On the Oasis Blog there has been alot of info posted about Fasting. Funny things sometimes happen when you are fasting. In our Eric’s and my fast, this is no exception. A couple of years ago when we did a 40 day fast, we decided to go to a friends house who has a fruit farm. Since we were juicing, we thought this would be beneficial, as well as a fun field trip for our children.
Our friend took us on a tour of the farm. As we were walking through the orchard, our dear friend Debbie was telling us all about the different types of apples. She pulls one off the tree and says,”this is the best”, and continues to hand it to Eric, and says, ”try it”. Eric not thinking, takes the apple and takes a big bite out of it, chews a second, but then quickened to his senses proceeds to spit it with force onto the ground. This all happened very quickly and I am just staring at Eric and Debbie is now thinking something was wrong with her apples, LOL. We ended up telling our friend that we were fasting and she imediately understood, but it was very funny. Now Debbie had no idea, so this is not an eve and the fruit situation, but it was comical that it happened to be an apple that Eric took a bit out of
I know, the title is a little Corny. Ok, maybe alot Corny, LOL! It comes from my dear friend Sarah, so it was not fully my idea, but the idea behind it has some relative truths and if nothing else, it hopefully put a smile on your face.
This past week, my husband and 2 oldest children had their yearly eye exams. It turned out that my son, Hunter, needed glasses. His eye-site was not all that impaired and the Dr said that he only needed to wear them when he was a a movie, or when he needed to see something far off. Hunter did not even notice he was not seeing clearly. His glasses came ina day later and as soon as he put them on, a whole new world open up to him. Needless to say, he wears his glasses all of the time, because he likes to see what he could not see clearly before. What is amazing is the fact he never even knew he was not seeing clearly.
Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, “
Isn’t that just like all of us spiritually? We walk along thinking we see clearly but in reality we are very nearsighted. Now we know that we were once blind until God in His mercy open our eyes. God opened our eyes and we can now see. God also gave us something like God Goggles to help us see better because without them we can remain very nearsighted, focusing only what is up close, which can be one of those things that can cause fear in our lives because we can not see clearly. In Spurgeon’s Morning devotion yesterday, He talked about faith. When God saved us from His wrath, He gave us everything we need to walk upright with Him. We need faith and so God gave us that. But our faith is a seed that must grow and flourish. Without growing in faith, we cannot see past the present and can become very nearsighted, which can prevent us from doing all that God has called us to do. We cannot love effectively without faith. We have fear without faith, and we already discussed what a life without fear looks like. I love the way Spurgeon put it.
Great-faith sings, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:” and she fords the stream at once. Would you be comfortable and happy? Would you enjoy religion? Would you have the religion of cheerfulness and not that of gloom? Then “have faith in God.” If you love darkness, and are satisfied to dwell in gloom and misery, then be content with little faith; but if you love the sunshine, and would sing songs of rejoicing, covet earnestly this best gift, “great faith.”
Let your Faith Faith Sing Sisters. Suppliment your faith with the God Goggles the the Lord gave you perservering in the Faith that God gave you.
Our God Goggles: 2 Peter 1
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualitiesare yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I had the wonderful opportunity to help with a photography workshop in Dallas last week, which is why you have not heard from me in a while :(. One of the team leaders, Amy Deputy, did an exercise with her students and asked them, what would you do if you had no fear, with the aspect of if you have no fear you will see beyond what is in front of you and photograph beautiful things.
This thought impacted me and brought me back to our great and kind God. I have been meditating on this thought all week and this morning again was reminded of this as i was reading in 1 John.
1 John 4: 13-21
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Just think about if I had no fear.
I would love more deeply
I would forgive more.
I would be more patient.
I would listen attentively.
I would tell the truth in love always.
I would be gentle, yet bold.
I would be quiet more.
I would know when to be quiet and when to speak.
I would be honest with myself and others always.
I would not be anxious about tomorrow.
I would self sacrificially give more.
I would trust God more.
I would hope more.
I would sin less.
I would be fully confident and yet humble.
I would be totally dependant on the one who gives me strength.
I seek more, ask more, knock more.
I would pray more.
I would care for others more.
I would see others that are not like me with love and compassion.
I would not be as concerned about my appearance.
I would confess my sins to others more often.
I would be more attentive to the things around me.
I would consider others better than myself.
I would truly believe that “All things work together for good”
I would submit more.
I would act in love more.
The list is endless, but this list is for you as well. Imagine yourself with no fear. God is so good to give us His Spirit to conquer our fear. No Fear begins with loving. Shall we begin this journey of NO FEAR together, trusting God to renew our heart and give us love for one another and a deeper relationship with the one who make No Fear possible.
Question: 46. Did our Lord Jesus Christ ever commit the least sin? Answer: No; he was holy, harmless, and undefiled.
Question: 47. How could the Son of God suffer? Answer: Christ, the Son of God, became man that he might obey and suffer in our nature. Question: 48. What is meant by the Atonement? Answer: Christ’s satisfying divine justice, by his sufferings and death, in the place of sinners. Question: 49. What did God the Father undertake in the covenant of grace? Answer: To justify and sanctify those for whom Christ should die. Question: 50. What is justification? Answer: It is God’s forgiving sinners, and treating them as if they had never sinned.
Question: 41. Can any one be saved through the covenant of works? Answer: None can be saved through the covenant of works.
Question: 42. Why can none be saved through the covenant of works? Answer: Because all have broken it, and are condemned by it Question: 43. With whom did God the Father make the covenant of grace? Answer: With Christ, his eternal Son. Question: 44. Whom did Christ represent in the covenant of grace? Answer: His elect people. Question: 45. What did Christ undertake in the covenant of grace? Answer: To keep the whole law for his people, and to suffer the punishment due to their sins.
You can pick these up at church or download them here :) These are the verses the Nursery Teachers will be going over with our little ones this month. Also, Our Nursery brochure is below in PDF format.
Part of the preparation of Passover is to clean the house from top to bottom looking for leavened bread. This is a great time of reflection and spring cleaning. Every year we add a little bit to this plan. In the past, we have used the week before to prepare our house. In Jewish culture, this preparation can take weeks. We are trying to do this as well. Here is the schedule we are following to prepare for the King of Kings and His death and Resurrection. While doing this you can be meditation on preparing the true temple and house of God, your heart. It is important to dig deep in your heart and ask God to show the area’s where leaven may be hidden.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Week February 10-16: Hallways, stairs and foyers
Week February 17-23: Bedrooms
Week February 24: March 1st- Family Room
Week March 2-8: Dining Room
Week March 10-16: Kitchen
Week March 17-24 Catch Up Time
What a great example to bring the the simple household chores to a spiritual leavel for your children. Involve your children, training them in the things of the Lord and take joy in the process
