Just Thought I'd Share

Journal Entry for Saturday, March 4, 2006 spiffied up and edited September 22, 2010 for Divine Perspective.

Topic: Divine Placement

Good morning, folks!

It seems as though I'm always apologizing to you all for my neglect, so once again I apologize. Even as I do so, I know I should really be writing--but I just had to share this little snippet.

Ever set a goal, go after it determinedly, and when you achieve it, almost regret having done so? Sound crazy? Let me elucidate.

I love to eat! My personal relationship with my intake has been like no other in my lifetime. That being said, I went into the cafeteria at work yesterday, ostensibly for a nice, tall, 16 oz. glass of icy water. In the past month and a half I have been making a concentrated effort to drop my membership in the big girls club. No great gym membership, no sweating to the oldies, no Pilates workout for dancers, just a simple premise: when I’m full, stop eating. Easy, right?

So there I was in the cafeteria, accompanied by Jeanne, the temp who assists me with filing and other tasks, when suddenly I found myself over at the omelet stand. Friday is omelet day at work, and can I tell you a little secret? Unless I make them myself, omelets make me nauseated. But scrambled eggs, which they also make at the omelet stand, do not.

Weekly Devotion: Wise or Foolish?

“But they, measuring themselves by themselves,”

and comparing themselves among themselves,

are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12).”

If there is any one criterion that distinguishes us as either wise or foolish, it’s the measuring stick by which judge ourselves. When we want to excuse our own words or actions, we can always find someone else to use as a comparison: “I may do this, but so-and-so does that, which is so much worse!” And that may very well be true. But what do the Scriptures have to say about offering such excuses for our own behavior?

Second Corinthians declares that those who measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves “are not wise.” God’s wisdom is quite different—and superior—to man’s wisdom. Romans 1:22 says, “Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Though God’s Word clearly states that wisdom is not found in comparing ourselves to other flawed human beings, we often do that, don’t we? In the process, we become fools. And what is a fool, according to Psalm 14:1, but someone who says in his heart, “There is no God; [I will set my own standards].”

God’s criterion for distinguishing between the wise and foolish is how we compare ourselves and judge our own behavior. If our measuring stick is other people, we will always find someone who, in our eyes at least, is worse than we are. But if we adopt God’s standards, the only One against whom we can judge ourselves is Jesus—and He is perfect.

Excerpt - Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who’s Already There

Evangelism is about reaching out to others.

Really? You think?

In Nudge, author Leonard Sweet sets out to revolutionize our understanding of evangelism. He defines evangelism as “nudge”—awakening each other to the God who is already there. Sweet’s revolution promises to affect your encounters with others, and shake the very roots of your own faith.

Interacting fully with Jesus and the Kingdom of God goes beyond using your voice. Find out how using your five senses is all a part of nudge “sensing.”

Do you give ear to God?

Do you have a stomach for the kingdom?

Do you have a vision for the kingdom?

Do you have a touch for the kingdom?

Do you have a nose for the kingdom?

Sweet challenges readers to use all five senses to interact with God and others. Nudge will remind you that for God to do something through us, God must be doing something in us.

An Interview with Travis Thrasher

Travis Thrasher is an author who knows how to tap into the fear that lurks within the human heart, and his latest novel invites teens to enjoy his terrifying tales. Thrasher builds on the broken, hurting hearts of his characters to create a tale that will keep them up at night in hopes that the people within the story survive until the end of the book! He also understands the power of redemption and flawlessly blends hope into the darkness that his characters must battle against in order to survive. The remote town of Solitary, North Carolina, provides the perfect setting for this tale and reveals that the most frightening things in this world reside within the human heart. Told from the perspective of a sixteen-year-old boy experiencing love for the first time, Thrasher’s Solitary will have readers leaving their lights on and making sure that they don’t spend too much time alone!

Click here to watch the video trailer for Solitary!

Weekly Devotion: Waging Spiritual Warfare

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:12-13).”

We recently observed the nine-year anniversary of September 11, 2001, a morning eerily reminiscent of December 7, 1941, a “day of infamy” that caught Americans by surprise and ended the lives of many of our citizens. Each tragic event thrust us into a war to defend our sovereignty, our families, and our futures.

I was up early that September morning. When I turned on my computer and checked my emails, the first message I saw was from my husband at work. “A plane has flown into one of the Twin Towers in New York ,” he wrote. “Turn on the news.” I did, and it wasn’t long until I watched in horror as a second plane purposely flew into the second tower. “We’re under attack,” I said aloud, as realization hit me.

I immediately dropped to my knees and began to intercede for our country in general and for those trapped in the burning towers in particular. As a believer, I knew enough to realize that though this event would no doubt precipitate a response in the physical world, my part was to wage war in the spiritual realm.

But isn’t that true every day? Thank God we don’t have 9-11 experiences on a regular basis, but not a day goes by that we aren’t under attack. We have an enemy more formidable than any who planned or executed the tragic attack on the World Trade Center , and this enemy never stops attacking. As surely as there is a God who loves us and desires His best for us, there is an enemy who works tirelessly to defeat us and keep us from stepping into God’s best. We must therefore remain vigilant all the time, never letting our guard down or relaxing in our defense of ourselves, our loved ones, or even those who would destroy us if they could and yet desperately need Jesus themselves.

May we stay focused and vigilant in fighting the enemy of our soul, even as we cling to the One who is the “Lover of our soul” and who has promised never to leave or forsake us. We do NOT fight this war alone or on our own, but shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of God’s people, relying solely and completely on the strength of our Commander-in-Chief, the LORD of Hosts.

And one more thing: Read the end of the Book often, and then celebrate God’s promise of ultimate victory!

***My three newest releases, No Greater Love, More than Conquerors, and Valeria’s Cross, as well as the Spanish edition of Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today, are now available at online venues and in stores nationwide. Red Ink coming soon!

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
www.kathimacias.com
http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/
alandkathi@ca.rr.com

Weekly Devotion: Be Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

It isn’t often that I address controversial subjects in this venue, but on occasion conscience requires it. This is one of those occasions.

A pastor—and, I assume, a brother in Christ—has proclaimed his intention to burn the Koran on 9/11. A second pastor—this one living in a Muslim country and most certainly a brother in Christ—has requested other believers to petition the first pastor to reconsider. Why? Because this public burning of the Koran will most certainly result in increased suffering for Christians in Muslim countries. That in itself should be enough to convince the first pastor not to go through with his plans. However, if that isn’t enough, what about the fact that it simply isn’t right?

Some years ago I served on a church staff, and we had weekly meetings to pray together and discuss various ministry issues. One day the senior pastor brought up something that several of us disagreed with (not a moral or biblical issue); one staff member voiced his disagreement aloud. The senior pastor, however, remained unchanged in his opinion. The staff member who had vocally disagreed later told me he had been ready to turn the situation into a heated debate when he sensed God telling him not to do so. The man argued silently with God, declaring that he knew he was right in his opinion. God’s Spirit then asked him a vital question: “Which is more important—to be right or to be righteous?” The staff member held his tongue.

I’ve thought about that many times, particularly lately when two issues have played predominant roles in the news. Do the supporters of the planned mosque at Ground Zero have a legal “right” to build it? Absolutely. Is it the righteous thing to do? Certainly not. Does that pastor have the legal right to burn Korans? Apparently so. Is it the righteous thing to do? I don’t believe it is.

Jesus instructed us to “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” when dealing with a world that is antagonistic to the message of the gospel. It certainly seems that the issue of burning the Koran on 9/11 falls into that category and should be treated as such. I am praying accordingly; I hope you will consider doing the same.

***My three newest releases, No Greater Love, More than Conquerors, and Valeria’s Cross, as well as the Spanish edition of Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today, are now available at online venues and in stores nationwide. Red Ink coming soon!

Communicating the vision… (Hab.2:2)
www.kathimacias.com
http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/
alandkathi@ca.rr.com