James 5:13a "Those who are in trouble......"
Trouble is part of life, but in the midst of it all we have a choice. We can allow God to use it to mold us into who He wants us to be, or we can allow it to beat us down into something less than God’s will for us. James says we choose the outcome of our troubles by turning toward God in their midst. “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
When there isn't enough money to pay the bills...PRAY. When the storm rolls through and you have an accident on the freeway... Your roof leaks and destroys your carpet and furniture....or your business goes bankrupt, James says PRAY. When your friend is acting like a jerk and destroying your friendship, or your children are in rebellion....James urges us to face God in that time of trouble.
“When the rug is being pulled out from under your life, pray!” That is not too difficult to understand, but notice what is not said. You can search the entire Bible, and you will not find the verse you would like to be there. “Is any of you in trouble? Pray and God will take that trouble away!” It simply isn’t there, no matter how much we would like it to be. As a matter of fact, remember James 1:2-4. Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way (not if, but when), let it be an opportunity for joy! For when your faith is tested, your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."
The only way we are going to see His work in our lives....if we live out our days facing Him. In our best days and our worst days, when we are on top of the mountain or in the lowest valley, God longs for us to live in fellowship with Him. Prayer gives us that opportunity.
Father, we know that all things work together for good to those who love You, and are called according to Your purposes. Lord, I lay all my troubles before You and ask that You would show me what's right when I can only see what's wrong. Help me to make praise to You.....my first reaction to every event in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great week in the LORD.
Sharon
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
"A Solitary Man"
Mark 1:35 "The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray. "
We see today that even Jesus needed quiet time with God. God in a deserted place. Away from everyone and everything. He always found a time and a place to be alone with his Father. This is a wonderful display of the love Jesus had for his Father....making time, taking time to get alone and spend time with just the Father and the Son.
Jesus said, "When you pray, go to your room and lock your door and pray to your heavenly Father in secret." Matthew 6:6
My prayers are different when I'm alone with God....it's there where I can really pour out my heart, pour out the burdens of life, confess my weaknesses, my fears, my sins, ask for forgiveness ...holding nothing back. I can cry and I can sing...it's just between my Father and I.
In that solitary place...it's not always about me saying something....it's where I can just sit, kneel,lay flat on my face and just wait on the LORD to speak to me.
Jesus spent quiet time with his Father in order to draw upon God's power. We must do the same.....and if we listen real close, we will be able to hear His voice and receive His help, His direction, His comfort and His strength.
Jesus, your faithfulness in prayer gives me my example to follow. Guide me, Lord. Give me the strength and the will to imitate your careful attention to prayer. Make me "A Solitary Woman" ....alone with You. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your day,
Sharon Schutte
We see today that even Jesus needed quiet time with God. God in a deserted place. Away from everyone and everything. He always found a time and a place to be alone with his Father. This is a wonderful display of the love Jesus had for his Father....making time, taking time to get alone and spend time with just the Father and the Son.
Jesus said, "When you pray, go to your room and lock your door and pray to your heavenly Father in secret." Matthew 6:6
My prayers are different when I'm alone with God....it's there where I can really pour out my heart, pour out the burdens of life, confess my weaknesses, my fears, my sins, ask for forgiveness ...holding nothing back. I can cry and I can sing...it's just between my Father and I.
In that solitary place...it's not always about me saying something....it's where I can just sit, kneel,lay flat on my face and just wait on the LORD to speak to me.
Jesus spent quiet time with his Father in order to draw upon God's power. We must do the same.....and if we listen real close, we will be able to hear His voice and receive His help, His direction, His comfort and His strength.
Jesus, your faithfulness in prayer gives me my example to follow. Guide me, Lord. Give me the strength and the will to imitate your careful attention to prayer. Make me "A Solitary Woman" ....alone with You. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your day,
Sharon Schutte
Monday, October 11, 2010
"Are You a Battle-Axe?"
Jeremiah 51:20 "You are my battle-axe and weapons of war," says the LORD. "With you I will shatter nations and destroy many kingdoms."
I had to laugh...when I was young.."you old battle-axe" was a common phrase used to insult .... an aggressive and bad tempered (old) woman...Well, this isn't what the LORD is saying......
Jeremiah 51:21 "With you I will shatter armies...."
Here in Jeremiah 51 we learn that God wants to use us in this battle...."You are my battle-axe and weapons of war". A "axe" is a tool used in chopping wood. A good axe must be sharp, in order to do it's job.
When God says that you are His battle axe, He is saying you are His weapon of warfare. He intends to fight battles through you. He fights on behalf of His children and He is at war with the kingdom of darkness, so that the kingdom of God can be established in the hearts of men.
This world is a battle-field and God is calling us into the battle......But if the "axe" gets rusty, it won't be sharp....
What makes the child of God rusty? SIN....Disobedience against the Word of God, will make the "axe" dull and rusty.
The question for us is "How are we to remain sharp and useable in His hands?" What sharpens us as children of God is the WORD of GOD. When the WORD of God is rich in us, we will be a sharp axe in His hands. The word of God can cut into pieces anything it lands upon. With the word of God you can bring into captivity everything that exalts itself above the knowledge of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. "
Father, let me be a weapon in your hand today. Use my life to frustrate evil and spread good. Keep me in Your Word and not just a hearer, but also a doer of Your Word. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your day,
Sharon
I had to laugh...when I was young.."you old battle-axe" was a common phrase used to insult .... an aggressive and bad tempered (old) woman...Well, this isn't what the LORD is saying......
Jeremiah 51:21 "With you I will shatter armies...."
Here in Jeremiah 51 we learn that God wants to use us in this battle...."You are my battle-axe and weapons of war". A "axe" is a tool used in chopping wood. A good axe must be sharp, in order to do it's job.
When God says that you are His battle axe, He is saying you are His weapon of warfare. He intends to fight battles through you. He fights on behalf of His children and He is at war with the kingdom of darkness, so that the kingdom of God can be established in the hearts of men.
This world is a battle-field and God is calling us into the battle......But if the "axe" gets rusty, it won't be sharp....
What makes the child of God rusty? SIN....Disobedience against the Word of God, will make the "axe" dull and rusty.
The question for us is "How are we to remain sharp and useable in His hands?" What sharpens us as children of God is the WORD of GOD. When the WORD of God is rich in us, we will be a sharp axe in His hands. The word of God can cut into pieces anything it lands upon. With the word of God you can bring into captivity everything that exalts itself above the knowledge of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. "
Father, let me be a weapon in your hand today. Use my life to frustrate evil and spread good. Keep me in Your Word and not just a hearer, but also a doer of Your Word. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your day,
Sharon
Sunday, October 10, 2010
"Raising up your Flag"
Jeremiah 50:2 "Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner/flag and proclaim it; keep nothing back"
To lift a banner or flag reminds me of the American flag...when we raise it up...we are saying...this is who I am, I'm an American and this is the nation I support. And we don't only raise our American flag...we also proclaim it with the Pledge of Allegiance....I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.....We raise our flag high so everyone can see and we proclaim that we are Americans and we stand behind what she stands for.
Well, in a similar way, but in a deeper and greater way....we are suppose to "announce" to all the nations that we belong to God and He is our LORD. We are to raise our banner, our flag and proclaim the Word of God so we can be a light among the nations....giving evidence of God's work in us and through us. "you are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men." Matthew 5:4,16 Pledging our allegiance to Him and setting the standard of godliness to all nations....keeping nothing back.
That keeping nothing back means.....we aren't only to say that God loves us and offers forgiveness for sin...but we also need to warn others....that our God is a righteous God too and He will bring judgement on those who rebel against Him.
The enemy wants us to lower our flag....but God wants us to raise it high. Isaiah 13:2 Say’s, “Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.”
Blessings on your day,
Sharon Schutte
To lift a banner or flag reminds me of the American flag...when we raise it up...we are saying...this is who I am, I'm an American and this is the nation I support. And we don't only raise our American flag...we also proclaim it with the Pledge of Allegiance....I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.....We raise our flag high so everyone can see and we proclaim that we are Americans and we stand behind what she stands for.
Well, in a similar way, but in a deeper and greater way....we are suppose to "announce" to all the nations that we belong to God and He is our LORD. We are to raise our banner, our flag and proclaim the Word of God so we can be a light among the nations....giving evidence of God's work in us and through us. "you are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men." Matthew 5:4,16 Pledging our allegiance to Him and setting the standard of godliness to all nations....keeping nothing back.
That keeping nothing back means.....we aren't only to say that God loves us and offers forgiveness for sin...but we also need to warn others....that our God is a righteous God too and He will bring judgement on those who rebel against Him.
The enemy wants us to lower our flag....but God wants us to raise it high. Isaiah 13:2 Say’s, “Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.”
Blessings on your day,
Sharon Schutte
Monday, October 4, 2010
"Soul-Searching Question"
Jeremiah 45: 1b "After Baruch had written down everything God had told Jeremiah...Jeremiah turns and said to Baruch...and this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says to you...
God has a message for all believers as a whole...and like Baruch.... He has a personal word for each of us too.
Jeremiah 45:5, "...God asks Baruch a soul-searching question: "Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don't! And don't be discouraged...I will protect you wherever you go...I the LORD have spoken!"
If there is something in our heart that will distract or destroy us...the LORD comes and lays His hand on it ....this I require from you...not because I want to destroy your life or your dreams...but because I have a better plan...so don't be discouraged....and don't worry, because I want to protect you.
I have learned that the plan God has for my life is bigger, greater than anything I could come up with. Look at Baruch....He was the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 32:12; 36:4). To him Jeremiah dictated his prophecies which came from the mouth of God. What a high calling, what a high privilege to hear the Word of God and be apart of recording those word for the Word of God (Bible).
But the work we do in service for the LORD...should be...JUST FOR THE LORD. Not to attain a position or recognition. God's word to Baruch is also a message for God's people today. Don't get caught up in "more for me" or "great things for me" philosophy. Get caught up in listening to the message the LORD has for you and be obedient to it.
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Blessing on your day,
Sharon Schutte
God has a message for all believers as a whole...and like Baruch.... He has a personal word for each of us too.
Jeremiah 45:5, "...God asks Baruch a soul-searching question: "Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don't! And don't be discouraged...I will protect you wherever you go...I the LORD have spoken!"
If there is something in our heart that will distract or destroy us...the LORD comes and lays His hand on it ....this I require from you...not because I want to destroy your life or your dreams...but because I have a better plan...so don't be discouraged....and don't worry, because I want to protect you.
I have learned that the plan God has for my life is bigger, greater than anything I could come up with. Look at Baruch....He was the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 32:12; 36:4). To him Jeremiah dictated his prophecies which came from the mouth of God. What a high calling, what a high privilege to hear the Word of God and be apart of recording those word for the Word of God (Bible).
But the work we do in service for the LORD...should be...JUST FOR THE LORD. Not to attain a position or recognition. God's word to Baruch is also a message for God's people today. Don't get caught up in "more for me" or "great things for me" philosophy. Get caught up in listening to the message the LORD has for you and be obedient to it.
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Blessing on your day,
Sharon Schutte
Friday, October 1, 2010
" Who We Obey, We End Up Serving"
Jeremiah 44:1-2a "This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in northern Egypt--in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis--and in Southern Egypt as well. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says..."
Isn't it incredible that the LORD would speak a word to a particular people in a specific place. It makes me think of Riverside-Southern California...What will You say to us today? Will Your Words LORD be one of anger and judgement or joy and blessing? It's our choice.
The desire of God is to bless, but He doesn’t bless disobedience (Deut. 30:2-9). In Jer 42 the LORD said: "Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to bring upon you....I am with you, I will save you and rescue you.....I hear the LORD saying: I have all this for you....come and receive.....and all He asked of them was obedience.
What do you do....when God want's you to do something...but you don't want to do it? What do you do when you know what’s right, but that’s just not the path you want to travel? What do you do when you and God just don’t want the same things for your life?
The words of Eleanor Roosevelt ring true: One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
Deuteronomy 11:26 "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse..."
As Christians it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God. Why is it Essential? Because Who We Obey We End Up Serving.
Romans 6:16 "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval."
Father, You know all things and see all things. Help me to please you in all that I think, say and do. Forgive me for those times I do not obey You. Let Your mercy preserve my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Standing in Him,
Sharon
Isn't it incredible that the LORD would speak a word to a particular people in a specific place. It makes me think of Riverside-Southern California...What will You say to us today? Will Your Words LORD be one of anger and judgement or joy and blessing? It's our choice.
The desire of God is to bless, but He doesn’t bless disobedience (Deut. 30:2-9). In Jer 42 the LORD said: "Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to bring upon you....I am with you, I will save you and rescue you.....I hear the LORD saying: I have all this for you....come and receive.....and all He asked of them was obedience.
What do you do....when God want's you to do something...but you don't want to do it? What do you do when you know what’s right, but that’s just not the path you want to travel? What do you do when you and God just don’t want the same things for your life?
The words of Eleanor Roosevelt ring true: One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
Deuteronomy 11:26 "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse..."
As Christians it is essential that our choices reflect our obedience to God. Why is it Essential? Because Who We Obey We End Up Serving.
Romans 6:16 "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval."
Father, You know all things and see all things. Help me to please you in all that I think, say and do. Forgive me for those times I do not obey You. Let Your mercy preserve my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Standing in Him,
Sharon
Thursday, September 30, 2010
"MERCY MERCY ME"
James 3:18 "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
James is making the point that what we sow in our relationships is what we will reap. And in every relationbship we have, we are either sowing seeds of disorder, seeds of anger, seeds of mistrust, seeds of conflict....OR seeds of peace, love, kindness, gentleness, which will result in a harvest of righteousness.
But how do we plant seeds of peace in our relationships? What does it really mean to show true wisdom at home? In the office? At work? At school? Or in our neighborhood? James answers that question in verses 3:17-18.
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness."
I can't share on all these points, so I'll share on one that helps me in my times of difficulty with others ...when I fail...fail to love, fail to sow seeds of peace..... MERCY is what gets me back on tract ...because my flesh is usually telling me...they don't deserve kindness...etc..etc...look what they have done to you.
During these difficult times...I want to say to the LORD...But they don't deserve it because - and usually I can't even finish my prayer... as soon as I start to say that....my heart is cut with the question...and you deserve WHAT??????? oops...The LORD doesn't let me get away with anything...(Thank you Father!)...famous quote: The man/woman who refuses to show mercy destroys the bridge over which he himself must cross.”
Showing mercy is giving people what they need, not what they deserve.
It causes me to stop looking at myself...and look at the person in front of me and say Thank you LORD for Your mercy on me...forgive me for forgetting.....help me to give out that mercy on others. LORD, I need Your wisdom...I need Your impartiality (I'm tempted to give more mercy to myself that to the others)...what can I do or say they will help turn this situation around so You are glorified and my "friend" is helped.
Standing in Him,
Sharon
James is making the point that what we sow in our relationships is what we will reap. And in every relationbship we have, we are either sowing seeds of disorder, seeds of anger, seeds of mistrust, seeds of conflict....OR seeds of peace, love, kindness, gentleness, which will result in a harvest of righteousness.
But how do we plant seeds of peace in our relationships? What does it really mean to show true wisdom at home? In the office? At work? At school? Or in our neighborhood? James answers that question in verses 3:17-18.
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness."
I can't share on all these points, so I'll share on one that helps me in my times of difficulty with others ...when I fail...fail to love, fail to sow seeds of peace..... MERCY is what gets me back on tract ...because my flesh is usually telling me...they don't deserve kindness...etc..etc...look what they have done to you.
During these difficult times...I want to say to the LORD...But they don't deserve it because - and usually I can't even finish my prayer... as soon as I start to say that....my heart is cut with the question...and you deserve WHAT??????? oops...The LORD doesn't let me get away with anything...(Thank you Father!)...famous quote: The man/woman who refuses to show mercy destroys the bridge over which he himself must cross.”
Showing mercy is giving people what they need, not what they deserve.
It causes me to stop looking at myself...and look at the person in front of me and say Thank you LORD for Your mercy on me...forgive me for forgetting.....help me to give out that mercy on others. LORD, I need Your wisdom...I need Your impartiality (I'm tempted to give more mercy to myself that to the others)...what can I do or say they will help turn this situation around so You are glorified and my "friend" is helped.
Standing in Him,
Sharon
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