What Religion Does

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, "Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. "And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. "For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you."And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. Exodus 12:21-24 NAS

And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise." John 2:13-16 NAS

I am not one who enjoys reading through the Bible every year. I’ve tried it but I like to linger over what I am reading rather than plowing through a set number of chapters per day. I do however try to read in the OT and the NT every day. I’ve been reading in Exodus and the gospel of John and it has made an interesting contrast to see God’s instructions concerning the Passover and what it had become in Jesus’ day.

The Passover was the awesome display of God’s power in delivering His people out of bondage. Now everything that symbolized and fulfilled the Passover feast was being sold in the temple courtyard and often at exorbitant prices by religious profiteers. By the time Jesus walked the earth it had been commercialized and complicated to the point that Jesus felt compelled to clean the whole thing up. What was intended to be a wonderful commemoration of what God had done for them was now a money making scheme. What was to be a house of prayer had become a place of business. Would His verdict be so very different today?

How would this apply to you and to me? First, we should be grateful for the wealth of study and discipleship materials that are available. I have been deeply enriched in my personal life from these resources. I am grateful that Christian bookstores sell beautiful Christian themed accessories for our homes. However, we should realize that a “Christian industry” has risen to meet genuine needs. But with it comes all the perils of fortune, fame, crass materialism and selfish ambition. I suspect Jesus might be tempted to clear the house again. We need to soberly assess Christian celebrity speakers who charge exorbitantly large speaking fees. Just because a church can afford to pay them doesn’t mean it is right. I know many who give unselfishly of their time and talents to the cause of Christ with no thought of monetary rewards. Some are justly recompensed for their labor and efforts. The heart of the matter is the matter of our hearts. 1 Peter 5:2 “Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve.” With Him our motives are so important.

In the same way, it would be good to look at how we as a family celebrate our meaningful holidays. Have we fallen prey to emphasizing the material aspect of holidays and trivializing the spiritual reality we are supposedly celebrating? If you realize that it has become less than it should be resolve now and brainstorm with your friends and family to make it more about Him. Take it back as your act of worship to Him.

MY PRAYER: Lord, I don’t want to harbor selfish ambition or an unhealthy desire to receive earthly rewards. Help me to be eager to serve out of the overflow of all You have done in my life. Help me to resist the pull and influence of religious profiteers. In Jesus’ name.

MY CONFESSION: The Lord’s zeal will help me guard my home and my heart. Our celebrations will focus on substance and honoring You. We will not merchandize your holy things.

Hillsong United - From The Inside Out - With Subtitles

DISCIPLINE AND STABILITY

For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:5-6 NAS

When I came to the Lord I was not a pretty sight. Many years of an undisciplined life left my character weak and deeply flawed. I did not come with a lot of good work or study habits. I pretty much did only what I wanted to do in every area of my life. I was an airline stewardess with enough tenure to only work three or four days a week. I made sure I didn’t fly any route that made me get up too early. I was easily bored with what I considered the mundane and glossed over little things like details. Even in my checkbook. My detailed oriented husband almost had a heart attack when he saw the sloppy way I kept it.

I would like to tell you that the minute I was saved great character traits immediately manifested in my life, but that wouldn’t be true. Some wonderful things did happen immediately. My language cleaned up, I by-passed the immodest clothing that hung in my closet for more modest fare, and I resisted using those “convenient lies” that so easily rolled off my tongue before the Holy Spirit took up residence.

For all my lack of personal discipline, I didn’t neglect times of reading my Bible and prayer. The wonder of that was explained when I heard someone say, “If you love someone you don’t have to discipline yourself to spend time with them.” Let that sink in. However, I continued to live by my motto, “I’ll do it when I feel like it,” for many years. God’s patience amazes me. Slowly but surely, diligence and self-control appeared as the fruit of the Spirit matured in my life. As that happened God gave me a little group of preschoolers to teach. Eventually my husband and I taught the teenagers. Then we began to teach the highly disciplined studies from Kay Arthur’s Precept Ministries. Amazing what His presence in our lives can do.

Good habits are essential if we are going to lead lives of accomplishment, but good habits apart from a love relationship with God can lead to a legalistic works oriented faith or a sense of self-righteousness. So walk in Him and with Him and watch your life bring forth the fruit of His Spirit.

PRAYER: Lord, I know that discipline and stability work hand in hand in my growth. Help me to be motivated by my love for you to meet with you day by day. Help me to be faithful to read your word and cultivate my prayer life as a way to stay intimately connected to You. I want my walk to bring joy to You and be an encouragement to others. In Jesus name.

MY CONFESSION: I received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and I will walk in Him by faith today. I am disciplined and stable. Others will see the growth in my life and be encouraged. I stand on Your word.

YOU WILL BE NOTICED

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him, and touched the fringe of His cloak; and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" Luke 8:47 And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. Luke 8:43-45a

Twelve years of weakness and uncleanness. Under the law (Lev. 15:25) this woman was unclean and would ceremonially defile all who came in contact with her. Imagine the growing fear as she sought the best medical help during that time of sickness and isolation. She had depleted her financial resources to no avail and the same account in Mark says, "She was not helped at all, but rather grew worse." One last hope as she made her way desperately through the crowd to touch this one named Jesus. Many were being jostled against Him, but this was a trembling, desperate hand of faith. The unclean touched the Holy One and was instantly healed and made clean. Jesus noticed! We are never just another need in a crowd to Him. He called her out for a face to face encounter and gave her an opportunity in the presence of all to tell her story. She did and that is how we know the details of her ordeal. We have no idea how the crowd reacted. Were they aghast that she had dared to touch the Rabbi in her unclean state? We know the Lord’s reaction. No condemnation from Him. He called her daughter, commended her faith, and told her to go in peace. She had not escaped His notice and neither have we. Whatever it is, whatever needs to be cleansed and healed, reach out, cry out to the One who will notice. That same power is available today to heal and cleanse.

If you are reading this and you have never asked for God’s forgiveness and cleansing make this the day of salvation. If you will confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10

MY PRAYER: Lord, I thank you that you always notice my need and my trembling hand of faith. Help me to be willing to tell others of your faithfulness and all the ways you have healed me.

MY CONFESSION: Lord not even a sparrow falling to the ground escapes your notice. (Matthew 10:29) How much more do you see the plight of those made in Your image. I believe that I am cleansed and healed by Your presence. I stand on Your word.

Glory Revealed Tour: Glory Revealed

Make a Highway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wil9NYmp5N8

"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Isaiah 40:4-5

I have had the privilege of leading and participating in some great Bible studies in my life. Gripped by the Greatness of God by James MacDonald was life changing. He asked us to pray through Isaiah 40:3-5 and to ask the Lord:
1. What voids or areas of deficiency (valley) do I have that needs to be filled?
2. What problems or barriers (mountains and hills) need to be brought down or made low?

I took the questions to the Lord one at a time and in His grace He answered me. The first answer came through a powerful song and as I listened, I sensed the sound of the Savior’s voice. “Carol, you don’t really understand the power of what I have accomplished for you on the cross.” I am deeply hungry to grasp and embrace the enormity of what He has done for me. I don’t know that I can ever plumb the depths of it, but I am beginning to live in the pursuit and experience of it. I am not satisfied with head knowledge. I want to press on to know Him.

The mountain and the hills which are barriers in my life came to me while reading 1 Peter 5:5-6. “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” I was really arrested by the words “Clothe yourself in humility toward one another, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God is looking to see how we act or react towards others to determine if our hearts are humble. It is one thing to humble ourselves before a perfect and loving God, but to humble ourselves toward other frail and imperfect human beings to me is more difficult. The word “clothed” in the Greek means to engirdle oneself (for labor), that is, figuratively (the apron being a badge of servitude) to wear (in token of mutual deference). Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-10 that Jesus left us an example when He humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant. Take the time to read that beautiful passage. A servant's heart is our greatest protection against pride and arrogance. Jesus was gentle and loving with people but never weak.

What will it take in my life to see the glory (who He is and what He does) of the Lord revealed? I believe He has given me some personal answers. I challenge you to ask Him to show you any hindrances to the revelation of His glory.

MY PRAYER: Lord, I want there to be no hindrances to what you want to do in and through my life. Help me to feast on the truth of your Word. I want the word to become flesh in my life. I want to take it in and live it out. I want to see Your glory.

MY CONFESSION: Through the power of your Spirit and the truth of Your promises, I am removing obstacles and deficiencies that would block the revelation of Your glory. I stand on your word.

Come to Jesus

IN HIM WE LIVE

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:28

My six year old granddaughter just finished a week of church camp. She was given a CD of the music they would sing for the week and declared that the song Come to Jesus by Chris Rice as her very favorite. I listened to the words and it took me on a wonderful journey. No wonder it captivated her heart and spirit.

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head,
for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,
then Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside,
then Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace,
and laugh on Glory's side,
and Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

MY PRAYER: Lord, you bid me to come to you and keep on coming. When I’m needy, when I’ve fallen, when I’m happy and victorious I want you to be the One I run to. May it be said of me, “In Christ she lived and moved and had her being.”

MY CONFESSION: I was saved from the penalty of sin by coming to Jesus. I am being saved from sin’s power by Jesus. I will be saved from sin’s presence when Jesus calls me to heaven and I fly to Him. I stand on Your Word!

Call to Jesus

Acts 17:28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'


My six year old granddaughter just finished a week of church camp. She was given a CD of the music they would sing for the week and declared that the song Come to Jesus by Chris Rice as her very favorite. I listened to the words and it took me on a wonderful journey. No wonder it captivated her heart and spirit.

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted

And carried far away

And precious blood has washed away the stain,

so Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby

Don't be afraid to crawl

And remember when you walk

Sometimes we fall...so

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely

And steep and filled with pain

So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,

then Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over

And music fills the night

And when you can't contain your joy inside,

then Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat

Kiss the world goodbye

Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side,

and Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus and live!

MY PRAYER: Lord, you bid me to come to you and keep on coming. When I’m needy, when I’ve fallen, when I’m happy and victorious I want you to be the One I run to. May it be said of me, “In Christ she lived and moved and had her being.”


MY CONFESSION: I was saved from the penalty of sin by calling on Jesus. I am being saved from sin’s power by calling on Jesus. I will be saved from sin’s presence when Jesus calls me to heaven. I stand on Your Word!

cece winans--alabaster box