Hello all,
It's been an interesting week. For me personally, I've no doubt that God is walking through a journey to my heart. Last Friday, as I sat with our former youth director and his wife, we were discussing many things, one of which being ACCEPTANCE.
This man is about to accept his first church as a senior pastor, and I know he's ready. He's excited and he's ready to take on any challenge God puts before him.
I was telling him about being with this group or that group and not feeling accepted, "I stick out like a sore thumb."
Upon hearing, he asked me just a simple question that really caused me to stop and think.....
" Why do you feel a need to be accepted?"
I've pondered over that all week, I'm still pondering over it. The same thoughts were carried over into my Sunday School lesson last Sunday,
This is not our home. We are aliens in the land ( 1 Peter 2:11-23 NIV)
The fact is, we're not suppose to fit in and it's o.k. to stand out.
perhaps, because you do things differently or "stand out,"
perhaps that will cause someone to ask,"why, what do you have?'
perhaps they will desire what you have in the way that you are content or at peace or joyful.....
perhaps, because you "stand out" the door will be open for you to share with them what it is you have
the gift of Grace, God's love, Jesus
It's o.k. to be different.
Be yourself.
Each one of us must choose for ourselves what we will do and not do. It's not for us to judge one another, but love one another.
Our new pastor has been telling us that over and over for weeks.........
"You don't have to like them, but you have to love them."
I struggle with that one.
What does it really look like to really love someone?
What does it look like and how do you "love" someone and not necessary, "like" them?
God's been working on my heart with this one.
How do you love your enemies?
How do you love those who are different from you or don't agree with you?
How do you learn to love everybody?
How do you learn to forgive and to love?
Yesterday, I had a God moment that I so want to share. I was listening to Max Lucado http://maxlucado.com/ and he was speaking on God's Grace that others try to be our conscience, but the only one that should be our conscience is the Holy Spirit and let His grace and mercy and love lead you.
The main discussion was from Max Lucado's new book "Grace."
He was covering the story from John 8:1-11, about the woman brought to Jesus caught in adultery. Here is what Max said. ( Click Here)
As I was listening to this message, I began to understand, maybe for the first time in my life, what love, unconditional love really means. It was truly a God moment for me.
God is working on me and my heart in so many ways.
Is he working on yours?
I hope so.
May you find peace as you walk with the Lord in whatever He is leading you or calling to do, and don't listen to the other voices that condemn you or judge you for choosing what you feel is right between you and the Lord.
Keep your eyes on Him.
He loves you.
1 John 4:7-12 NIV
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Have a great weekend.
Amy
It's been an interesting week. For me personally, I've no doubt that God is walking through a journey to my heart. Last Friday, as I sat with our former youth director and his wife, we were discussing many things, one of which being ACCEPTANCE.
This man is about to accept his first church as a senior pastor, and I know he's ready. He's excited and he's ready to take on any challenge God puts before him.
I was telling him about being with this group or that group and not feeling accepted, "I stick out like a sore thumb."
Upon hearing, he asked me just a simple question that really caused me to stop and think.....
" Why do you feel a need to be accepted?"
I've pondered over that all week, I'm still pondering over it. The same thoughts were carried over into my Sunday School lesson last Sunday,
This is not our home. We are aliens in the land ( 1 Peter 2:11-23 NIV)
The fact is, we're not suppose to fit in and it's o.k. to stand out.
perhaps, because you do things differently or "stand out,"
perhaps that will cause someone to ask,"why, what do you have?'
perhaps they will desire what you have in the way that you are content or at peace or joyful.....
perhaps, because you "stand out" the door will be open for you to share with them what it is you have
the gift of Grace, God's love, Jesus
It's o.k. to be different.
Be yourself.
Each one of us must choose for ourselves what we will do and not do. It's not for us to judge one another, but love one another.
Our new pastor has been telling us that over and over for weeks.........
"You don't have to like them, but you have to love them."
I struggle with that one.
What does it really look like to really love someone?
What does it look like and how do you "love" someone and not necessary, "like" them?
God's been working on my heart with this one.
How do you love your enemies?
How do you love those who are different from you or don't agree with you?
How do you learn to love everybody?
How do you learn to forgive and to love?
Yesterday, I had a God moment that I so want to share. I was listening to Max Lucado http://maxlucado.com/ and he was speaking on God's Grace that others try to be our conscience, but the only one that should be our conscience is the Holy Spirit and let His grace and mercy and love lead you.
The main discussion was from Max Lucado's new book "Grace."
He was covering the story from John 8:1-11, about the woman brought to Jesus caught in adultery. Here is what Max said. ( Click Here)
As I was listening to this message, I began to understand, maybe for the first time in my life, what love, unconditional love really means. It was truly a God moment for me.
God is working on me and my heart in so many ways.
Is he working on yours?
I hope so.
May you find peace as you walk with the Lord in whatever He is leading you or calling to do, and don't listen to the other voices that condemn you or judge you for choosing what you feel is right between you and the Lord.
Keep your eyes on Him.
He loves you.
1 John 4:7-12 NIV
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Have a great weekend.
Amy
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