Dear Zebras,
This morning I was reading Stormie Omartian’s book, Power of a Praying Wife. Today’s chapter was about praying for my husband’s future. The verse she quoted was:
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish (KJV)
Everyone needs a vision, she writes, without it we flounder aimlessly, life seems pointless and we die a little every day.
Precepts has trained me to look up scriptures in context, so even though Proverbs is a book of seemingly unrelated thoughts I looked the verse up. And this is what I found:
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law. (NIV)
Whoa! Those two verses don’t agree, I mean I know they are two different translations, but they should still say the same thing. What’s the problem?
The problem is that Mrs. Omartian only quoted half the verse, the entire verse reads:
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (KJV)
Now they agree. This verse is not talking about the importance of us having a vision for our future but the importance of having a vision of God.
When we do not have a vision of God, we feel free to sin, which leads to death and a whole lot of trouble! But if we follow God’s laws we will be happy and blessed.
The point of this ladies, is that you should never trust anyone to interpret scripture for you, and Scripture should always be taken in context.
You need to learn to read it for yourselves.
Love,
Jill
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Gary's Big Job
James 1:16-17
Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Good morning ladies,
Yesterday Gary’s company won a big project. Gary came home very excited about it. Starting tomorrow there was going to be a flurry of activity, including some evening meetings to iron out the details, so Gary said he wouldn’t be able to make it to Awana on Thursday night.
I thought, that's a funny way to thank God.
This morning they ran in to some difficulties and they might not get the job after all.
When I first became a Christian, I was so excited about the Lord that I wanted to do something to show Him how very much I loved him, so I decided to get my eating under control.
What I didn’t know then was that victory over sin was not something I was doing for God but something He was doing for me.
I was ecstatic when I started losing weight. People would ask me, “How are you doing it?” and I would enthusiastically tell them all about God. Not the response they expected, but I didn’t care. I knew the reason I was losing weight, and it didn’t have anything to do with portion control or exercise.
Then a interesting thing happened men started noticing me. Now I have always been “fluffy” and not very popular in school. I never had a date in high school, so men paying attention to me was a new and exciting experience. My focus turned away from God.
That was a funny way to thank God.
God had given me a gift, a blessing if you will, and I let it distract me from my walk and some hard years followed, years that would’ve been different had I kept my eyes on Christ.
People say they can tell a person’s faith by how they walk through trials, which is true. But you can also tell a person’s faith by how they handle the blessings God gives them.
Have a wonderful day filled with blessings that only bring you closer to Christ.
Love,
Jill
Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Good morning ladies,
Yesterday Gary’s company won a big project. Gary came home very excited about it. Starting tomorrow there was going to be a flurry of activity, including some evening meetings to iron out the details, so Gary said he wouldn’t be able to make it to Awana on Thursday night.
I thought, that's a funny way to thank God.
This morning they ran in to some difficulties and they might not get the job after all.
When I first became a Christian, I was so excited about the Lord that I wanted to do something to show Him how very much I loved him, so I decided to get my eating under control.
What I didn’t know then was that victory over sin was not something I was doing for God but something He was doing for me.
I was ecstatic when I started losing weight. People would ask me, “How are you doing it?” and I would enthusiastically tell them all about God. Not the response they expected, but I didn’t care. I knew the reason I was losing weight, and it didn’t have anything to do with portion control or exercise.
Then a interesting thing happened men started noticing me. Now I have always been “fluffy” and not very popular in school. I never had a date in high school, so men paying attention to me was a new and exciting experience. My focus turned away from God.
That was a funny way to thank God.
God had given me a gift, a blessing if you will, and I let it distract me from my walk and some hard years followed, years that would’ve been different had I kept my eyes on Christ.
People say they can tell a person’s faith by how they walk through trials, which is true. But you can also tell a person’s faith by how they handle the blessings God gives them.
Have a wonderful day filled with blessings that only bring you closer to Christ.
Love,
Jill
Monday, September 28, 2009
10,000 Strong
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints
Dear Zebras,
Paul wrote this to the Ephesians and it is one of the last verses in the section of scripture that we refer to as “the Armor of God.” I never knew it was there until I went to camp this summer and had to memorize Ephesians 6:10-20. That’s interesting, I thought, after you put on your own personal armor you should pray for the saints. And I didn’t give it another thought until today.
Last week I went shopping at a teacher’s store and I found a really cute poster of a mother zebra and her foal. When I brought it home my son, Nick, started reading the facts that were written on the back. “Did you know,” he said “zebras graze in herds up to ten thousand?”
Ten thousand-Wow-that’s a lot of zebras.
Then I started thinking about it. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a herd of ten thousand Zebras, ten thousand women who really loved the Lord? That would be SO awesome!
Everyday I pray for the Zebras. I pray for “the herd” and I pray for individual Zebras that God brings to my mind. I pray while I am driving, doing dishes, folding laundry, making dinner. I try to pray whenever I am doing a “mindless” task, because I find it keeps me out of trouble.
Maybe that is what Paul was talking about.
Dear Lord, watch over all the Zebras today, those women who love you with all their heart who desire to follow after you. Help them today to know how much You love them and desire the best for them. Help them to have wisdom in all situations and to be able to overcome the temptations of the evil one. Dear Lord, I know they are so precious in Your sight, let them be kind to themselves and see themselves as you see them, loved and worthy. Lord, I pray that You would watch over them and direct their paths, helping them in the areas where they struggle. I pray that they would remember to look up when they are afraid, or scared, or overwhelmed, and they strive to live a life that is pleasing to You. Amen
Love,
Jill
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints
Dear Zebras,
Paul wrote this to the Ephesians and it is one of the last verses in the section of scripture that we refer to as “the Armor of God.” I never knew it was there until I went to camp this summer and had to memorize Ephesians 6:10-20. That’s interesting, I thought, after you put on your own personal armor you should pray for the saints. And I didn’t give it another thought until today.
Last week I went shopping at a teacher’s store and I found a really cute poster of a mother zebra and her foal. When I brought it home my son, Nick, started reading the facts that were written on the back. “Did you know,” he said “zebras graze in herds up to ten thousand?”
Ten thousand-Wow-that’s a lot of zebras.
Then I started thinking about it. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a herd of ten thousand Zebras, ten thousand women who really loved the Lord? That would be SO awesome!
Everyday I pray for the Zebras. I pray for “the herd” and I pray for individual Zebras that God brings to my mind. I pray while I am driving, doing dishes, folding laundry, making dinner. I try to pray whenever I am doing a “mindless” task, because I find it keeps me out of trouble.
Maybe that is what Paul was talking about.
Dear Lord, watch over all the Zebras today, those women who love you with all their heart who desire to follow after you. Help them today to know how much You love them and desire the best for them. Help them to have wisdom in all situations and to be able to overcome the temptations of the evil one. Dear Lord, I know they are so precious in Your sight, let them be kind to themselves and see themselves as you see them, loved and worthy. Lord, I pray that You would watch over them and direct their paths, helping them in the areas where they struggle. I pray that they would remember to look up when they are afraid, or scared, or overwhelmed, and they strive to live a life that is pleasing to You. Amen
Love,
Jill
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Don't Look Back
Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT)
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Good morning ladies,
I have a really busy day ahead of me, but I didn’t want to skip sending you an e-mail so I decided I would cheat. I would send you an old e-mail, probably one you had forgotten. I mean cartoonists rerun their comic strips all the time.
But as I was looking through the old e-mails, I realized that none of them were suitable. They were too personal to my life on the day that they were written.
And then these verses came to mind.
“Jill,” God said, “you are not to look back at what I taught you yesterday, nor are you to think about what I am going to teach you tomorrow, you are to get up this day and learn what I have for you today. And then go share it with the Zebras.”
So ladies, here is your encouragement for the day; God has something for you to learn today, something that He wants to say to you specifically, but you will never know what it is unless you spend time in His word and prayer.
Love,
Jill
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Good morning ladies,
I have a really busy day ahead of me, but I didn’t want to skip sending you an e-mail so I decided I would cheat. I would send you an old e-mail, probably one you had forgotten. I mean cartoonists rerun their comic strips all the time.
But as I was looking through the old e-mails, I realized that none of them were suitable. They were too personal to my life on the day that they were written.
And then these verses came to mind.
“Jill,” God said, “you are not to look back at what I taught you yesterday, nor are you to think about what I am going to teach you tomorrow, you are to get up this day and learn what I have for you today. And then go share it with the Zebras.”
So ladies, here is your encouragement for the day; God has something for you to learn today, something that He wants to say to you specifically, but you will never know what it is unless you spend time in His word and prayer.
Love,
Jill
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
God is Holy
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.To him belongs eternal praise.
Good morning ladies,
Last night at Bible study we discussed a disturbing story out of 2Samuel 6. David has finally become king over all of Israel and he is bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. The Ark was very special to Israel, it was the place where God dwelt and He had given them VERY specific instruction on how it was to be handled. It was to be transported with poles by the Levites.
For some reason David chose to ignore those instructions and loaded the Ark on a cart. As they were going along the Ark started to slip and Uzzah reached out to steady it. The text says: The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
Sort of harsh.
But is it really?
What we often forget is that God is Holy; He cannot tolerate the presence of sin. If it were not for the redemptive work of Christ on the cross at Calvary none of us would be able to get near God.
The second thing, I think we forget, is God said the penalty for sin is death. Only His grace keeps us from paying the price.
Last night Jan shared she had read in some country, it turns out to be El Salvador, the penalty for drunk driving, first offense, was death. Then she said: “They don’t have much of a problem with drunk driving.”
That made me laugh, but it also made me think: if I really had God’s perspective on sin I wouldn’t have much of a problem with sin.
Love,
Jill
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.To him belongs eternal praise.
Good morning ladies,
Last night at Bible study we discussed a disturbing story out of 2Samuel 6. David has finally become king over all of Israel and he is bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. The Ark was very special to Israel, it was the place where God dwelt and He had given them VERY specific instruction on how it was to be handled. It was to be transported with poles by the Levites.
For some reason David chose to ignore those instructions and loaded the Ark on a cart. As they were going along the Ark started to slip and Uzzah reached out to steady it. The text says: The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
Sort of harsh.
But is it really?
What we often forget is that God is Holy; He cannot tolerate the presence of sin. If it were not for the redemptive work of Christ on the cross at Calvary none of us would be able to get near God.
The second thing, I think we forget, is God said the penalty for sin is death. Only His grace keeps us from paying the price.
Last night Jan shared she had read in some country, it turns out to be El Salvador, the penalty for drunk driving, first offense, was death. Then she said: “They don’t have much of a problem with drunk driving.”
That made me laugh, but it also made me think: if I really had God’s perspective on sin I wouldn’t have much of a problem with sin.
Love,
Jill
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Do Not Worry
Matthew 6:25
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?
Good morning ladies,
Even though I have not been writing about it, I have continued to read Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. It has been a wonderful and challenging book full of wisdom and insight. Yesterday I got to the chapters on Matthew 6:25-34.
I grew up “poor” or so I believed. We always had food on the table, a roof over our heads, clothes to wear and even a car to drive when I got old enough. So why did I think I was poor?
I thought I was poor because my parents always worried and fought about money. My dad was self-employed and from a child’s perspective it seemed like we were always on the brink of disaster.
When I got married I told Gary he could do anything he wanted, except be self-employed. There was no way I wanted to continue to live my life constantly worried about making ends meet.
But because God has a sense of humor, and He knew that I needed healing in this area, He provided Gary with a job…in a start up company.
If you have never had the experience of being part of a start-up company, let me tell you I don’t think it is much different from being self-employed. Needless to say I didn’t like it, but Gary did.
On the third job change God gave me this section of scripture.
Therefore I tell you do not worry…Who was Jesus talking to? He was talking to the disciples, men who had just left their jobs and their homes to follow after Christ. If anyone had a reason to worry you would think it would be these guys. You’d think that Jesus could give them a little sympathy. Instead Jesus tells them, I gave you life, and I will take care of you. Focus on what I am asking you to do and let me take care of the rest, quit worrying.
As I look around right now, I see so many people worried about the future and if I stop and think about it I could get worried too. Instead I think of God’s promises.
God gave us life and He has promised He will take care of us. He has promised that He will supply our daily needs, He has promised that He has plans to give us hope and a future. He has promised that every life has a purpose. He has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised that in this world we will have trouble, but He has overcome the world.
I believe one of Satan’s greatest weapons is to get us focused on the cares and concerns of the world making us forget all that God has promised us.
Love,
Jill
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?
Good morning ladies,
Even though I have not been writing about it, I have continued to read Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. It has been a wonderful and challenging book full of wisdom and insight. Yesterday I got to the chapters on Matthew 6:25-34.
I grew up “poor” or so I believed. We always had food on the table, a roof over our heads, clothes to wear and even a car to drive when I got old enough. So why did I think I was poor?
I thought I was poor because my parents always worried and fought about money. My dad was self-employed and from a child’s perspective it seemed like we were always on the brink of disaster.
When I got married I told Gary he could do anything he wanted, except be self-employed. There was no way I wanted to continue to live my life constantly worried about making ends meet.
But because God has a sense of humor, and He knew that I needed healing in this area, He provided Gary with a job…in a start up company.
If you have never had the experience of being part of a start-up company, let me tell you I don’t think it is much different from being self-employed. Needless to say I didn’t like it, but Gary did.
On the third job change God gave me this section of scripture.
Therefore I tell you do not worry…Who was Jesus talking to? He was talking to the disciples, men who had just left their jobs and their homes to follow after Christ. If anyone had a reason to worry you would think it would be these guys. You’d think that Jesus could give them a little sympathy. Instead Jesus tells them, I gave you life, and I will take care of you. Focus on what I am asking you to do and let me take care of the rest, quit worrying.
As I look around right now, I see so many people worried about the future and if I stop and think about it I could get worried too. Instead I think of God’s promises.
God gave us life and He has promised He will take care of us. He has promised that He will supply our daily needs, He has promised that He has plans to give us hope and a future. He has promised that every life has a purpose. He has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised that in this world we will have trouble, but He has overcome the world.
I believe one of Satan’s greatest weapons is to get us focused on the cares and concerns of the world making us forget all that God has promised us.
Love,
Jill
Monday, September 21, 2009
Dog lover
Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Good morning ladies,
I am not a dog person.
I did not have a dog when I was growing up. I heard my brother had a dog when I was a baby which bit me and my dad let me keep a stray dog for a very short time before it was hit and killed by the ice cream truck, but basically you could say I never really had a dog. But I liked them.
Then I became a letter carrier, a mailman if you will, and I learned to fear dogs. All those stories you hear about mailmen and dogs are true.
When I started dating Gary, his family had dogs. At their house I would carry a rolled up newspaper with me at all times in case one of them suddenly attacked me. When you’ve been bitten, you tend to be wary.
After Gary and I got married he wanted a dog, so we got a Husky and a German Shepherd. The Husky was beautiful, but aloof and the German Shepherd was stupid, so it was not a great dog experience.
Eventually they both died and we got The-Huskies-From-Hell. That was a really BAD dog experience. They currently live in Tennessee.
Now we have The Moodles, and I can finally see why people like dogs.
Why didn’t I like dogs before? It was because all of my experiences had been bad.
Why don’t some people love and trust Christ? Maybe it is because all their experiences have been bad.
I think it is harder for women who have had a life of difficult circumstances to understand the love of God. But God is not defined by our personal circumstances; God is defined by His Word. That is why it is so important that we read it.
In there you will see that God loves you, that He uses everything for our good, that He can redeem the lost years, and that He will provide for you and care for you. In there you see the true nature of God and you will grow to love and trust Him.
Jill
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Good morning ladies,
I am not a dog person.
I did not have a dog when I was growing up. I heard my brother had a dog when I was a baby which bit me and my dad let me keep a stray dog for a very short time before it was hit and killed by the ice cream truck, but basically you could say I never really had a dog. But I liked them.
Then I became a letter carrier, a mailman if you will, and I learned to fear dogs. All those stories you hear about mailmen and dogs are true.
When I started dating Gary, his family had dogs. At their house I would carry a rolled up newspaper with me at all times in case one of them suddenly attacked me. When you’ve been bitten, you tend to be wary.
After Gary and I got married he wanted a dog, so we got a Husky and a German Shepherd. The Husky was beautiful, but aloof and the German Shepherd was stupid, so it was not a great dog experience.
Eventually they both died and we got The-Huskies-From-Hell. That was a really BAD dog experience. They currently live in Tennessee.
Now we have The Moodles, and I can finally see why people like dogs.
Why didn’t I like dogs before? It was because all of my experiences had been bad.
Why don’t some people love and trust Christ? Maybe it is because all their experiences have been bad.
I think it is harder for women who have had a life of difficult circumstances to understand the love of God. But God is not defined by our personal circumstances; God is defined by His Word. That is why it is so important that we read it.
In there you will see that God loves you, that He uses everything for our good, that He can redeem the lost years, and that He will provide for you and care for you. In there you see the true nature of God and you will grow to love and trust Him.
Jill
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