Turn to God
March 11, 2010
“God says … You weary Me with your idea that people enjoying the pleasant life of prosperity and peace are the real winners. Every moment spent in seizing pleasure is a moment with your back to Me. Turn toward yourself, live for satisfaction and fullness now, and you will lose yourself. Turn toward Me, sacrifice your pleasure for Mine, and you will find Me. You will find purpose now and joy forever.”
~ Dr. Larry Crabb in 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story ©2009
Liturgy Lesson for the Third Sunday in Lent: Confession and Absolution
March 6, 2010
We speak a great deal about the central act of worship in our tradition—the Holy Communion. One of our most important spiritual duties in it—the confession and absolution—rightly precedes reception of the Lord’s own spiritual nature in the consecrated elements of bread and wine. When we confess, it’s VERY important to ask God the Holy Ghost to assist us in searching our own hearts for any unresolved sin, large or small—whether it’s a recurrent sin we purposely commit or a more passive sin, such as unforgiveness or bitterness toward our brother or sister in Christ. Whatever the issue, we must spend time in devotion before the service, inviting the Holy Ghost to show us our hearts and help us make an authentic confession, with the intention of real repentance—setting our wills to the effect of turning away from whatever the shortfall in our lives in Christ might be, so that we can fully receive the Lord’s absolution and then partake at the Lord’s Table in a worthy manner—redeemed by His Blood, which we accept by exercising our wills to live Godly lives before Him. When we do this, we open the windows of Heaven up for God to bless us fully. Thanks be to God!
Fighting the Battle
March 3, 2010
“Churches that never deal with the real fight that following {Jesus} requires often grow large but mostly with small Christians. … Your leaders, all of them, are imperfect, but you will need them to more effectively fight the real battle, to resist compromise and deception, and to enjoy your blessings without the spirit of entitlement corrupting your gratitude. Substantial victory is available in this life but only with struggles that remain until heaven.”
~ Dr. Larry Crabb in 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story ©2009
A Message from Abba by Linda Snow
March 1, 2010
While on retreat at Laity Lodge in the Hill Country of Texas in February 1996, I received a message of encouragement from Our Lord. Throughout my life I have experienced times of discouragement and depression. I was in the midst of one of these times when my friend and I set off for our annual church getaway to this most blessed piece of God’s beautiful landscape.
On Saturday, our retreat leader instructed us to take a paper and pen and spend the hour before lunch in solitude with our Lord. I left the Great Hall to spend my time outside on the porch overlooking the Frio River. The trees were bare and the sunshine sparkled on the water. I remember leaning on the rail and asking God to speak to me. Nothing seemed to come to mind and I found myself thinking, God’s probably not going to speak to me.
And then I began to write little bits of what I saw and felt as I moved about enjoying the beautiful day. At the end of the hour, I read the bits I had written and discovered that my Abba (Daddy) had written me a love note—a poem.
Each time I face life’s struggles and challenges, my Heavenly Father is always there to pick me up and love me back to wholeness. A message from Abba is always waiting for us when we turn around and look at the face of Jesus.
A Message from Abba
Experience all the colors of my love,
Flow with me.
Be laid bare like the trees in winter and gain strength through me so you may blossom again.
You must be willing to be set aside and withered like the
the driftwood so you can again shimmer like the water in
sunlight.
Experience life’s contrasts with complete trust in me.
Abide in me.
Die and mourn and laugh with me.
Sing to the world my love song. Sing and joy and dance!
See life and beauty in the dead trees…they are not dead
but gaining strength.
Look above and see me clearly.
Grow lush like the ivy by the water’s edge.
Be still and listen to my voice in the moving stream of life,
and move and laugh and love.
Walk the path with me.
I will guide and guard your steps.
Be thankful for my warm and gentle touch.
Take time to bless and be.
Accept it all.
Accept me.
