March 18, 2026

Tell Me The Story of Jesus

February 10, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart ev’ry word; Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels, in chorus, sang as they welcomed His birth, “Glory to God in the highest!  Peace and good tidings to earth”

Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart ev’ry word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

Fasting alone in the desert, tell of the days that are past; How for our sins he was tempted, yet was triumphant at last. Tell of the years of His labor, tell of the sorrow He bore, He was despised and afflicted, homeless, rejected, and poor.

Tell of the Cross where they nailed Him, writhing in anguish and pain; Tell of the grave where they laid Him, tell how He liveth again. Love in that story so tender, clearer than ever I see: Stay, let me weep while you whisper, Love paid the ransom for me.

~ By Fanny J. Crosby ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Growing up in a Southern Baptist Church, this was a popular song we would sing. Praying and thinking about the hymn to write about, this song kept playing over in my mind.  There are sweet memories associated here.  Ones of  simpler and happier times.  I remember singing this at tent revivals and camp meetings.

How I loved the week-long camp meetings!  It was always a chance to get away and get closer to God.  We would have three square meals, go to the sanctuary for services and then go to the girl’s dorms for the evening.  We would be able to meet girls from all across the south, share our lives and addresses, and learn more about God.  There were some really good speakers.  Usually on Wednesdays there was an altar call…there was always  an expectation of hearts turning to God and those re-dedicating their lives to Him.

We would sing the song, and it would take on a new meaning.  The freshness of those who gave themselves for Jesus is priceless…I wonder where they are now.  I pray that they are as strong in their faith as they were the day they were saved.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

CHRISTLife — TwentyOne: Dead To Sin

February 10, 2014 by

cl dead to sinTherefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our Life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Colossians 3:3-5

As incredible as these truths are…they ARE the Truth!  God said so!  So, if God says, “You have been raised up with Christ; keep seeking the things above…”  then that is what we must do!  And we must remember that this IS possible!  This is <now> the real y.o.u. (and me, too)!

We have been working for awhile now on changing the images we hold in our hearts and our minds.  No longer always thinking of ourselves with the negative connotations and names that we did before, but confessing, “I AM who God says I am!”  And so I am:

  • dead to sin
  • alive to God
  • righteous
  • no longer a slave to sin
  • risen to God
  • resurrected with a new life

Mrs. Myers writes, “This new, Christ-centered view of who we are (which is unquestionably true, for God cannot lie) provides the basis for living a righteous, obedient life.  The more we see who we are in Christ, the more the idea of flirting with sin becomes inconceivable…” (page 90).  Consider this in a practical way:

Since I am alive with Christ in me, I can live as righteously as He and be obedient to God the Father.  How ludicrous then is any consideration of sin (or “flirting with sin, as Mrs. Myers puts it). Would Jesus have?  No;  He never sinned.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:14 and 15

He is always available to help us, to encourage us.  We have to remember that we are dead to sin…and ourselves, like our Lord, not give in to the temptation.  We CAN do this; God says so.  Remember “I AM who God says I am”—I AM dead to sin.  This means we don’t have to live with “sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, greed, covetousness (or any other sinful desire that you might struggle with—depression, addictions, self-pity, selfishness, ________, ________ (fill in the blank!).   Philippians 4:13 (AMP) says we have strength for all things in Christ, we’re ready for anything, and we are self-sufficient in His sufficiency.

And you He made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked, following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
following the desires of body and mind,
and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:1-5

The Amplified Bible translates verses 4 and 5 like this, listen:

But God—so rich is He in His mercy!
Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love
with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings
and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself,
the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace
(His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

Isn’t that beautiful?!!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Let’s pray the words of this anointed prayer together:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;  that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,  that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.  Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nothing Is Wasted

February 9, 2014 by

 

 

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

The hurt that broke your heart and left you trembling in the dark
Feeling lost and alone will tell you hope’s a lie
But what if every tear you cry will seed the ground where joy will grow

Nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer nothing is wasted

It’s from the deepest wounds that beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end that every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus and what’s lost will be found again

When hope is more than you can bear
And it’s too hard to believe it could be true
And your strength fails you halfway there
You can lean on me and I’ll believe for you
Give it time…you will believe it too

That nothing is wasted nothing is wasted
Sometimes we are waiting in sorrow we have tasted
But joy will replace it nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer nothing is wasted

From the ruins, from the ashes—beauty will rise
From the wreckage, from the darkness—glory will shine

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

As we hold onto our brokenness, that is all that can be seen—by ourselves or anyone else.  But as we intentionally choose day by day (ok, sometimes it is moment by moment) to let a tiny bit of joy shine in…or to reach out with Jesus’ love to someone who hurts more than we do…than His glory will shine through us.  And, as it does, our hearts will brighten just a teeny-tiny bit. And we will be encouraged ‘cause nothing is ever wasted when it is done with the love of God.

I so appreciate what Jason Gray shares in this videoclip before he begins to minister these beautiful words.  He says, “I believe…help my unbelief.”  Friend, ‘cause nothing ever is wasted as we seek and rely on and trust the One Who is always there to help us!  So when ‘hope is more than you can bear’ (at the moment) and when it does seem ‘too hard to believe it could be true’ and when ‘your strength fails you’ even though you are trying, call out to your Father…He is listening!

Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to You; save Your servant who trusts in You.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to You all day long.
Bring joy to Your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You.
Psalms 86:1-4

You, my dear friend, are not the first to have gone through these hard, hard things.  Though at times it does feel that way, draw strength from the examples of others who chose, like you, to call upon God.  And believe these Truths—God’s Word is truth.

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
Psalms 59:16, 17

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalms 63:5-8

Cling, my friend, to every shred of hope, every drop of  precious light, every tiny bit of joy you can find.

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!  Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and  hope for and expect the Lord.

Psalms 27:13 and 14

And trust in the One-Who-loves-you-so that you will see before the end that every broken piece is gathered in the heart of Jesus and what’s lost will be found again.  He loves you and nothing at all ever could or will separate you from His love.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Hardest Thing About Trusting God

February 9, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
For who is God save the LORD? or Who is a Rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30–32

Faith is not faith as long as it is holding onto a branch.  There is a story that goes like this:

One day on a hiking trip, a man fell off the edge of a cliff and began the 800-foot drop to the bottom. He thought it was all over for him until he grabbed a tree branch which stopped his fall. Hanging on for dear life, he cried out for help, “Is anyone up there?”
There was no response. The seconds turned into minutes. The branch was sagging beneath the hiker’s weight. The tree’s roots would only take so much more strain before they gave way. When it seemed the poor hiker couldn’t hold on any longer, he heard a voice: “I am God. Do you trust Me?”
“Yes, Lord. I trust You. Can You help me, please?”
God answered, “Yes, I will help you. Just let go of the branch.”
The hiker was silent for a moment. Then he shouted back, “Is anyone else up there?”

There is perhaps nothing more difficult than releasing our grip on a “branch” we have been trusting for life, stability, and the provision of our needs.  The hardest part is not knowing how the landing will turn out.  This is what happens when we practice faith, only we are leaving the outcome of our situation in God’s hands.  We’re used to holding onto our relationships, jobs, homes, families, friends, bank accounts, retirement savings, and even our plans for the future.  But God can’t help us until we are willing to let go of these things and completely trust Him.  He knows that when we are trusting Him, we are in a place of safety.  Our branches may fail us, but His hand will never let us go.

Each of us is clinging to a branch of one kind or another.  Your branch might be your job, a relationship with a friend,  the stock market, your health, or your home.  Today God is asking you to let it go and trust Him.  You might not see how the landing will turn out, but God can.  He has promised to keep you safe.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, we thank You for the love You have for us even when we don’t trust You. Help our unbelief.  Let us trust You more and more each day, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

CHRISTLife — Week Five

February 9, 2014 by

CHRISTLifepart2coverpic

As we move into Week Five, we are more than halfway through our study of CHRISTLife: Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Here are a few highlights of our week to come:

● Dead To Sin

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14

Mrs. Myers makes such the good point: “It is not simply gritting our teeth, and repeating, ‘I’m dead to sin..I’m dead to sin…I insist I am dead to sin!’ (page 89)”  Now the Truth is—we ARE dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus!  It’s a fact.

● A Liberating Separation

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11

 Our new nature, given to us at our new birth, reflects Jesus’ accomplishments on the Cross and afford us the reality of this new nature. The real y.o.u., Christ in you, yearns to be conformed to His image. It’s available…so step up, embrace all you are in Christ!

● United With Christ

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

How equally humbling and exhilarating is it to proclaim, “My life IS Christ!” (If it wasn’t the Truth…we’d be foolish to think it; but IT IS!)

● One With Him In Spirit

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

With this new life in us, all the attributes and qualities that are true of Christ are equally true of you (and me, too!)  What He could do and did…I can also because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

● Filled

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

What more could we need? In the fullness of God we have everything that is needed given to us by grace and due to mercy and in love!

Here we are right smack dab in the middle of our study, isn’t that amazing?!!?  As we move forward, ladies, let’s not loosen our grasp on the Truth we have received.  We have learned of–and BELIEVE—the images of ourselves that are communicated to us throughout the Scriptures.  We are learning to replace the negative lies we have held onto with the positive images—the Truth—of how God sees us. “I am who God says I am’ is not simply a cute expression…it is the absolute Truth!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8 and 9

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You Are A Shield — Psalms 33:18-22

February 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

Psalms 33:18-22

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CHRISTLife — An Intentional Quiet Time (part 1)

February 8, 2014 by

IMG_1391Each Saturday for the next four weeks, we will look in-depth at a few of the most important aspects of having a quiet time—or as some folks call it—a devotional time.  What comes to mind when I use those words “quiet time or devotional time”?  (I would love to hear your responses below in the comments section!)

Awhile ago, I had talked with a few friends about their own quiet time.  Gathering from their experiences, there seem to be a few basic components which include:

Bible Reading
Prayer
Praise Songs
Meditation
Seeking the Lord

This week  we will focus on one of the most important components of a devotional time—spending time reading the Bible.  If we are to come to know God, we must begin to seek Him where He has made Himself known…and that is in His written Word, the Bible.

I would venture to say that almost every single one of us owns a Bible (at least one).  Did you know that the Bible continues to be the best-selling book in the world?*  One reason the Bible is so popular is that it is God’s Rule Book.  He reveals Himself within the pages of the Bible.  In the words of His written Word, we find that:

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Psalms 19:7-11

So, we learn in this passage that the Bible—which contains the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments—is to be desired!  The Scriptures can be to us, as the Psalmist wrote, more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey!  And, in keeping (obeying) the words of the Bible (the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments) there is great reward!  Such encouragement there is then to spend time reading the Bible, wouldn’t you agree?

One of my oh-so-very favorite Scripture passages is Psalm 119.  (And, yes, it directly correlates to the psalm we just read—Psalm 19!  You noticed that, hmmm? Watch, you’ll see!)  Psalm 119 is the longest chapter contained in any of the 66 books of the Bible;  it totals 176 verses.  Each of these 176 verses communicates a different truth about the Lord’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgments along with His ways, statues, and ordinances.  I find it so amazing (our Lord IS so amazing!) that every single verse tells us something new and different!  Reading and considering and meditating upon the dynamic truths contained in this ONE chapter could be a continuing study for your quiet time.  Perhaps these three verses would be a good place to start:

With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:10-12

Our heart’s desire—is to seek God!  He is what we yearn for…just to be with Him!  And these three verses express that desire so simply.

Here is a link to a cd that I think you will find a useful tool for your devotional time.  It is called Psalm 119 in Song by Susie Kimbrough,  a compilation of the 22 songs from Psalm 119 all of which are original musical compositions.  Listen to each of the selections and meditate on the Scriptures being sung.

Every day, perhaps every morning, set aside a dedicated time to spend simply reading the Bible.  My own experience has taught me that unless I determine to intentionally pursue spending time each morning reading…it just escapes me through the busyness of the day.  And, yes, during most seasons of life that means setting my alarm a bit earlier than I would prefer.  But it is so worth it!  And maybe you simply start off with 10-15 minutes; could you squeeze that in?  Some people like to read through chronologically.  Some prefer to read a particular book through, and then move on to another.  There are many different Bible reading plans/schedules out there.  You can even choose one through an app and then, automatically, every day you will be sent a portion of the Scriptures to read…how handy is that?!?

Keep seeking for and desiring Him…your heavenly Father has MUCH to show you about Himself through His Word, the Bible!  Enjoy your quiet time with Him.  As you do, He will keep you from wandering, help you not to sin, and will teach you His statutes (Psalms 119:10-12).  Praying for each of you!  I know that the Lord will answer your heart’s cry as you seek Him with all your heart!  (Know how I can make that absolute statement?  The Bible tells me so!)

The Bible is the best-selling book in the world:

http://www.booksellerworld.com/bestselling-booksever.htm

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/1/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction

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Double Mushroom Pot Roast (Crock Pot)

February 7, 2014 by

Double Mushroom Pot Roast resize

I feel like I should apologize for the photo. It’s very…brown.  There’s really no good way to photograph this recipe.  It’s not glamorous.  But it is the easiest and most delicious thing that has ever come out of my Crock Pot!  I present to you:  Double Mushroom Pot Roast!

The secret ingredient is dried mushrooms.  I use dried shiitake mushrooms, because they’re cheap and plentiful at my Korean market.  You can try this with whatever dried mushrooms you can find.  I use a big handful, about 6 or 7 big mushrooms.  For the second dose of mushrooms, regular button mushrooms or creminis will do the trick.  Use whatever large beef roast you like.  Chuck roast is always a favorite, and for this one, I used something called a “seven bone roast” that was also flavorful.

If you want your house to smell amazing when you walk in the door after work or errands, make this in the morning and revel at how easy and delicious it is that night.

Double Mushroom Pot Roast (Crock Pot)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large beef roast, preferably chuck, about 3 pounds
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • handful of dried mushrooms
  • 8 ounces fresh button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a very large Crock Pot, drop in the sliced onions and dried mushrooms.  Set to LOW and the timer for 8-10 hours.
  2. In a large pan, brown the roast on each side.  When browned, place on top of mushrooms and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cover.
  3. After 8 hours, remove the roast from the Crock Pot to a large serving platter or bowl.  In  a large pan, cook the button (or cremini) mushrooms and spoon a bit of the juice from the Crock Pot over them to keep them from sticking.
  4. When the mushrooms are done, pour them over the roast.  In the same pan, pour in the contents of the Crock Pot – the juice, onions and mushrooms.  Cook for 5 minutes on medium to reduce a bit.
  5. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix to blend.  Pour this mixture into the pan and stir into the onion mixture.  Stir frequently to prevent the gravy from sticking to the pan.  When thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes, pour over the roast and serve.  Season heavily with salt and pepper.


Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

 

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Shield of God

February 7, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His Holy name.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.
Psalms 33:18-33

Have you ever wanted something so bad you could taste it?  I have.  I live sandwiched in between four states that have the lottery. Oh, that temptation to gamble!  I will go ahead and admit I have bought my share of lottery tickets.  (Shame on me.)  However, I have never won.  I can already know that I never will.  My odds are probably greater of winning Publisher’s Clearing House than winning the lottery. I tell people this as the reason why I have never won and will probably never win: I fear God too much!  (And He knows that by winning the lottery I would have given into temptation and the Devil).  He is ever watching out for those who fear and love Him.  He gives them what they need and when they need it.  He never leaves us no matter what we are going through.

If we trust in God then He becomes our Shield as we traverse through life.  He looks out for us and protects us from that which could harm us.  Too many times people have come into a vast sum of money without it being an inheritance, and the money ruins their lives.  God wants us to meet Him halfway and work for what we have.  He provides for us every day.

In all circumstances take up the Shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Ephesians 6:16

When we accept Jesus, we are shielded with this Shield of faith from God.  He shields us from all that could harm us or ruin us.  He is our Rock.  He shows us His mercy by being there for us when we most need it or are the most tempted.  I know that I have been tempted, but thanks to the Shield of faith that I have, I know that God is going to protect me from harm and bring me through the many trials and tribulations of life.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for shielding us from harm. I wear the Shield of faith every day because I know that You are there to protect me and help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock

February 6, 2014 by

On the Wee Sing Bible Songs CD, this song gets special treatment.  We do movements along with the words – jazz hands down for “the rain came down” and jazz hands up for “the floods came up.”  My girls’ favorite part is one we added on:  a big raspberry after “the house on the sand went SPLAT!”  You gotta be silly sometimes!

The wise man built his house upon the rock, (x3)

And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up (x3)

And the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand (x3)

And the rains came tumbling down

The rains came down and the floods came up (x3)

And the house on the sand went SPLAT!

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ (x3)

And the blessings will come down!

The blessings will come down as the prayers go up (x3)

So build your house on Christ!

I was thinking about this song in church this Sunday when our pastor was preaching on Matthew 6.  In verse 18, Jesus  says,

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

What an amazing blessing from God—to be proclaimed the rock!  Think “bedrock” or “rock-solid” – these are phrases that announce strength, faithfulness, reliability, and value.  Peter must have been so thrilled and encouraged!

But just five verses later, Peter is called a different kind of rock.  When Jesus explained to his disciples that he was going to be tortured and killed, Peter exclaimed, “No Lord!”  Then Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me;  you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”  A stumbling block is a hindrance, an obstacle to be avoided, and something that could do real damage if you trip over it.

Of course, we know how the story ends—Peter has some shaky moments, including denying Christ three times, but ultimately his faith in Jesus wins, and God does indeed use Peter as the foundation of the Church.  It is a reminder to me that every day we have to chose what kind of rock we are going to be.  Will we be a bedrock, solid in our faith, and available to be a source of stability and help to our family, friends, and whomever God places in our path that day?  Or will we be a stumbling block, to ourselves and others, hindering God’s plan in our lives?  The only way to make sure we will be the right kind of rock is to check OUR foundation:  the Word of God and faith in Christ.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Please pray this with me:  Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.  Make me a rock to be built upon in others’ lives—faithful, loyal, and supportive.  Keep me grounded in Your Word and Your will.  Thank you for giving us Jesus, to build our lives on.  We praise You and bless You today!  Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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