Echoes of Mercy's Devotional Blog

God Is Happy: We Can Be Also (Nov 6, 2010)

2010-11-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

This devotional was written by Renee on December 27, 2009

GOD IS HAPPY: WE CAN BE ALSO

Dr. Bimler, author of "Angels Can Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly" says, "You and I are called by God to be happy. To be happy does not mean that everything has to go right, and that problems and frustrations disappear. A happy person in the Lord is one who knows from where strength and comfort come." (Samra et al.)

This weekend we had a marvelous opportunity presented to us. We were contacted by a family from our church. They have four children. Three are healthy and very active. The fourth, a good natured baby, is ill and takes constant attention and unswerving dedication. The Mother and baby have just gotten home after being in the hospital for over a month's stay. Almost immediately following, on Christmas night, the Father of the family became ill. Because he didn't want to wake the children and because the Mother needed to stay with the children, he drove himself to the hospital that night.

The next day the Mother of this family called us and asked if the three older kids could come over for a few hours while she visited the Father in the hospital. She wanted to be with him while his tests were done. We were honored to do this for them. So the Mother brought the kids over. They bounced into the house and she, with smiling face, told us about her schedule, confirmed her cell phone number and headed off to the hospital with the tender baby in tow.

The kids were energetic, well-behaved and cheerful the entire day. Later in the day Mother called our home with the news that Father's tests were normal and they should be home in a few hours. All the kids openly sighed in relief and then went on with their play.

What made this such a marvelous opportunity? Well, here is the thing. As adults we can put on a pretty face, a smiley face, and all the while be desperate inside. But kids, if one spends a lot of hours with them, are not generally so sophisticated and will often act more according to their feelings. But these three were happy, content, busy, well-mannered and enthusiastic "all day" while obviously relieved at the good news that their Father was going to be ok. As we had worship together that day it was clear they know about and accept the love Jesus Christ has for them. Children pick up the atmosphere in which they live. It is obvious that these children are living in soil that grows contentment and peace of mind despite serious troubles because they live in the climate of hope and faith.

I am happy today, that yesterday God provided seven and a half hours of worship for me and my family given by three children and their blessed attitude. May you share in my blessing simply by me relating it to you and may we all find happiness in today, even with all its imperfections and potential pain, because Jesus Christ has promised this to those who ask in faith. He can keep this promise because He is faithful and He is happy.

Job 8:21 - "Once again your cheeks will fill with laughter."
Luke 6:21 - "Happy are you who weep now; you shall laugh."

The verses above indicate that God recognizes that we will have times of sorrow but that healing will come and we will find happiness and laughter again. I think that we can go so far as to take this as a promise from God to us...for who better knows how things can and will work out than an all-seeing, all-powerful God?

Sincerely,
Renee
A forgiven sinner in Christ

Resource:
Samra, Cal & Rose. "Holy Humor - Inspirational Wit & Cartoons." 1996. The Fellowship of Merry Christians. p. 109, 105

The Starfish Story

2010-08-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

The Starfish Story

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person he said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"

Where From Here?

2010-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 16: 9 - In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Making decisions can be complicated, even for those who pray and ask God for direction. However, God does care for His children and He does guide them, even when He seems silent. There is an old saying…God always says yes…even when He says no it is because he has a better yes in store…

According to the authors of “Coming Alive from Nine to Five”, decision making is a four step process: Gathering information, Checking values, Weighing the alternatives and outcomes, and
Designing strategies. (1)

Can we apply these decision making principles as we struggle to know Gods will for the practical decisions in our life?

First we can collect information by reading the Bible, also reading or listening to other peoples stories of how God has helped them, and by humble, honest prayer. During prayer we ask God to show us His will, for us specifically, in the area of concern.

Next we discover what we believe in by doing personal research. Self help books, videos and movies with positive values, honest friendships, support groups and thoughtful silence can help us sort through what is important to us…what we like and believe in.

Once our belief system is clear we can explore options within that belief system by trying a new task at work, by shadowing an employer or minister, or by participating in volunteer opportunities. These experiences help us learn what we are good at.

To anticipate the possible end results of our potential choices the question to ask is, “What if?” Expanding the “what if” question helps us see the pathways leading to logical outcomes. Evaluating the outcomes of decisions helps us discard poor choices.

With our end decision in mind, we take courage and break our plans into specific steps with time frames attached. We then check steps off as we move forward. We claim God’s promise in Proverbs 16: 20 - Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Happy decision making… May God add His blessing to your efforts to follow Him.

Sincerely,
Renee

1. Betty Neville Michelozzi. 1980. “Coming Alive from Nine to Five”. Mayfield
Publishing Company. p. 222 - 224

Feel It, Use It and Let It Go

2010-01-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

Feel It, Use It and Let It Go

Elizabeth Brown, author of “Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People, writes,” If you are angry because of an ongoing problem, stop dead in your tracks and realize that your power is found in what “you” do, not in the someone who is trying to push your hot buttons. (1) Instead, she lists eight ways in which anger can benefit us, if used in a healthy way. It can:

Alert you to a problem

Energize you toward a goal

Bolster your determination and perseverance

Prod you to appreciate your own needs

Keep you from feeling overwhelmed

Let you know that the problem is yours to handle

Fortify your resolution

Act as a thermostat for other emotions (1) (p. 134, 124)

Regarding the healthiest way to manage anger, Ms. Brown advises, “Feel it, Use it, and Let it go…” (1) p. 133.

Jesus also has some super good advice regarding how to handle anger:

Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4: 29 – 32 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

As followers of God we are able to come to Him in prayer, asking for His power to learn about what makes us hot under the collar. He will take our hurts and heal our souls like no other, for He is the Great Physician. When we are willing, He will also give us wisdom, self-control and a calm mind. He will not despise our need. Proverbs 18: 10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” God does not require us to follow His example without giving us the help we need. God freely gives us The Holy Spirit, who will encourage, comfort, teach, correct, and strengthen us as we practice becoming more mature. God is on our side.

Elizabeth B. Brown. 1999. Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People. Published by Fleming H. Rovell. P. 128 -137.

Sincerely,

Renee

Christ in You, You in Christ

2009-12-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

This is from the Dayspring website...written by Roy Lessin. He is a very inspirational writer. Here's the link to the original post: http://roy.dayspring.com/2008/12/chrsit-in-you-you-in-christ.html

This devotional is brought to you from Vanessa. :o)

December 03, 2008

Christ in You, You in Christ

God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and He gave Himself to purchase our freedom. I Corinthians 1:30 nlt

For it has pleased God to tell His people that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in His glory. Colossians 1:27 nlt

As a child of God, you are in Christ and He is in you. Each is significant in the following ways:

Being in Christ means that you receive the benefits of all that He has done for you through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension; Christ being in you means that you receive the benefits of His presence, His character and His nature within you.

Being in Christ changes your position before God; Christ being in you changes the inward condition of your heart.

Being in Christ brings you into heavenly realities; Christ being in you brings heavenly realities into your earthly walk.

Being in Christ opens your eyes to the beauty of God’s love; Christ being in you floods your heart with that same love.

Being in Christ allows you to see what God wants you to become; Christ being in you means that you can become what God wants you to be.

Being in Christ means that He is the atmosphere in which you live your day;Christ being in you means that each day His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, His power is your power, His victory is your victory, His life is your life.

"Farewell, Not Goodbye"

2009-10-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Farewell, Not Goodbye

Some years ago, my Sister, was moving far away. We knew we would hardly see each other after that. But it was not just the distance in miles that was at play. She and I were making very different choices in belief systems. As she left that day she handed me a little book…It is a tiny, beautiful book called “For My Friend”. In it she wrote: For Renee, Farewell not…Goodbye. Please allow me to share some of the quotes and wisdom from my Sister’s gift with you.

Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving cheering words while their ears can hear them and while their hearts can be thrilled by them. By: Henry Ward Beecher

Being a good friend, and having a good friend, can enrich your days and bring you lifelong satisfaction. But friendships don’t just happen. They have to be created and nurtured. Like any other skill, building friendship has to be practiced. By: Sue Browder

Real friendships must be based on several shared interest, so that when one unravels, others remain. By: Norman M. Lobsenz

If two people do not exist as separate individuals, then their friendship is an illusion. By: Joel Black

Friendship is like a bank account: you cannot continue to draw on it without making deposits. By: Anonymous

Friendship is usually treated by the majority of mankind as a tough and everlasting thing which will survive all manner of bad treatment. But this is an exceedingly great and foolish error; it may die in an hour of a single unwise word…By: Marie Louise de la Ramee (Ouida)

The problems that plague a friendship are rarely one hundred percent the other person’s fault. We should self-examine carefully before we make up our mind – and before we close it. By Judith Viorst

In the end we are all separate: our stories, no matter how similar, come to a fork and diverge. We are drawn to each other because of our similarities, but it is our differences we must learn to respect. By: Roberta Isracloff

John 15:15 in part and 17…I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. This is my command: Love each other.

My Sister is my friend, always. Not because we are the same but because I choose to love her and respect her right to make her own choices. And she feels and does the same for me.

Sincerely,
Renee

An Alphabet Prayer of Praise

2009-10-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

An Alphabet Prayer of Praise

Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant.”

We praise you God because You are:
A. Agreeable, Amazing, Awesome, Always near.
B. Beautiful, Bigger than life. Brave.
C. Careful, Caring, Christ our Savior. Courageous.
D. Demanding, Desirable, Dynamite, Dear, Does not lie.
E. Excellent, Endearing, Everlasting, Eternal. Exacting.
F. Forgiving, Giver of Freewill, Forever my Beloved, Fisher of Men.
G. Good, Gift giver. Gracious, Generous, Great, God of All.
H. Helping, Heavenly, Holy, Happy.
I. Innocent, Inviting, “I Am who I Am” is Your name.
J. Jehovah, Jesus the Christ, Jealous, Just and True.
K. Kind, King of All nations, King above all things. Kindred to us.
L. Loving, Lesson giver, Longing for us to come home. Life giver.
M. Mother, Mighty, My Father. My friend and companion, My precious Lord.
N. Nice, Noble, North-south-east and west: You are everywhere.
O. Omnipotent, Owner of all I have, Obvious, One God. Omnipresent.
P. Peaceful, Perfect, Powerful, Peace during my tribulations. The Potter.
Q. Quiet, Qualified to be my Savior, Quaint.
R. Restful, Making me Rich in His love, Reigning in glory, Rewarding.
S. Serene, Savior, Still small voice, Special to us. Strong. Supportive.
T. True, Terrific, Truthful, Trusting. Tough on Sin but loves the Sinner.
U. Understanding, United with those who love Him.
V. Very focused on Your Children, The Vine, Victorious over evil, Valor.
W. Wise, Wonderful, Welcome to come into my home.
X (EX). Excellent, Exalted. Example. Everyone’s blessed hope.
Y. Yahweh, Your Yoke is light, You are preparing a place for me.
Z. Zealous, Zany: creator of the afghan hound, giraffe, and the puffer fish.

When we are babies, if well taken care and healthy, we are enthralled with our surroundings. We reach out and soak in colors, sounds, and motion despite the fact we have no idea what makes these things happen. God values children…Matthew 19: 13-15, “Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.”

If, as His grown children, we desire God’s hands to be placed also on us in blessing, then let us mimic the little children by living innocent lives and filling our mouths with praise for Him and the wonder of His creation.

Sincerely,

Renee

He Just Asks for the Best of Our Less

2009-09-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt that you should be doing more for the Savior? Are you influenced by books, music, sermons, or your conscience to feel that you are so ineffective in the whole scheme of influencing others for Jesus that you barely make a difference? If you do, you are not alone.

Luke 21: 1-4 tells a story that shows how much Jesus values the little given in the spirit of Love…

"As He looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth: but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Helen Keller describes the importance of doing what we can in the right spirit. She said:

"I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."

For today, look to what is in store for your day as an opportunity to smile, to say a kind word, to learn something new and to do an honest days work. God puts more value on how we do what is in front of us, than all the great and wonderful things we might do if we ignore our present responsibilities.

Keep Joy of the Lord in your heart.

by Renee

Welcome!

2009-09-07T07:39:00.001-07:00

Hello & welcome to our devotional blog. From time to time we will post devotionals here that we hope will inspire & encourage you.

In Christ,
Vanessa, Crystal & Renee
Echoes of Mercy