Overflow

Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” -

This verse reminded me that unless I am firmly rooted in Christ I will not be capable of sustaining any good work. For under my own power I will become tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, and burned out, but if properly rooted in Christ I will be sustained, satisfied, patient, kind, understanding, and capable of seemingly impossible things. Only when we get filled up do we truly experience overflow.

Foot of the Cross

Music has a way of speaking directly to my heart. At times it can stop me in my tracks and cause me to ponder my very existence. I had this happen while doing the dishes last night. I was listening to Pandora and Ashes To Beauty (Kathryn Scott) came on. I had been sketching earlier and could not get the image of the foot of the cross out of my head. When this song came on it hit me hard. I have included the lyrics below. I love when God reaches out and just says- I am here and I am much bigger than you will ever understand.


At the foot of the cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me Your love
Through the judgment You received
And You've won my heart
Yes You've won my heart
Now I can Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the cross
At the foot of the cross
Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death You bore for me
I'm laying every burden down
I'm laying every burden down

Getting Low

Sometimes you need to fly low to avoid the snags and entanglements of this world. Satan wants us to fight, he likes nothing better than a chance to toss our struggles right back in our face and say -You can not beat this, you can not win this battle, this sin is way bigger than you. He is right, on our own we will eventually wear down and fall victim to temptation. Christ offers us freedom from the things that drag us down. While we get low and crawl out of harms way He steps in, takes our place and the fight is over. Father God, my prayer is that you would reveal the weaknesses in my life and allow me to turn them over to you. Dig into those deep places, the strongholds, and areas that have been hidden. Help me to stay low, trust, and through you find victory. Help me to desire what you desire, love what you love, and find joy in in what you find joy in. Amen

Romans 8:31-39 (New International Version)

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Tune

God is so faithful and he always knows just what I need to stay in tune with him. At times I am distracted, or choose to ignore the prompting, but eventually his sweet music and life giving word pull me back in. I am very thankful that I have a loving creative God who knows me and desires to whisper the truth in my ears.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (New International Version)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Blocked

How often do you feel blocked by the things of this world, or worse how often have you been a road block for someone else? I have been letting the weight of the World push in on me lately and I do not like how oppressive it feels. It tends to fog up my God filter and I find myself operating under my own strength. My prayer today is that I would shake off the things of this world (Stress from work, pressure to be successful, and PRIDE) and that I would see clearly where the Holy Spirit is leading me.

Proverbs 15:19 (NIV)
19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

1 Peter 2:16-17 (NIV)
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.