Life is a highway...

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. " Matthew 7:13-14

I have been studying the book of Proverbs. The first few chapters are all about choosing between Wisdom and folly- Wisdom being God's Wisdom...

God's way of living VS. the world's way of living....foolishness, wickedness...

Two ways.

Two choices.

One leads to LIFE.

One leads to DEATH.

I also thought of Deuteronomy, chapters 11 and 30.

God tells us to choose life.

"See, I am setting before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands...then you will live and increase, and the Lord will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But, if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly will be destroyed. You will not live a long life in the land you are crossing....

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.

For the Lord Your God is your life."

Duet. 30:11-20

Lord, I choose LIFE!

Crossroads

Stand at the crossroads and look;

ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is and walk in it,

and you will find

rest for your souls.

This verse has been precious to me. I can remember God first showing it to me when I began a REAL relationship with Jesus.

I thought, "Yea. I'm at a crossroads. I can continue to live the worldly life I had been living....OR I could choose His ways- His path.

Which may at times be lonely.

Which may at times be rugged, not smooth.

When I walk in that path....

I will find REST.

It reminded me of so many other Truths- from Deuteronomy that

says to choose for myself life or death, blessings or curses.....when Jesus says that wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I want to be "a few." I want walk in "the good way."

I choose Life.

Word-filled Wednesday

God doesn’t want to share you with ANYTHING else. He wants all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. God wants us to CHOOSE Him, to look to Him.

God wants the 1st place position in our hearts and lives.

God gives us this choice.

He doesn’t force our devotion, but asks us to choose, as in Joshua 24:15: “Now fear the Lord and serve Him with ALL faithfulness. (Not partial, not some, but ALL faithfulness) Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped and serve the Lord. But, if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”

God gives us this choice- are we going to live for Him or for ourselves? Are we going to serve God with all faithfulness or will we serve other gods? Are we going to let idols creep into that 1st place position in our hearts?

What is an idol?”

An idol is simply anything we place in that 1st place position over God. It’s what we give our passion, our time, our SELVES to FIRST.

What have we made first priority in our lives and hearts?

John tells us, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols- from everything and anything that would take 1st place in your life.”

Lisa Bevere says, “An idol is what we give our strength TO or draw our strength from." She says "God will always shake away those idols because He wants us to get our life from Him, not the things that will always disappoint.”

Idols can be things like money, or material possessions, shopping, exercise, our
outward appearance, food, alcohol, admiration of friends, praise of man, work,
TV, or even other relationships.

Now you may be confused because you have to work and you really like chocolate! I have a wonderful husband that I am head over heals about, and five beautiful children whom I love and I spend a lot of time scrapbooking at times.

Are these idols?

These things are not wrong or evil in or of themselves! It’s when we make them a priority over our relationship with God, when we start loving them above loving God. I love my kids, but I love my God even more!

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

What keeps you going through the day?

What are your thoughts on throughout the day?

What do find yourself thinking about and talking about?

You see, I am first grounded in a relationship with my Savior- head over heals in love with Him FIRST, and then, He spills so much love into my heart that it overflows into all these areas of my life.

Jesus teaches us in Mat. 6:24 that “no one can serve 2 masters.” It is impossible. Jesus says, “You will either hate the one or love the other. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

You cannot serve both God and work.

You cannot serve both God and food.

You cannot serve both God and the praise of man.

You cannot serve both God and shopping.

You cannot serve both God and anger.

You cannot serve both God and activities.

Father God, we love You! May You always take FIRST place in our hearts, minds, and time!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

An Irish Prayer
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Christmas is .....Hope

This devotion was first published December 10, 2008, but has so much relevance to a hurting world today with a struggling economy and so many people who have lost their jobs. Be blessed!

How do you feel this Christmas?

Joyful?

Peaceful?

Happy?

or...

Sad....

Frustrated...

Worried...

The past two weeks I have talked to so many heartbroken people.

Mary......whose extended family lost eight homes during the flood of 2008. As I held her, she cried on my shoulder, telling me how difficult this Christmas is. Not only is she frustrated that so much of her family is displaced, but also that her mother has Alzheimer's and doesn't recognize her anymore.

Jamie.... a sweet Sister in Christ, a member of my small group bible study. She is in her early thirties with adorable 2 year old triplets. Jamie has bravely been fighting cancer for the past year and a half. It has spread to her liver. As I write this now, I am expecting news today or tomorrow that she has gone Home to be with Jesus. Talking to her mother yesterday, asking her what our group can do to help, she sighed, saying, "I don't know. I have never been through this before."

Linda...... called telling me that her father just passed away. He, too, lost a battle with cancer. My sweet sister- in- law, grieving the loss of her dad, was also worried because she has a ruptured disc in her back, with shooting pain down her leg. She doesn't know if she will be able to fly to her dad's state for services.

I am sure you have your own Mary, Jamie and Linda in your life.

As I prayed over these sweet souls, I became so aware of the hurting hearts all around me. I have heard the statistics of Christmas suicides. I wondered why this time of year can be so depressing for many.

When a hurting heart watches holiday TV programs and commercials, the families are smiling around a dinner table...everyone happy. She can think she is the only one who feels alone....the only one who feels sad...who feels...let down about Christmas.....who wonders, "Is this all there is?" She shops (but cannot afford to), trying to buy all of the items that are promised to bring happiness.

Have we forgotten what Christmas is about?

Christmas is HOPE because Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to bring hope. Immanuel, God is With Us. He knows our hearts. He knows our worries. He knows our loneliness. He wants to comfort, heal, and bring peace.

Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus brings Light to this dark world. And, He wants us, as Christ followers, to share this Light with the world. He wants us to share this Hope to the hurting....to the confused....to the lonely.

Jesus never promised that we would live a pain free life here on earth. In fact, He tells us the opposite. "In this life, you will have trouble..." But, Jesus also gives hope because He continues by saying, "But take heart, I have overcome the world."

This world is not our home. We have an incredible, glorious inheritance that can never perish, a living hope, joy unspeakable, everlasting life when we return Home to live forever with our Savior. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". We can't even imagine what God has stored up for us.

And, while we live our lives here on earth, we are promised LIFE and life to the full. We are promised that He is walking with us, bringing us comfort, peace, and joy....true joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but comes from the hope we have in Him.

This Christmas, be a Light. This Christmas, extend your hand of hope to a hurting heart. This Christmas, like Mary, sit at the feet of Jesus, basking in His love, peace, and hope.