I'm celebrating a beautiful morning! After lots of rain washed everything clean, the sun is shining. Nature inspires me to worship, how about you?
Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
Praise God for He is good!
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I am praising God again this morning as His faithfulness brought me through another class. During this crazy transition of moving, through prayer and the grace of God, I was able to keep up with my school work, received an A on my research paper and took my final last night. Just another example of - what He calls you to, He will bring you through!
In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus and the disciples are in a boat and while Jesus is sleeping a huge storm erupts. The disciples fear for their lives and wake Jesus and beg Him to save them. In vs. 26 He says "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?"
OUCH! I wonder how many millions of times He has said the same to me.
Christie, why are you afraid or why are you doubting Me? I'm right here with you. Haven't I always been faithful to you?! Where is your faith? I give you the Truth in My Word - believe it and do not fall away.
The Truth of our Savior is an amazing thing! Let's stand on His promises today!
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus and the disciples are in a boat and while Jesus is sleeping a huge storm erupts. The disciples fear for their lives and wake Jesus and beg Him to save them. In vs. 26 He says "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?"
OUCH! I wonder how many millions of times He has said the same to me.
Christie, why are you afraid or why are you doubting Me? I'm right here with you. Haven't I always been faithful to you?! Where is your faith? I give you the Truth in My Word - believe it and do not fall away.
The Truth of our Savior is an amazing thing! Let's stand on His promises today!
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Good morning and happy Tuesday! I have to say again, how the book of Matthew is filled with such rich stuff! Each few verses cause me to stop, ponder and be inspired. Chaper 8 verses 18-22 spoke to my heart as I read them today.
"Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Then a scribe came and said to Him, 'Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.' Jesus said to him, 'The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' Another of the disciples said to Him, 'Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.' But Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.'"
My Bible's commentary says this about the above verses:
Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. You may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher. Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards.
It is possible that this disciple was not asking permission to got to his father's funeral, but rather to put off following Jesus until his elderly father died. Perhaps he was the firstborn son and wanted to be sure to claim his inheritance. Perhaps he didn't want to face his father's wrath if he left the family business to follow an itinerant preacher. Whether his concern was financial security, family approval, or something else, he did not want to commit himself to Jesus just yet, Jesus, however, would not accept his excuse.
WOW! What conviction that brings. It makes me ponder - Am I truly willing to give up everything (including a place to lay my head) to follow Jesus?
Let me know your thoughts
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
"Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Then a scribe came and said to Him, 'Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.' Jesus said to him, 'The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' Another of the disciples said to Him, 'Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.' But Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.'"
My Bible's commentary says this about the above verses:
Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. You may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher. Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards.
It is possible that this disciple was not asking permission to got to his father's funeral, but rather to put off following Jesus until his elderly father died. Perhaps he was the firstborn son and wanted to be sure to claim his inheritance. Perhaps he didn't want to face his father's wrath if he left the family business to follow an itinerant preacher. Whether his concern was financial security, family approval, or something else, he did not want to commit himself to Jesus just yet, Jesus, however, would not accept his excuse.
WOW! What conviction that brings. It makes me ponder - Am I truly willing to give up everything (including a place to lay my head) to follow Jesus?
Let me know your thoughts
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Monday, May 11, 2009
Good morning my bloggy friends! I hope those of you who are mothers, had a wonderful mother's day! I surely did - I'm one spoiled mama!
On Friday I had a friend stop by and could tell that she had been crying when I saw her face. She explained that her best friend's daughter had been killed in an auto accident the night before. Since she had helped care for this girl for 16 years, her heart was broken and she just couldn't understand why it had happened. She said she came to me because she wanted me to help her understand why. My heart ached for her, I wanted to help and comfort her but I had no explanation for why. As I told her that God's ways are not our ways and that we must trust that He knows better than we do, I hugged her tightly and desperately wanted to take her pain away.
Lately, God has been prompting me to immediately pray with people instead of just telling them I will be praying for them. At times I have obeyed and I'm ashamed to say at others I have not. As I tried to comfort this woman, my heart said pray - pray for and with her right now. My mind began justifying why I shouldn't. "I don't know where her faith is - what if she says no when I ask her to pray with me - what if she thinks I'm crazy - what if it makes her not like me anymore?" all ran through my mind.
It was time for her to leave and I said "I'll be praying for you and your friend's family."
As I watched her walk to her car, my heart sank. Once again, I had disobeyed. Once again, I had failed. Once again, I was asking God to forgive me.
My selfishness, my pride - I got in the way.
I wondered to myself, how can I tell God that I want to do His will and then when He tells me His will, I disobey?
I know that I have been forgiven but the conviction my heart feels will motivate me to do better next time and say YES to whatever it is that God places on my heart.
Have a great day
Christie
On Friday I had a friend stop by and could tell that she had been crying when I saw her face. She explained that her best friend's daughter had been killed in an auto accident the night before. Since she had helped care for this girl for 16 years, her heart was broken and she just couldn't understand why it had happened. She said she came to me because she wanted me to help her understand why. My heart ached for her, I wanted to help and comfort her but I had no explanation for why. As I told her that God's ways are not our ways and that we must trust that He knows better than we do, I hugged her tightly and desperately wanted to take her pain away.
Lately, God has been prompting me to immediately pray with people instead of just telling them I will be praying for them. At times I have obeyed and I'm ashamed to say at others I have not. As I tried to comfort this woman, my heart said pray - pray for and with her right now. My mind began justifying why I shouldn't. "I don't know where her faith is - what if she says no when I ask her to pray with me - what if she thinks I'm crazy - what if it makes her not like me anymore?" all ran through my mind.
It was time for her to leave and I said "I'll be praying for you and your friend's family."
As I watched her walk to her car, my heart sank. Once again, I had disobeyed. Once again, I had failed. Once again, I was asking God to forgive me.
My selfishness, my pride - I got in the way.
I wondered to myself, how can I tell God that I want to do His will and then when He tells me His will, I disobey?
I know that I have been forgiven but the conviction my heart feels will motivate me to do better next time and say YES to whatever it is that God places on my heart.
Have a great day
Christie
Friday, May 8, 2009
Oh, I've found such great stuff studying the book of Matthew! Today, we're on to 8:14-17. Check out what happens in 14 &15: "When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him."
What an example for us! Let me ask you a silly question, has God ever done anything for you? Just to name a few: He created us, He loves us, He sent His only Son to die for us, He protects us, He blesses us, etc. etc. etc. How are you showing your gratitude for these things?
Peter's mother-in-law is healed and immediately begins serving Jesus. Immediately - not after she rested, not after she felt like it, not after she consulted with others - immediately.
I will serve our Lord as my offer of thanksgiving, will you?
Have a great day and a great weekend
P.S. Please be praying for me to be emptied and God to be revealed as I speak at Christian Fellowship in Pontiac tomorrow. Thank you
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
What an example for us! Let me ask you a silly question, has God ever done anything for you? Just to name a few: He created us, He loves us, He sent His only Son to die for us, He protects us, He blesses us, etc. etc. etc. How are you showing your gratitude for these things?
Peter's mother-in-law is healed and immediately begins serving Jesus. Immediately - not after she rested, not after she felt like it, not after she consulted with others - immediately.
I will serve our Lord as my offer of thanksgiving, will you?
Have a great day and a great weekend
P.S. Please be praying for me to be emptied and God to be revealed as I speak at Christian Fellowship in Pontiac tomorrow. Thank you
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Last night I had a dream that I had been praying for God's will to be done in my family and when my husband came to me and told me that God wanted him to join the military and that he would be in boot camp for 70 weeks, I decided that I didn't want God's will after all and I did everything I could think of to keep my husband from enlisting.
My dream really isn't all that different from some real-life situations. There have been times that I was shocked and appalled at what God revealed His plan was for me after I had been praying to see His will. I must always remember that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
I've told you before of a statement that Lysa Terkeurst made that rocked my world. "If I say I'm a woman of faith, am I living a life that requires much faith?"
I was reminded of this as I read Matthew 8:5-13. There was a centurion who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant who was at his home. Jesus offered to come to his home, but the centurion replied that he wasn't worthy for Jesus to come to his home and he knew that Jesus could heal his servant from where He stood. Vs. 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following. "Truly I say to you, I have not found such a great faith in anyone in Israel."
Oh, how I want a faith that Jesus could marvel at! Oh, how I want to live a life that requires much faith!
Help me, Jesus, to remember Your enduring faithfulness when I don't understand and trust in the One who is trustworthy.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
My dream really isn't all that different from some real-life situations. There have been times that I was shocked and appalled at what God revealed His plan was for me after I had been praying to see His will. I must always remember that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
I've told you before of a statement that Lysa Terkeurst made that rocked my world. "If I say I'm a woman of faith, am I living a life that requires much faith?"
I was reminded of this as I read Matthew 8:5-13. There was a centurion who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant who was at his home. Jesus offered to come to his home, but the centurion replied that he wasn't worthy for Jesus to come to his home and he knew that Jesus could heal his servant from where He stood. Vs. 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following. "Truly I say to you, I have not found such a great faith in anyone in Israel."
Oh, how I want a faith that Jesus could marvel at! Oh, how I want to live a life that requires much faith!
Help me, Jesus, to remember Your enduring faithfulness when I don't understand and trust in the One who is trustworthy.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Good morning my bloggy friends! I'm baaaaack! I am officially a Fairburian now. With lots of help, we got moved in, the bedrooms and one bath stripped of their wallpaper and now we're mudding drywall and painting while our family is living and sleeping in the living room. I'm also back to doing daycare, writing a research paper for school and preparing for a message I will be giving at Christian Fellowship in Pontiac on Saturday. Whew - nothing like getting back to everyday life! :)
This morning I was reading Matthew 8:1-4. A leper came to Jesus and said "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus was willing and cleansed him of his leprosy. Afterward, Jesus told him to go and show himself as a testimony to the priests.
It immediately hit me. I am to show myself as a testimony of God. My life should be a testimony as to the amazing power of my God. For every way that God has "healed" me - for everything He has done for me - For every blessing He has bestowed upon me - I must show to others as my testimony.
Are you living your life as a testimony? Do people notice Who you serve as you live your everyday life? What has God healed you from that you should by testifying about?
Thought provoking stuff!
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
This morning I was reading Matthew 8:1-4. A leper came to Jesus and said "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus was willing and cleansed him of his leprosy. Afterward, Jesus told him to go and show himself as a testimony to the priests.
It immediately hit me. I am to show myself as a testimony of God. My life should be a testimony as to the amazing power of my God. For every way that God has "healed" me - for everything He has done for me - For every blessing He has bestowed upon me - I must show to others as my testimony.
Are you living your life as a testimony? Do people notice Who you serve as you live your everyday life? What has God healed you from that you should by testifying about?
Thought provoking stuff!
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
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