We know that weekends are full! We understand! We want you to pull up a chair, find a table at the Cafe just for you. We’ve got a place to savor a sip as we serve up some of our favorite devotionals from the past. (The links are just below the menu!)
Enjoy!

“Clean your room.”

“Please.” I threw in for good measure and because my mama taught me everything goes smoother with good manners.

But from the looks on my daughter’s face, she didn’t agree with the “reasonable” part of my petition. Her eyebrows scrunched low and her mouth was set in a straight fine line. The unrest in her attitude was not only from my request, but because my request didn’t include her brother, as well.

“But-” she started, “He helped me.” Meaning her one and only brother “helped” her make the mess, and he should have to “help” pick it up. “Just pick it up,” I told her pointing resolutely to the piles of Barbie dolls, dress-up clothes, stuffed animals, Hot Wheel cars, and pillows.

“Hmmph.” My five-year-old daughter stomped her feet and jerked her body towards the disarray. She began to toss and pitch toys here and there. When she found something belonging to her brother, her eyes would squint low as she marched across the hall to his room to throw the item on his floor with another, “Hmmph.”

Her body was going through the motions, but her heart was lying on the floor kicking its feet. Was I still happy with her actions?

True obedience comes from the heart.

King Saul was told to “go attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them.” (1 Samuel 15:3 NIV) Saul did wipe out the Amalekites as he was told. Only, “the soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord.” (v. 21) Saul was specifically told to destroy all of the cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Instead he saved the best of them for a sacrifice.

Was the Lord still happy?

“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

I’d say that was a pretty clear answer. Sometimes we think we are fooling God because we are doing the “right” thing, but in our hearts we are rebellious. Saul was arrogant and made a sacrifice to God only after he erected a monument in his own honor for the defeat of the Amalekites – the defeat God placed in his hands.

My daughter cleaned her room, but her obedience was in deed alone. How clean are the rooms in your heart? Do you have piles of rebellion? Stacks of self? Or scatters of attitude?

Well, you know what I’m going to say. And I think I’ll take my own advice.

“Clean your room!”

Visit Carol at sheep to the right!

]]> http://icdevotions.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/clean-your-room/feed/ 0 icdevotions http://icdevotions.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/remaining/ http://icdevotions.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/remaining/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:22:00 +0000 icdevotions http://icdevotions.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/remaining Continue reading →]]>

A screen just blinked on my laptop and it read, “You are running on reserve power.”

The battery icon is almost depleted revealing that only 5 percent of it’s energy is
remaining. I’m not at home and I forgot my power cord. Great, just great. My only free time and
now this happens.

God is sitting beside me and we slowly share a smile.

“Okay, Lord. I know you’re trying to get my attention here. You’ve been trying for
some time. I’m running on reserve power, aren’t I?”

I haven’t been staying plugged in to my power source. I’ve been trying to live on
yesterday’s Word, on yesterday’s sustainment.

I glance at the Bible on my side table that I haven’t opened in close to three days (gasp,
I did just admit that) and I know what it is I need to do. Jesus’ words rush in to remind me,

“Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
{John 13:3-4}

What does that look like? This remaining?

I ask and the answer comes.

His Word in me. Remaining.

I in obedience. Remaining.

His joy in me. Remaining.

I in His love. Remaining.

My dear Jesus,

I want to do more than just read my Bible and pray like a good girl should. I want to
get it IN me–to hide your word in my heart–one scripture at a time until it
becomes who I am.

In Him,

Joye

Joye is a mommy to three little messy blessings–toddler twins and a
preschooler–with another little one the way. Joye longs to make God’s heart her home
and blogs about it at http://thejoyefuljourney.blogspot.com.

We know that weekends are full! We understand! We want you to pull up a chair, find a table at the Cafe just for you. We’ve got a place to savor a sip as we serve up some of our favorite devotionals from the past. (The links are just below the menu!)
Enjoy!

In Matthew 9:35 – 36 it says,

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”

Jesus, did not need a Press Release!

The multitude knew where Jesus was and where he was going. If they did not find Him, the multitude would search for Him. Even times when He wanted some quiet time with His Father they would find Him. If they did not want Him for His healings, they would at least want to hear Him teach. It is more than obvious by His word that He was always about doing His Father’s business.

To know, that our Savior was moved with compassion, shows me that people were attracted to Him for the love that made up who He was. Have you ever been weary and scattered? I have actually felt like that a few times these past few weeks. Making sure my small Public Relations team has my scheduling confirmed, speaking engagements, appointments, thank-you notes written. With all of the planning it can be pretty overwhelming, and on top of that I am running my household of 16!

No wonder our Savior had compassion on the multitudes!

Even now He has had compassion on me and I have known that! So why is it that you and I keep going 100 miles per hour to make sure we meet our goals? Why is it that we are so concerned that our timetable does not get out of whack? I was thinking also that to Him we must look like silly sheep without a shepherd. He must look down and smile at us with that sweet love that is so overwhelming just like He did the multitude in the book of Matthew.

His compassion attracted the multitudes! What is so attractive about us that people will come and try to find us? I want to so much to be like Jesus! Don’t you? So, right now I have Press Releases that have to be written to tell a nation who I am, but what about those people who personally know me, do they see Jesus in me without the Press Release?

Close and Personal:

1. Do you need a Press Release to let people know who Jesus is in your life?

2. Have you ever felt that overwhelming compassion and love from Jesus that has made you stop in your tracks?

My dear Lord Jesus, help me be like You. Help me be loving and compassionate to this hurting world. Help to stop long enough to notice. I love you Jesus! Thank you for your gentle reminder of your consistent love and guidance in my life!

And so on…

With each age and season of life it can be a challenge to respond correctly. I’ve had my share of days when I haven’t felt good or when I’ve felt “hormonal”! It is not easy. Thanks to some faithful women who have been living examples to me, I am also aware of the fact that regardless of how I FEEL, I am responsible for how I respond to life! I am responsible for every word that comes out of my mouth, for every response, and for every second that has been given to me.

I have a friend who regularly gets terrible migraine headaches. Although she will ask me to pray for her when she gets them, it is not normally prayer just for herself, but prayers that she will be able to serve those in her family or get accomplished what she needs to get done. I have never heard her complain and have observed her push through many things while suffering with a migraine. She has pushed through migraines (and menopause!) with self control and grace!

I have another friend who went through breast cancer, surgery and chemotherapy. Not too long ago her oldest daughter passed away at age 28. She never ceases to have a cheerful spirit. Whenever I talk with her one of the first things she says is, “Gina, God is good! He really is, Gina.” The only explanation for both of these women’s responses is that God is POURING OUT HIS GRACE that they might choose to glorify Him in their hard circumstances. He is also enabling them to be examples to those of us who are younger as we face our share of difficulty.

One author put it this way: “The problem is not that we have emotions–they are a gift from God. The problem is that our emotions (unlike God’s) are tainted by the fall. The challenge is to let the Spirit of God sanctify us in the realm of our emotions so that they can be expressed in godly ways.”

Brian and I have made it our goal to teach this to our children since they were very little. Although we are aware that there is a process of maturity going on with them (and we give them room for that) we also know we would not being doing them any favors if we made excuses for sinful behavior.

I am also aware of the responsibility I have to model this in front of my children. It would be hypocritical for me to tell them they need to respond well to difficulties and then melt down whenever I face a challenge! With the combination of health issues and hormonal ups and downs, this can been quite a challenge at times. That is when I need to be honest with my family and tell them how I am feeling. I tell them I am working very hard to control myself and that if I am more quiet than normal it is because I am working at responding correctly. In doing this I feel like my son is learning to be aware and sensitive, and preparing for the possibility of being a husband. My daughter is learning that she needs to be in control even when she has PMS! (Her husband will be very grateful!)

I understand that what happens in our bodies is very real and can affect us in many ways. I know women who have gone through very hard times both physically, hormonally, and emotionally. I have gone through it too! Yet we need to be careful that we do not buy into the lie from the enemy that we can justify sinful behavior because of these challenges.

Two year olds might throw fits, yell “NO!”, and hit other children. They need to be taught that is sinful. Teenagers may become emotional or disrespectful. They need to be taught that is sinful and unacceptable. College age students may may feel like their parents have no right to tell them what to do, they may resist authority, or may act foolishly; however, they need to be told that rebellion is sinful, that they still need guidance, they need to press on to maturity and that they need to honor God. AND, women need to remember that it is sinful to allow how we feel to control us and our responses.

I find that I need to CHOOSE to practice this on a minute by minute…no…second by second basis! With the help of God I am determined to persevere in this. I don’t want to make life miserable for my family. I don’t want my children to remember me as a “basket case“! Teaching self control to my children is one of the greatest gifts I can give them. I pray that I would live that principle out before others. I pray that others might see God’s goodness and grace, which helps us get through anything that He allows into our lives.

“Grace abounding strong and true,
That makes me long to be like You
That turns me from my selfish pride,
To love the cross on which You died…for me!
Grace unending all my days,
Will give me strength to run this race
And when my years on earth are through,
My praise will all belong to you.”

(Gina has begun writing again after taking a few months off. She has some fresh, new perspective after going through some very dark times. She would love it if you stopped by for a chat and some coffee! You can find her at her personal blog: Chats With An Old Lady.)

I am so much less “comfortable” in the winter.

The water has to run longer while I wait for my shower to warm up. I shiver until the van heats up and between us ladies, I’ve been known to wear a wool cap to bed. (Stacy and Clinton would be appalled, I assure you, but on some nights it’s necessary.) I’m a vitamin D kind of gal. I LOVE the sunshine and in the winter she deliberately seems to hide as if she is purposefully hibernating.

To be honest, I’m just not as “comfortable” in the winter.

I’ve spent my share of winters up north, way up north. I know that winter is not always comfortable, and yet it’s often in winter where unknown treasures lie and only in “uncomfortable” circumstances, when all is stripped away, can they be revealed.

I was reminded of this just the other day. As we were traveling on a country road that I’ve driven a number of times, I noticed out my window a lake. A lake that had revealed itself through the naked trees. A lake that I’d never noticed before. A gorgeous lake.

Isn’t that just like winter?

Just like winter to reveal something hidden; something that’s always been there, just hidden behind the layers that camouflage.

Isn’t that just like God?

He has done it a number of times in my own life. Used an uncomfortable “winter season” of my life to reveal something that was there all along, but hidden. Hidden away, waiting for the Lord to strip away the layers that camouflage to reveal what He needed to expose. My winter.

I don’t know about you, but I often exist selfishly, seeking comfortable circumstances.

Thankfully there are times that God says, “no,” or “not now.” I move into my own spiritual winter. It’s a bitter cold season of life where comforts cease to exist. It’s clearly not comfortable. It’s not meant to be. It’s often downright painful, and if you are like me, you try to resist it. You try to ignore it, or run the other direction, or pull the hat over your eyes, but He won’t let you. You see there is so much to be revealed in these times.

Just as it’s comforting to know without a doubt that winter inevitably moves into spring, my spirit is comforted by these words,