Tag Archive | relationship

It’s Really Jesus Doing The Work

Oct2

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. — 1 Corinthians 3:7-8

How humbling and revealing these verses are. It is a wonderful thing to lead someone to the Lord — exhilarating, exciting, pleasing and a bit of pride can slip in thinking that “we” led someone to the Lord. Truth is revealed here. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ we share the gospel. The Lord is the one who changes the heart of the person to whom we are speaking. So the only part we play is surrender and willingness to be used for God’s purpose and glory.

As some of you may remember I spent two years with my Mom and Dad caring for their needs in another state, away from my family. While I was there the Lord taught me the reality of these verses. I often thought about my family and how I was not there to speak of Jesus and be an influence on them. How in the world are they going to continue to follow and grow in their relationship without me there to remind them and be an example?!!!

I tell you that my family grew in ways that blew my mind in those two years and the only real influence I had was my time of prayer for them each day. I had to rely on the Lord to change their lives and be the reminder that He is alive, loves and is with them always.

Jesus can do more and be more of an influence on your family than you can. Our focus needs to be on our relationship with Jesus. The closer our walk with Him the more influential we are to others “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) Are you willing to surrender to the will of God and let Him use you to lead others to Jesus? He is waiting to transform you into a witness of His glory.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

How About You?

Aug16

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Some messages read see the face of God) — Psalms 42:2

I don’t know about you but I am so looking forward to seeing the face of God, standing before Him, seeing His glory. All fear gone, all hope fulfilled, O glorious day! There is only One living God and my soul thirsts for Him. My soul is quenched by reading His word and spending time in prayer with Him. But then I get thirsty again. I need the thirst quenching words of God daily. How about you?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

WAIT!!!!!!!!?

Jul25

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. — Psalm 130:5-6

Wait. . . Wait . . . Wait . . .

That is a four letter word to us today. No one likes to wait. We look for the shortest line in the grocery store. When we ring the bell for service we want someone to answer that bell right away. When we sit in the doctor’s office waiting room we keep looking at our watches, or cell phones, to see how much they are running behind. We just don’t like to wait. It is an inconvenience. We are always in a hurry. To go where???

In our hurried lifestyle today we miss out on a lot. We don’t take the time to really listen and notice our children. They are just an added burden to the hurried lifestyle. We can’t seem to find a smile to share with someone as they hurriedly pass us by. We don’t notice God’s awesome creation — new life in the Spring, the beautiful blue sky and green grass of Summer, the colors of Fall and the pure white of Winter snow or the bare trees awaiting Spring. There is that “wait” again. The trees waiting for the blooms of Spring to dress them again. We tend to half listen to conversations we have with others and then wonder why communication is the biggest problem in relationships.

The biggest communication problem today is the lack of hearing the voice of God. We are too much in a hurry to spend time waiting on the Lord. Yet when we do wait upon the Lord we can hear His still small voice of direction, encouragement, love. My hope for the future is found in the waiting room of the Lord. He is my hope. He is my direction into the future. He guides my steps and my ways. Without Him I am merely walking blindly into the future with no direction or encouragement.

Take time to wait on the Lord. He is so worth it. Hope for the future and peace for the present.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Faith Is The Victory

Jul9

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. — 1 John 5:4

What makes you different from every other person born of flesh and blood? All mankind is born of flesh and blood, born of the will of man. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:12-13

Born of God. How is one born of God? To know Jesus Christ, that He is righteous. To know Him is to follow Him by practicing righteousness. To know that He died for us and rose to victory over death. To have a personal relationship with Him. That is what it means to know Him and know that He is righteous.

Being born of God makes us overcomers because Christ lives in us. He who lives in us is greater than he who is in the world. Jesus has wisdom greater than, power greater than, victory greater than he who is in the world. We are so blessed to have Jesus living in us. He is our victory! He is our righteousness! He is our overcomer!

It is by faith that we shall overcome. Faith in Jesus Christ. He is the VICTORY!!!!!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. — 1 John 2:29

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. — 1 John 4:4

God’s Way

Jun28

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God — Romans 10:1-3

It’s God’s way or no way. There is no compromising with the Lord God if you are walking in a true relationship with Jesus. There are many who have a great zeal for God. They “do good”, are always at church when the doors are open, wearing the perfect face and self-righteous halo and  displaying their righteousness for all to see.

But. Do they really know God or just playing the church game? Are they motivated by a true love for Jesus and desiring to please Him and see His purposes fulfilled or just to be judged as a righteous saint, receiving their glory here?

Do we have a heart’s desire for the salvation of all people? Or just the ones that are righteous according to our own standards? Do we dictate what a “Christian” looks like or do we allow the transforming work of the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of people? Are we trying to do the work of  God without Him?

There is a freedom in subjecting ourselves to the righteousness of God. There is transformation in the righteousness of God. A righteousness based on God’s transforming power which makes us acceptable to Him in word, thought and deed. (Romans 10:3 AMP)

We can’t make ourselves good enough for God. We need to seek His righteousness and let His transformation bring us into alignment with His purpose and will. God’s Way!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.  For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. — Acts 22:14-15

But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” — Romans 10:6-13

Righteous in God’s Eyes

Jun14

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. — Luke 1:6 (NLT)  
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. -Luke 1:6 (NASB)

In the sight of God are you righteous? Righteousness is characterized by uprightness or morality: Morally right or justifiable. Acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous. Many people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can be upright and moral. So what is the difference?

God is the judge on righteousness. I believe it is also seen in our reaction to our walking with the Lord. We are careful, diligent, focused on obeying His Word because we desire to please our God. In our desire to walk in the light of Jesus is where our righteousness is seen. We can walk in an upright and moral manner but not have the desire to please God in our walk.

So what does your walk look like? Is it different enough that God would see you as righteous in His sight?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Blessed Is The One Who Is Forgiven

Jun13

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! — Psalm 32:1

How true a verse this is. Forgiveness of sin brings salvation, eternity in a relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ. From forgiveness comes confidence that we can walk our journey not worrying about stumbling because we are already forgiven. Forgiveness brings us boldly to the throne of God because we know He is a compassionate, forgiving God who accepts us.  Forgiveness gives us courage to venture out into faith knowing that when we make a mistake we are forgiven. Knowing we are forgiven lifts the burden of an unintentional sinful act that is weighing us down.

All sin covered by the blood of Jesus. Forgiveness is free for the asking and accepting of the gift of forgiveness.  That is the key. Sometimes we fall short of the glory of God but we don’t accept the forgiveness of God because we can’t forgive ourselves. If God has forgiven then we need to forgive. Why? Because blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Thank God for His tremendous blessing of forgiveness!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

Adorned

Jun8

Adorn: to make more pleasing, attractive, impressive, etc.; enhance:
Synonyms of adorn: embellish, beautify, enhance, enrich, array

that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. — Titus 2:10

How do you wear the doctrine of God our Savior? Are you aware of your speech and actions at all times and how they could affect your witness of the One you represent? What is your first response when you realize you haven’t represented the holy, perfect, worthy God? Does it tear at your very soul and crush your heart? Do you run to the throne of God seeking His forgiveness?

Let us be so entwined in our relationship with Jesus that every deviation from His teachings makes us sorely regretful. Let us adorn the doctrine of God in all things. In this way we are a witness of a wonderful, merciful, holy, loving God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Continually Seeking Him!

Jun7

Amazing! God makes Himself so visible especially in those times of great need, when dismayed, fearful and weak.

God knows my heart and speaks straight to it. Open my Facebook page and out from the News Feed comes scripture of comfort, support, and strength from my dear friends in Christ who post the Lord’s Word. (I love how God uses all of us to minister to each other.)

Opening up the Word of God, the Scriptures draw me to words of comfort, support and strength as they jump out from the pages of God’s Word. Now opening up my Scripture treasure chest, I pull out the card of the day and there He is again.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10

So very grateful for my loving, intimate relationship with the Lord.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Throne of Grace

May22

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:16

“Draw near with confidence to the throne of grace”. We can approach the throne of grace boldly with confidence, not because of us but because of Jesus Christ Himself, the High Priest who can “sympathize with our weakness, One who has been tempted in all things” just like we have except that He is “without sin”.

Jesus understands every moment of our lives, whatever we are experiencing. He has experienced the human pit falls of life, the challenges, the temptations, the sorrows, the pain. But He also experienced the joy, the friendships, the relationships of family. He is our wonderful Counselor. One who can truly counsel from experience. There is nothing that we could go through that Jesus does not relate to.

In His presence we find grace to carry on in our time of need. He gives all we need to continue on because He is our strength, our grace, our endurance. Without Jesus we face difficulties in life with despair and failure. With Jesus we face difficulties in life with hope and victory.

Jesus is sufficient.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon