No Replays with God

November 22, 20091 Comment

It was great to be with you last week dear friends. We had a wonderful lesson from Philippians 2 about living with humility and serving and honoring others. A great lesson as we approach the holidays. I look forward to seeing you in December.

Here’s a devotional that may help you make it through the football games this week! Read it and see what I mean!Football season is in full swing (or should I say in full punt) and there is excitement in the air as the week of Thanksgiving is upon us. There is certainly no shortage of games to watch this week. I don’t know about you, but I’m glad to be able to watch the instant replay of the action, because I somehow seem to miss a lot of details while the play is happening. Replays are not only helpful for the audience, but sometimes even the officials need to check the replay to make their determination.

I’m glad there are replays when it comes to football, but I am also glad that God is not in the replay business when it comes to believers and sin. The Bible tells us in Psalm 103:

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

I’m thankful that God’s mercies are new every morning and that he is not holding onto what we did in the past. Now we may experience very real consequences to our sin, but as believers in Christ God has removed our sin from us. In I Peter 1:22 we read, “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. “ Since we have been cleansed from our sin through faith in Christ, we must not replay our sin constantly in our minds – God doesn’t do it and neither should we. But let’s take it a step further, we also must be careful not to keep replaying other people’s sin against us. We must forgive, as we have been forgiven. We need to stop replaying in our minds how someone hurt us.

Just as our sin is done, gone, and removed from us through the blood of Christ, we must demonstrate this same type of forgiveness toward others. So this Thanksgiving as you are watching the replays in a football game or reruns of an old movie, remind yourself that God does not replay your sin and neither should you. Don’t replay the sin of others either. Give thanks this week for God’s mercy toward you as a follower of Christ, and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Positive Woman Connection This Week!

November 16, 2009Leave a comment

Hello my positive Friends.

I look forward to seeing you at the Positive Woman Connection lunch and Bible study.

Please join your friends at either of the following locations:

Prestonwood Country Club, North Dallas, 12 – 1:00 Tuesday, Nov 17

Cottonwoodcreek Baptist Church, 12-1:00, Wednesday, Nov 18

Focus at First Baptist Church, Thursday, Nov 19 12:15 – 12:45

Our lesson this week is entitled “The Surprisingly Delicious Flavor of Humble Pie,” based on Philippians 2:1 -11 Hope to see you soon.

Here’s a Devotional to Ponder this week:

Typically, I don’t look at life with an all or nothing attitude, but there are some “anything” and “everything” verses in the Bible that I can’t ignore. For instance, in the book of Philippians we read: • “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Well that seems to leave no room for grumbling, bickering or whining in our lives. Why would Paul say such a thing? Perhaps it is because when we complain and argue, we are revealing a lack of faith in a God who cares about our needs and will help us through them. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t thoughtfully take a stand for what is right as times, but I am saying that whining and grumbling should have no place in a faith-filled, thankful person’s life. • “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Hmmmm….. not anxious about anything and pray about everything? The Bible says we will experience an inner peace when we give our cares to God in prayer along with thanksgiving. Now there’s an anything and everything that can change your life! • “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Herein is the key to not complaining, to not being anxious and to being content in every situation; it is Christ who strengthens us. When we are following Him and seeking His help, and desiring His will for our lives; He will strengthen us in every situation. My friend, are you finding your strength in Him? As you face the challenges in your life right now, and as you move into the holiday season, do not complain or be anxious about anything, but instead pray about everything, with thanksgiving. And most importantly find your strength from Christ to live a life filled with contentment no matter what happens.

In the Midst of Difficulties

November 9, 2009Leave a comment

Hello Positive Women!

We had a tremendous meeting in October with a lesson based on Philippians 1.

Next week we meet again learning about the topic of humility. I entitled this lesson, “The Surprisingly Delicious Flavor of Humble Pie.” Come find out why!

See you Nov. 17 at Prestonwood Country Club or Nov 18 at Cottonwood Creek in Allen or Nov 19 at First Baptist downtown Dallas. You won’t want to miss this powerful lesson. Now here’s a devotional to ponder as we approach Thanksgiving.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I know that for some people it is difficult to celebrate and be thankful. We can’t ignore the fact that many people have lost their jobs and are struggling financial. Others are struggling in difficult relationships or with a wayward child, and some are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

This past week, here in Texas, we had the terrible and senseless loss of 13 lives at Fort Hood. Our hearts go out to the families of those who were slain and our prayers are with those who are still struggling with injuries. At times like these it is easy to think there is nothing to be thankful for, and yet even in the midst of difficulty, tragedy and loss there are some things for which we can give thanks.

In my own life, my dear mother was sadly killed at the young age of 55 during this time of year. Certainly we do not give thanks for the terrible loss, but we can be thankful for God’s comfort and care. The Bible says, “The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them and delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17,18)

In our situation, we thanked God for providing wonderful people to come to our side and comfort us. We thanked God for the blessing that my mother’s life was to all of us, and how she blessed so many people with her godly heart. We thanked God that many people turned back to God as a result of my mother’s sudden death, because they too saw the brevity of life.

God’s Word offers us strength and comfort in times of difficulty. Just this morning I read Psalm 107:

¹ “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

² Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

³ those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.

⁵ They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.

⁶ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.

⁷ He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

⁸ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

We may not understand why the Lord has allowed trials in our lives, but we can trust His unfailing love. He is our provider. Look to him and seek His help through your pain and struggles. Like the Psalmist, we can thank the Lord for His unfailing love in our life and thank Him for His care for us each day.

The Joy of Being Thankful

November 2, 2009Leave a comment

Hello dear PWC friends. I want to begin the month of November by saying how very thankful I am for you. You bless my life with your smiling faces and your joy in learning God’s Word.

Mark your calendars now as we look forward to our November PWC meetings. Our topic this month will be “The Delicious Flavor of Humble Pie.”

North Dallas – Prestonwood CC – Tues Nov 17

Allen – Cottonwood Creek Baptist – Wed Nov 18

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Here is a devotional about the joy of being thankful. See you soon!

As we start off the month of November, I want us to consider the importance of showing our gratitude toward God. You and I both know how it feels when we do something nice for another person, and yet they never say thank you. But I must admit I’m guilty of doing the same. Life gets busy and I forget to write a note or call to let someone know how much I appreciate them or say thanks for what they have done.

I’m guilty of that same sort of ingratitude toward God. Out of His kindness and love He cares for us and blesses us each day. He answers prayers, He meets our needs, He comforts us, He strengthens us, and He forgives us even when we don’t deserve it. Yet how often do we take the time to sincerely thank Him? It’s interesting how we may be busy doing all sorts of good things for Him, but one thing He desires more than our sacrifice is our gratitude.

Listen to what He says in Psalm 50:7-15

⁷ “O my people, listen as I speak.
      Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
      I am God, your God!
⁸ I have no complaint about your sacrifices
      or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
⁹ But I do not need the bulls from your barns
      or the goats from your pens.
¹⁰ For all the animals of the forest are mine,
      and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹ I know every bird on the mountains,
      and all the animals of the field are mine.
¹² If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
      for all the world is mine and everything in it.
¹³ Do I eat the meat of bulls?
      Do I drink the blood of goats?
¹⁴ Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
      and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
¹⁵ Then call on me when you are in trouble,
      and I will rescue you,
      and you will give me glory.”

And later in verse 23 He says again, “Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.”

Why is thankfulness so important? Gratitude keeps us humble as we continue to recognize all we have is from Him. Gratitude makes us more joyful as we focus on the good things in our lives. Most importantly gratitude builds a deeper love relationship between us and God. It points our eyes toward Him and helps us reflect on His presence with us and care for us.

May I encourage you each day in the month of November to spend some quiet time alone with the Lord, and as you do begin by praising God for who he is and thanking him for what he has done in your life. I like to keep a prayer journal and write down my requests to the Lord each day, but before I write any requests, I take time to write out my thanks to God for how he took care of me the day before. Let’s honor God this month by allowing our daily prayers to be filled with gratitude for our loving God.

Positive Changes

October 26, 2009Leave a comment

Hello Friends!

I’ll see you this week at PWC as we continue our study in Philippians.

Oct 27 – Prestonwood Country Club

Oct 28 – Cottonwood Creek Baptist

Oct 29 – First Baptist Dallas

Here’s a thought to give you a fresh start to your week.

Several weeks ago I met a wonderful woman named Avis Lafrance. She is a professional image consultant and more importantly a godly woman who desires to serve God through her life, her words and her career. She consulted with me several times to help give me a bit of an update look – new hairstyle and makeup. She even helped me refresh my wardrobe. When it comes to physical appearance, a positive change now and then is not a bad idea.

There are many things we can change about ourselves. We can change the way we look. We can change the way we take care of our bodies. We can change the way we think. We can change our attitude, actions and words. We may not be able to change our circumstances, and we may not be able to change the people around us, but we can change the way we respond to situations and people.

We can choose to think about what is good in our lives and dwell on our blessings, or we can continue to rehash the same old things that make us angry and bitter. We can choose to pray and seek God’s help through difficult circumstances or we can become overwhelmed with fear and anxiety.

Changing the way we think has a monumental effect on what we say and how we act. If I dwell on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, then my grumbling tends to change to gratitude. If I think about other people as beautiful creations of God, then it changes the way I treat them and talk to them (and talk about them).

What changes do you need to make? Perhaps you need to make a change in the way you are looking at your situation at work or at home. Perhaps you need to make a change in the way you eat or the way you spend your money. You may need to make a change in the area of forgiveness and release the right to hold something over another person. This week I want to encourage you to prayerfully consider some of the changes you need to make.

Positive change usually begins in your thinking and pours out from there into our actions and words. In the Autumn season we see many changes taking place in the foliage around us. Why not allow the beauty of Fall to serve as a reminder that we can always make positive changes in our lives.