So I decided He wasn’t trustworthy and I walked away. I didn’t give Him a chance to reveal His plan for me I just decided I was done.
This weekend God showed me I should have waited.
God has promised to love us and take care of us and to work everything out for our good. He hasn’t promised us an easy road, because easy roads don’t grow faith.
Love,
Jill
Monday, January 24, 2011
Walk of Faith
James 2:14, 20-22
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?...You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
Good morning Zebras,
I didn’t write last week because I was preparing for retreat and God gave me permission to take the week off. I actually wasn’t sure I was going to be writing anymore but God confirmed this weekend that encouraging Christian women to live “outside the boat” and hang together for protection is what He has called me to do.
The topic of the weekend was “Pursuing God” so we looked at four men whose lives exemplified what it means to pursue God; Abraham, Moses, David and Paul.
To be honest I didn’t want to teach about Abraham. He wasn’t one of my favorites, but I really felt God telling me that I needed to start with him. And I am so glad I did. Because preparing for retreat became my own personal walk of faith and Abraham became my best friend.
People like to discuss how Abraham felt as he walked up that mountain, was he confident, was he afraid? We really don’t know because the Bible doesn’t say. It just says that he went. And I think that is because that is what is most important.
God could have provided the ram before Abraham went up the mountain. He could have provided it on the journey up. Or He could have provided it the moment Abraham tied Isaac down. But He didn’t. He waited until Abraham took the knife to slay his son.
God does not provide the miraculous until it is really needed.
This weekend I drove up a mountain in fear and trembling praying God would provide a miracle, and He did, at the last minute, on the last day, as only He can.
Saying you believe God is faithful is easy, acting like you believe it is true is a whole lot harder.
Love,
Jill
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?...You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
Good morning Zebras,
I didn’t write last week because I was preparing for retreat and God gave me permission to take the week off. I actually wasn’t sure I was going to be writing anymore but God confirmed this weekend that encouraging Christian women to live “outside the boat” and hang together for protection is what He has called me to do.
The topic of the weekend was “Pursuing God” so we looked at four men whose lives exemplified what it means to pursue God; Abraham, Moses, David and Paul.
To be honest I didn’t want to teach about Abraham. He wasn’t one of my favorites, but I really felt God telling me that I needed to start with him. And I am so glad I did. Because preparing for retreat became my own personal walk of faith and Abraham became my best friend.
People like to discuss how Abraham felt as he walked up that mountain, was he confident, was he afraid? We really don’t know because the Bible doesn’t say. It just says that he went. And I think that is because that is what is most important.
God could have provided the ram before Abraham went up the mountain. He could have provided it on the journey up. Or He could have provided it the moment Abraham tied Isaac down. But He didn’t. He waited until Abraham took the knife to slay his son.
God does not provide the miraculous until it is really needed.
This weekend I drove up a mountain in fear and trembling praying God would provide a miracle, and He did, at the last minute, on the last day, as only He can.
Saying you believe God is faithful is easy, acting like you believe it is true is a whole lot harder.
Love,
Jill
Friday, January 14, 2011
Making Sandwiches
Genesis 18:13-14a
The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD?
Good morning Zebras,
I have been making lunch for my daughter since she started first grade. She is a senior this year so that means I have been making her lunch, almost every day, for twelve years. As you might imagine I have gotten pretty good at it.
In November, when I had hip surgery, one of the things I quit doing was packing the kid’s lunch. Instead I gave them money and they bought their lunch at school.
It is a pattern we have continued until today because last night my daughter asked if I would pack her a lunch.
This morning as she was eating breakfast, I remembered I hadn’t packed her lunch yet. She only had a few minutes left before she had to leave for school, so she told me not to worry about it, she would just buy something.
I knew I had plenty of time to pack a lunch before she had to leave. She wasn’t so sure.
She went off to brush her teeth and I had her lunch packed before she got back downstairs. After twelve years of practice, packing lunches isn’t hard for me.
Yesterday I spent the entire day pondering on the power of God. I have asked God for something big and I believe He is going to do it, but I still have doubts. This morning He used a simple sack lunch to remind me, nothing is too difficult for Him.
For twelve years I have been making my daughter’s lunch, yet this morning when she was under pressure to get to school on time she wasn’t sure I could to do it. She wanted to take the money because she was afraid I would let her down. She was afraid I had promised something I couldn’t deliver.
How many times do we do the same thing with God?
We ask God for something, then decide it is too hard for Him and quickly go to Plan B. When the truth of the matter is nothing is too hard for God, NOTHING! And everything we ask for, EVERYTHING, is like “making a sandwich” for God.
It is hard to wait on God, probably one of the hardest things He asks us to do. But as my son says, “Mom, it wouldn’t feel like a miracle if He did it three weeks in advance.”
Love,
Jill
The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD?
Good morning Zebras,
I have been making lunch for my daughter since she started first grade. She is a senior this year so that means I have been making her lunch, almost every day, for twelve years. As you might imagine I have gotten pretty good at it.
In November, when I had hip surgery, one of the things I quit doing was packing the kid’s lunch. Instead I gave them money and they bought their lunch at school.
It is a pattern we have continued until today because last night my daughter asked if I would pack her a lunch.
This morning as she was eating breakfast, I remembered I hadn’t packed her lunch yet. She only had a few minutes left before she had to leave for school, so she told me not to worry about it, she would just buy something.
I knew I had plenty of time to pack a lunch before she had to leave. She wasn’t so sure.
She went off to brush her teeth and I had her lunch packed before she got back downstairs. After twelve years of practice, packing lunches isn’t hard for me.
Yesterday I spent the entire day pondering on the power of God. I have asked God for something big and I believe He is going to do it, but I still have doubts. This morning He used a simple sack lunch to remind me, nothing is too difficult for Him.
For twelve years I have been making my daughter’s lunch, yet this morning when she was under pressure to get to school on time she wasn’t sure I could to do it. She wanted to take the money because she was afraid I would let her down. She was afraid I had promised something I couldn’t deliver.
How many times do we do the same thing with God?
We ask God for something, then decide it is too hard for Him and quickly go to Plan B. When the truth of the matter is nothing is too hard for God, NOTHING! And everything we ask for, EVERYTHING, is like “making a sandwich” for God.
It is hard to wait on God, probably one of the hardest things He asks us to do. But as my son says, “Mom, it wouldn’t feel like a miracle if He did it three weeks in advance.”
Love,
Jill
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Know God
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Good morning Zebras,
This morning my daughter and I took a walk. Now, before my hip went completely out six months ago, I used to walk quite a bit. So last night when we were discussing which walk to take this morning, I said I wanted to take the “big walk.” It is about three miles and goes up and down hills.
But my daughter didn’t think I was up to that yet, since I am still recovering from hip replacement surgery so she suggested the “medium” walk. Not quite so long and not quite so hard.
Well, this morning I found out I am not even ready for that. Six months of little to no exercise has made me weak.
To have strong muscles we all know they need to be exercised. And that includes our spiritual muscles. I think the reason so many Christians are struggling is they haven’t really exercised their spiritual muscles. We have never really learned who God is so we aren’t as strong as we could be.
The last few days, I have been reading A.W. Tozer’s book The Attributes of God. Tozer was a godly man whose entire goal in life was to know God and to encourage others to do the same. In the first chapter of his book he wrote this:
[I started this chapter with the verse]…”they that know thy name will put their trust in Thee” [because] the word “name” means character, plus reputation... We wonder why we don’t have faith; the answer is, faith is confidence in the character of God and if we don’t know…God… [therefore]we can’t have faith.
Truer words were never spoken.
God wants His people to know Him. He wants us to know He is sovereign, holy, good, just, powerful, forgiving, faithful, loving, gracious, merciful, and righteous. He wants us to know He is everywhere in charge of all things. He wants us to know that, with His help, we CAN walk the “big walk.” He wants us to quit worrying and have faith.
I don’t think any of us can live the victorious Christian life we desire without a clear understanding of who God really is.
Love,
Jill
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Good morning Zebras,
This morning my daughter and I took a walk. Now, before my hip went completely out six months ago, I used to walk quite a bit. So last night when we were discussing which walk to take this morning, I said I wanted to take the “big walk.” It is about three miles and goes up and down hills.
But my daughter didn’t think I was up to that yet, since I am still recovering from hip replacement surgery so she suggested the “medium” walk. Not quite so long and not quite so hard.
Well, this morning I found out I am not even ready for that. Six months of little to no exercise has made me weak.
To have strong muscles we all know they need to be exercised. And that includes our spiritual muscles. I think the reason so many Christians are struggling is they haven’t really exercised their spiritual muscles. We have never really learned who God is so we aren’t as strong as we could be.
The last few days, I have been reading A.W. Tozer’s book The Attributes of God. Tozer was a godly man whose entire goal in life was to know God and to encourage others to do the same. In the first chapter of his book he wrote this:
[I started this chapter with the verse]…”they that know thy name will put their trust in Thee” [because] the word “name” means character, plus reputation... We wonder why we don’t have faith; the answer is, faith is confidence in the character of God and if we don’t know…God… [therefore]we can’t have faith.
Truer words were never spoken.
God wants His people to know Him. He wants us to know He is sovereign, holy, good, just, powerful, forgiving, faithful, loving, gracious, merciful, and righteous. He wants us to know He is everywhere in charge of all things. He wants us to know that, with His help, we CAN walk the “big walk.” He wants us to quit worrying and have faith.
I don’t think any of us can live the victorious Christian life we desire without a clear understanding of who God really is.
Love,
Jill
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Eat the Good Stuff
John 4:13-14 (English Standard Version)
Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Good morning Zebras,
Yesterday I forgot to feed my moodles. Moodles, for those of you who are new, is the name we made up to describe our little dogs that are half mutt and half poodle.
All day they kept going to the back door asking to be let out to use the bathroom and I couldn’t figure out why. About four o’clock I realized the reason they kept wanting to go out was because they wanted the treat they get for going “potty-potty” outside. Since they hadn’t had any breakfast they were trying to fill themselves up on little bones.
This morning as I was feeding them, I thought that is a great topic for today’s z-mail. How the lost try to fill themselves up with the little things of the world because they are hungry and they don’t realize only God can satisfy them.
And then I realized that there is an application for Christians too.
This weekend a friend gave me a book to read. It was a good book and I’m sure I would have liked it. It was about God’s faithfulness to one of His dedicated servants.
That night, when I went to read it, I felt God say. ”You can read the words of men, or you can read the words of God. You can read what I did for them, or you can read what I want to do with you.”
Obviously, I put down the book and found my Bible.
All of us have limited time to read, and it is fun and encouraging to read what God has done in other people’s lives, but not if it takes the place of reading God’s Word.
There is a lot of “Christian” literature out there and not all of it is good. Some of it is so far off track and riddled with worldly philosophy that it shouldn’t even be in the Christian book section. Especially in secular book stores. But even the good stuff can become a hindrance if you rely upon it more than you rely upon the Word of God.
If all you read is what God has said to other Christians, you are cheating yourself. You are living on pre-chewed food. God has a feast prepared for each one of us, but we need to open His Word and eat.
Love,
Jill
Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Good morning Zebras,
Yesterday I forgot to feed my moodles. Moodles, for those of you who are new, is the name we made up to describe our little dogs that are half mutt and half poodle.
All day they kept going to the back door asking to be let out to use the bathroom and I couldn’t figure out why. About four o’clock I realized the reason they kept wanting to go out was because they wanted the treat they get for going “potty-potty” outside. Since they hadn’t had any breakfast they were trying to fill themselves up on little bones.
This morning as I was feeding them, I thought that is a great topic for today’s z-mail. How the lost try to fill themselves up with the little things of the world because they are hungry and they don’t realize only God can satisfy them.
And then I realized that there is an application for Christians too.
This weekend a friend gave me a book to read. It was a good book and I’m sure I would have liked it. It was about God’s faithfulness to one of His dedicated servants.
That night, when I went to read it, I felt God say. ”You can read the words of men, or you can read the words of God. You can read what I did for them, or you can read what I want to do with you.”
Obviously, I put down the book and found my Bible.
All of us have limited time to read, and it is fun and encouraging to read what God has done in other people’s lives, but not if it takes the place of reading God’s Word.
There is a lot of “Christian” literature out there and not all of it is good. Some of it is so far off track and riddled with worldly philosophy that it shouldn’t even be in the Christian book section. Especially in secular book stores. But even the good stuff can become a hindrance if you rely upon it more than you rely upon the Word of God.
If all you read is what God has said to other Christians, you are cheating yourself. You are living on pre-chewed food. God has a feast prepared for each one of us, but we need to open His Word and eat.
Love,
Jill
Monday, January 10, 2011
Who Do You Follow?
1 Corinthians 3:3-4 (English Standard Version)
for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
Good morning Zebras,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I did. I had the privilege of helping to train Awana commanders. Getting to spend the weekend with people who are dedicated to reaching others with the gospel was an uplifting experience.
For those of you who don’t know Awana, it is an international ministry, centered on Scripture memorization, dedicated to reaching children and their families with the gospel. It is a wonderful ministry and one that was incredibly influential in my life. It brought me back to the church and was the vehicle God used to reach my children. It also started a love for the Word of God that was fanned into flames at BSF.
BSF, Bible Study Fellowship, is also an international interdenominational ministry dedicated to the Word of God.
What I love about both of these ministries, is the average person has no idea who is running them, which helps keep the focus where it should be, on the Gospel and the Word of God and off of men.
Hopefully no one goes into the ministry to become a “star”. And no ministry is started to eclipse the Gospel, but that is what sometimes happens. God uses them so powerfully, that people start following the person or the ministry instead of Christ.
And it isn’t a new problem.
When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he chastised them for following men instead of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?... neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth…
Even Paul, probably the most powerful preacher of all time knew he was nothing and that Christ was everything. And yet people didn’t get it. They started arguing about who was better, Paul or Apollos, and missed the whole point.
Each one of us must be careful about who or what we are following, because it is so easy to lose focus. Are we following a popular preacher, a favorite ministry, or the domination we belong to? Or are we following Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith who died, was buried, and rose again to give us a new and abundant life?
Love,
Jill
for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
Good morning Zebras,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I did. I had the privilege of helping to train Awana commanders. Getting to spend the weekend with people who are dedicated to reaching others with the gospel was an uplifting experience.
For those of you who don’t know Awana, it is an international ministry, centered on Scripture memorization, dedicated to reaching children and their families with the gospel. It is a wonderful ministry and one that was incredibly influential in my life. It brought me back to the church and was the vehicle God used to reach my children. It also started a love for the Word of God that was fanned into flames at BSF.
BSF, Bible Study Fellowship, is also an international interdenominational ministry dedicated to the Word of God.
What I love about both of these ministries, is the average person has no idea who is running them, which helps keep the focus where it should be, on the Gospel and the Word of God and off of men.
Hopefully no one goes into the ministry to become a “star”. And no ministry is started to eclipse the Gospel, but that is what sometimes happens. God uses them so powerfully, that people start following the person or the ministry instead of Christ.
And it isn’t a new problem.
When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he chastised them for following men instead of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?... neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth…
Even Paul, probably the most powerful preacher of all time knew he was nothing and that Christ was everything. And yet people didn’t get it. They started arguing about who was better, Paul or Apollos, and missed the whole point.
Each one of us must be careful about who or what we are following, because it is so easy to lose focus. Are we following a popular preacher, a favorite ministry, or the domination we belong to? Or are we following Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith who died, was buried, and rose again to give us a new and abundant life?
Love,
Jill
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Keep On Marching
Joshua 6:3
March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
Good morning Zebras,
Daily obedience and trust in God is a basic requirement of the Christian faith. Sometimes it seems easier to say than to do.
Right now is one of those times for me.
But this morning when I woke up feeling a little bit sorry for myself, God reminded me of Joshua and Noah. Can you imagine how foolish Noah must have felt building an ark? Or Joshua as he marched around Jericho waiting for the walls to fall down?
Or maybe they didn’t feel foolish at all. Maybe their faith in God was so strong they just obeyed without any thought to how it looked. The Bible doesn’t tell us.
But how they felt isn’t really the important part, what they did is.
Both of them obeyed God and did what seemed to be something very foolish. They believed God and obeyed. Just like Abraham.
Abraham has become one of my new favorites. The life of faith he lived should be an example to us all. He left everything he knew and followed God. But what makes it even more amazing to me is that prior to this, there is no indication Abraham even knew who God was. In fact he probably didn’t. God hadn’t spoken to anyone for three hundred years. There was no “Jewish Nation,” so most likely Abraham was an idol worshiper just like everyone else. But God spoke and Abraham went.
No wonder the disciples understood the concept of leaving everything to follow Christ.
Over and over again in the New Testament we see people called by Jesus to walk away from whatever they were doing to follow Him. Yet we still hesitate.
God wants us to follow Him with our whole life, not a portion, not the part that makes sense, all of it, every day. He has given us way too many examples to think otherwise.
Of course Jesus himself was the ultimate example. Becoming obedient unto to death and why? So the world would know that He loved His Father and did exactly what His Father commanded Him to do. John 14:31
Have a great weekend little Zebras. I’ll talk to you again on Monday.
Love,
Jill
March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
Good morning Zebras,
Daily obedience and trust in God is a basic requirement of the Christian faith. Sometimes it seems easier to say than to do.
Right now is one of those times for me.
But this morning when I woke up feeling a little bit sorry for myself, God reminded me of Joshua and Noah. Can you imagine how foolish Noah must have felt building an ark? Or Joshua as he marched around Jericho waiting for the walls to fall down?
Or maybe they didn’t feel foolish at all. Maybe their faith in God was so strong they just obeyed without any thought to how it looked. The Bible doesn’t tell us.
But how they felt isn’t really the important part, what they did is.
Both of them obeyed God and did what seemed to be something very foolish. They believed God and obeyed. Just like Abraham.
Abraham has become one of my new favorites. The life of faith he lived should be an example to us all. He left everything he knew and followed God. But what makes it even more amazing to me is that prior to this, there is no indication Abraham even knew who God was. In fact he probably didn’t. God hadn’t spoken to anyone for three hundred years. There was no “Jewish Nation,” so most likely Abraham was an idol worshiper just like everyone else. But God spoke and Abraham went.
No wonder the disciples understood the concept of leaving everything to follow Christ.
Over and over again in the New Testament we see people called by Jesus to walk away from whatever they were doing to follow Him. Yet we still hesitate.
God wants us to follow Him with our whole life, not a portion, not the part that makes sense, all of it, every day. He has given us way too many examples to think otherwise.
Of course Jesus himself was the ultimate example. Becoming obedient unto to death and why? So the world would know that He loved His Father and did exactly what His Father commanded Him to do. John 14:31
Have a great weekend little Zebras. I’ll talk to you again on Monday.
Love,
Jill
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A Little Help From My Friends
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (English Standard Version)
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Good morning Zebras,
I had decided not to write to you this morning. God hadn’t given me anything to say and I have learned from painful experience that it is best to listen to God.
So I decided I would use the time I normally spend writing the z-mail to call my Zebra sister Nancy. Nancy and I met at Awana camp a couple of years ago and she got involved with Zebras when she commented on my poor spelling and grammar.
I believe her exact word were something like. “I really like your e-mails but I always fix your mistakes before I send them on.”
Now I could have been offended but “truth is truth” and I already knew that English was not my strength. I mean I flunked Freshman Composition twice in college. So we made a deal, I would send my z-mails to her for editing before I published them.
But sometimes Nancy wasn’t available so I drafted my husband to help me as well. Gary is really good at grammar and he knows my writing style, so editing my z-mails is a job he was made to do.
Yesterday, you may have noticed, I didn’t ask either one of them for help.
I figured they were both busy and I didn’t want to bother them so I tried it on my own. I read it over multiple times; I even called a friend and read it to her over the phone. But you probably wouldn’t know that from the finished product.
From what I hear there were multiple errors.
So here are the lessons. First, even when you think you can handle things on your own, don’t! God gave us other Christians to encourage us and walk beside us. He gave us people who have different strengths than ours because He doesn’t expect us to do everything alone. Even small things like writing z-mails are better when you do them together.
And second, you need to be willing to ask for help. I assumed that Nancy and Gary were both too busy to help, but I was wrong. They were just waiting for me to call.
Love,
Jill
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Good morning Zebras,
I had decided not to write to you this morning. God hadn’t given me anything to say and I have learned from painful experience that it is best to listen to God.
So I decided I would use the time I normally spend writing the z-mail to call my Zebra sister Nancy. Nancy and I met at Awana camp a couple of years ago and she got involved with Zebras when she commented on my poor spelling and grammar.
I believe her exact word were something like. “I really like your e-mails but I always fix your mistakes before I send them on.”
Now I could have been offended but “truth is truth” and I already knew that English was not my strength. I mean I flunked Freshman Composition twice in college. So we made a deal, I would send my z-mails to her for editing before I published them.
But sometimes Nancy wasn’t available so I drafted my husband to help me as well. Gary is really good at grammar and he knows my writing style, so editing my z-mails is a job he was made to do.
Yesterday, you may have noticed, I didn’t ask either one of them for help.
I figured they were both busy and I didn’t want to bother them so I tried it on my own. I read it over multiple times; I even called a friend and read it to her over the phone. But you probably wouldn’t know that from the finished product.
From what I hear there were multiple errors.
So here are the lessons. First, even when you think you can handle things on your own, don’t! God gave us other Christians to encourage us and walk beside us. He gave us people who have different strengths than ours because He doesn’t expect us to do everything alone. Even small things like writing z-mails are better when you do them together.
And second, you need to be willing to ask for help. I assumed that Nancy and Gary were both too busy to help, but I was wrong. They were just waiting for me to call.
Love,
Jill
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
There is a Difference
1 Corinthians 3:12-13 (English Standard Version)
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
Good morning Zebras,
While I was recovering from hip surgery in November I had a lot of time to watch movies. I went on Netflix and ordered up my favorite Christian movies and when those ran out I ordered the ones that Netflix suggested.
One of the movies starred an actor I didn’t know was a Christian. So I was really surprised to see he had also produced it. Producing and starring in a movie, to me, says that you are passionate about the project. But that isn’t how the film felt.
It was actually weird. They were saying all the right words, sort of, but there was no spirit behind them. They felt like lines in movie not words from God.
Any one of you who has seen the movies the Kendrick brothers have done know what I mean. Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof are all movies but they are also riddled with the presence of God. The faith of the people involved shines through.
When my husband got home I told him about this weird movie I had watched. It piqued his curiously so he looked the actor up on the internet. Turns out he is not a professing Christian; he is the president of a company that produces movies for target audiences.
This movie was actually their second project. Their first was a movie for people who loved sports; this one was for people who loved God.
That explained everything.
They hadn’t done this project to bring honor and glory to God, they had done it to entertain Christians and make money. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I guess Christians need movies too, but it sure felt different.
Doing “Godly” work for personal gain doesn’t have the same spirit as doing work for God’s glory. One is about us and one is about Him. And even if I can’t always tell the difference, that movie made me realize others probably could.
I guess that’s why Paul urged the Corinthians: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Love,
Jill
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
Good morning Zebras,
While I was recovering from hip surgery in November I had a lot of time to watch movies. I went on Netflix and ordered up my favorite Christian movies and when those ran out I ordered the ones that Netflix suggested.
One of the movies starred an actor I didn’t know was a Christian. So I was really surprised to see he had also produced it. Producing and starring in a movie, to me, says that you are passionate about the project. But that isn’t how the film felt.
It was actually weird. They were saying all the right words, sort of, but there was no spirit behind them. They felt like lines in movie not words from God.
Any one of you who has seen the movies the Kendrick brothers have done know what I mean. Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof are all movies but they are also riddled with the presence of God. The faith of the people involved shines through.
When my husband got home I told him about this weird movie I had watched. It piqued his curiously so he looked the actor up on the internet. Turns out he is not a professing Christian; he is the president of a company that produces movies for target audiences.
This movie was actually their second project. Their first was a movie for people who loved sports; this one was for people who loved God.
That explained everything.
They hadn’t done this project to bring honor and glory to God, they had done it to entertain Christians and make money. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I guess Christians need movies too, but it sure felt different.
Doing “Godly” work for personal gain doesn’t have the same spirit as doing work for God’s glory. One is about us and one is about Him. And even if I can’t always tell the difference, that movie made me realize others probably could.
I guess that’s why Paul urged the Corinthians: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Love,
Jill
Monday, January 3, 2011
Part of the Herd
1Kings 19:18
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Good morning Zebras and Happy New Year,
I would like to welcome all the new zebras who joined the herd over the weekend. I hope that you find this an encouraging place to be, I know I do.
Most of you probably know the story of Elijah, the great prophet of God, but if you don’t, his story can be found starting in 1Kings 17. It is a great story about the power of God and the foolishness of following idols.
The part of the story that I have been thinking about the last few weeks is found in 1Kings 19. Elijah after his successful ministry experience fled to the hills because he was afraid. He had just done the most amazing things for God, but when a woman threatened to take his life he temporarily lost his faith and ran.
God sent an angel to give him rest and food. But after a few nights rest in a cave, God appeared to Elijah and asked him what he was doing. Look at Elijah’s reply.
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Basically Elijah felt like he was all alone. He didn’t see anybody standing next to him so he thought he was the only one left who really loved God.
But the LORD set him straight. There were seven thousand other people in Israel who hadn’t bowed down and worshiped Baal, seven thousand who had remained true to God. That encouraged Elijah and he went back to work.
God knows we need the encouragement of other believers to accomplish His work. He knows we get lonely and afraid. And that is the purpose of this ministry. To encourage women who love the Lord that you are not alone, nor are you crazy. You’re just a Zebra, a woman whose love for God makes you look and feel different.
This weekend the number of women on the Zebra Ministries' Facebook page hit three hundred and although it isn’t seven thousand, it’s a start. And hopefully it is an encouragement to you to keep going.
You are not alone. You’re part of the herd.
Love,
Jill
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Good morning Zebras and Happy New Year,
I would like to welcome all the new zebras who joined the herd over the weekend. I hope that you find this an encouraging place to be, I know I do.
Most of you probably know the story of Elijah, the great prophet of God, but if you don’t, his story can be found starting in 1Kings 17. It is a great story about the power of God and the foolishness of following idols.
The part of the story that I have been thinking about the last few weeks is found in 1Kings 19. Elijah after his successful ministry experience fled to the hills because he was afraid. He had just done the most amazing things for God, but when a woman threatened to take his life he temporarily lost his faith and ran.
God sent an angel to give him rest and food. But after a few nights rest in a cave, God appeared to Elijah and asked him what he was doing. Look at Elijah’s reply.
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Basically Elijah felt like he was all alone. He didn’t see anybody standing next to him so he thought he was the only one left who really loved God.
But the LORD set him straight. There were seven thousand other people in Israel who hadn’t bowed down and worshiped Baal, seven thousand who had remained true to God. That encouraged Elijah and he went back to work.
God knows we need the encouragement of other believers to accomplish His work. He knows we get lonely and afraid. And that is the purpose of this ministry. To encourage women who love the Lord that you are not alone, nor are you crazy. You’re just a Zebra, a woman whose love for God makes you look and feel different.
This weekend the number of women on the Zebra Ministries' Facebook page hit three hundred and although it isn’t seven thousand, it’s a start. And hopefully it is an encouragement to you to keep going.
You are not alone. You’re part of the herd.
Love,
Jill
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