Are You Living in God’s Fullness?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Carol Round

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10b (NIV)

Many of us, who love working in our yards and flowerbeds or walking in nature, feel closer to God when we take time to appreciate the beauty. I think it is because we feel His presence in each blooming flower, blade of green grass, the buzzing bees, the singing birds and even in the weeds that need pulling. I liken this love of nature to God’s love for us. He created these things for us to enjoy, not to destroy. The weeds are a reminder to me that He wants to remove the bad stuff in our lives to make us more like Jesus.

Recently, while trimming my rose bushes, I noticed blood running down my forearms. I had on gardening gloves but could not bring myself to wear long sleeves. It was too warm. The thorns had ripped my flesh and as I watched the blood dripping from my arms, it was a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

His suffering is greater than anything I could ever imagine. The crown of thorns planted on His head caused more pain than what I felt from the barb of a rose bush. On a pilgrimage to Israel last year, I purchased an authentic Crown of Thorns, a vivid symbolic reminder of the suffering He endured for us.

Scripture tells us that the soldiers “platted a crown of thorns” or braided vines of thorns together to form a crown. According to my research, there are two types of thorn plants growing around the Holy Land. One is called the Zizyphus Spina Christi and the other qundaul. While both have long, flexible twigs that can be woven into crowns, the qundaul has the cruelest thorns of the two. The brutality of the soldiers has led most theologians to believe that the qundaul plant, with its spikes of 1 to 1 ½ inches long, was the one used for Jesus’ crown of torture.

Can you imagine the pain and humiliation Jesus suffered at the hands of the soldiers?  Why would their desire to mock Him lead to the weaving of a crown of thorns, a task that could have easily wounded their own bodies if they had been careless?

Careless is a word that applies to us if we are not aware of the thoughts, words and actions that can lead to our own destruction and others around us. Our Savior hung painfully on a wooden cross with a crown of thorns pushed into His scalp. He endured it for me. He endured it for you.

I believe it is no coincidence that spring and Easter coincide. Just as the flowers burst through the soil to reveal their beauty, our Savior rose from the dead three days after being killed in a manner most of us cannot comprehend. Friday was not the end. It was only the beginning.

Have you accepted His gift? Are you living in God’s fullness?

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Living in the Land of “If Only”

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Carol Round

I could totally relate to the following, written by T. Suzanne Eller, and wanted to share it with my readers. We’ve all been there at one time or another in our lives. Suzanne is part of the Proverbs 31 Ministries.

 

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Have you ever lived in the land of the “if onlys”?

If only I had more money, then things would be easier.

If only I lost 10 pounds, then I’d be happier.

If only they’d recognize my talent, then I’d feel more appreciated.

Not too long ago my husband and I were praying about his career. Not only did the answer not come, but every door shut that we thought would open easily. As time passed I started listing my “if onlys.”

If only we had clear direction.

If only we could begin that dream God placed in our hearts.

If only, if only, if only …

Soon those unspoken words steered my thought life. They crept into my prayer time. They tiptoed into my relationship with my husband.

One day these words from King’s Cross by Timothy Keller leaped from the page:

The Bible says that our real problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus. Whether it’s to succeed in our chosen field or to have a certain relationship-or even to get up and walk-we’re saying, “If I have that, if I get my deepest wish, then everything will be okay.”

Suddenly I saw myself. My deepest wish had shifted. Where once I longed for God, now my thought life and actions revolved around what I didn’t have. What I couldn’t control.

That night I confessed to my husband that I had not only moved into the land of the “if onlys” but had anchored there. I promised that instead of focusing on what wasn’t taking place, I would began to treasure what I did have.

Today we have food. We have shelter. Our home is warm. Thank You for that gift, Father.

Today I hold a grandbaby in my arms. See her precious smile? I delight in that, Lord.

Today I sit in the living room and laugh with my husband. Thank You for joy.

Today and everyday I am Yours, Jesus. You are more than enough.

Godly contentment isn’t passive, but an active faith that says God is enough. You and I are okay because our deepest wish doesn’t revolve around losing 10 pounds, our career, another person, or whether we’re noticed for our efforts.

Are you living in the land of the “if onlys”? If so, are you willing to change your deepest wish from the “if only” to focusing on what you have and thanking God for it?

 

 

 

 

 

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9 Tips from Jesus on Prayer

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Carol Round

Can there be a better role model than our precious Savior when it comes to prayer? I wanted to share the following 9 tips written by Rick Hamlin, executive director of Guideposts magazine, with my readers.

 

There are many insights on prayer to be learned from the words and deeds of Jesus. Here are 9 to make your own.

1. Get by Yourself
“Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.” I like to pray with others or in the middle of a busy day, but there’s spiritual work we all need to do alone, one-on-one with our Maker.

2. Be Straightforward
Jesus responded when people said exactly what they wanted. A man with a skin disease approached him, knelt before him and begged, “If you want, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him and said, “I do want. Be clean.” Can’t get more straightforward than that.

3. Get Help from Others
Remember the paralyzed man who had to be lowered in a crowded house to reach Jesus? His pals had to actually tear off part of the roof (I hope they reimbursed the homeowner). “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Child, your sins are forgiven!’” A little teamwork made that healing prayer possible.

4. Say, “Be Still!”
The disciples were in their boat when the winds came up and nearly swamped them. Jesus slept through it all. Finally, they woke him up. “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” All it took was a few words. “Silence!” Jesus said to the wind. “Be still!” Think of how those words could work for your own life’s storms.

5. Get Near
I’ve always been moved by the story of the woman who’d been bleeding for twelve years. She was thinking, “If I can just touch his clothes, I’ll be healed.” She came up behind him and touched his clothes and her bleeding stopped immediately. The nearness of Jesus was enough.

6. Trust
Everybody knows that Jesus walked on water. But remember how the disciples reacted? They were terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. “Be encouraged. It’s me!” Jesus said. “Don’t be afraid.” Prayer might take you unexpected places, but don’t be afraid. “It’s me!”

7. Bless the Food
Before he broke the bread to feed the 5,000, Jesus blessed it and gave thanks. At the Last Supper, he took the bread, blessed it and broke it. Say a blessing before you eat. Doesn’t have to be long. Jesus didn’t ramble on.

8. Stick with the Kids
“Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children. I assure you that whoever doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it.” Be childlike in faith.

9. Forgive
“Therefore I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you. And whenever you stand up to pray, if you have something against anyone, forgive so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your wrongdoings.” Forgive, forgive, forgive.

I think these are pretty good tips. Don’t you?

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