Strong In His Grace
When we are brought to the point of belief - the point where we see our
sin, desire to change, and acknowledge God's Son as our only way to
Heaven - we ask, in faith, for Jesus to forgive our sins and be our
Savior. At that very moment, the grace of God abounds, His Spirit
transforms our heart and He picks us up as His child: "For it is by
grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast"
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
The moment of true Salvation is without question the most significant
event in our Christian life. In that moment, we are "born again" (John
3:7) and become a "new creation" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) through
the power of the Holy Spirit; "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
Spirit gives birth to spirit" (John 3:6). In fact, the moment of
Salvation is so significant that even if we seem to stumble through
every step past that point, we still have reason to rejoice with every
breath - we are children of the King and will spend all eternity in His
glorious Kingdom.
As we continue on this sometimes rocky journey, we are to strive for
holiness and purposeful worship in our life. We are to diligently seek
Him and "learn the secret of being content in any and every situation"
(Philippians 4:12). We must learn to "trust in the Lord with all our
heart" (Proverbs 3:5), but we must also remember that "apart from Me
{Jesus}, you can do NOTHING" (John 15:5). If we strive in our own
strength, we are all destined to fall.
2 Timothy 2:1
"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
This means we must continue to trust in His grace and in His grace
alone. We did nothing to earn our Salvation and we can do nothing to
maintain our right standing before God besides believing in His Son;
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying
to attain your goal by human effort?" (Galatians 3:3).
We are saved by the grace of God and we must continue to live by this
same grace: "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the
faith as you were taught" (Colossians 2:6). Our Heavenly Father will
determine our path to holiness, purpose, contentment, and trust - and
His grace will equip us with all we need for the journey.
Let's completely trust in the saving grace of Jesus! Let's apply the
strength of His grace today in every trial and temptation. Let's live a
life of pure and holy devotion by always remaining strong in His grace.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Friday, September 26, 2003
Be Prepared to Follow
We are often reminded of our need to spend time in prayer and in the
study of God's Word. These essential disciplines allow us to abide in
the presence of God and "hear" when He calls us to action; they are also
necessary for strengthening our faith in order to obediently follow
where He leads.
God's Word encourages us that when He calls, He also provides the tools
to accomplish our assigned task; "His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). We are also
comforted that as we respond, we will never be alone; "Never will I
leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). But God's call
also carries responsibility; His call says He has made His choice - He
has chosen us to take part in His wonderful plan and, in faith, we must
respond by following.
After delivering many of God's messages to the people of Israel -
calling them to repent and return to the worship of the One True God -
the prophet Jeremiah became impatient with God's timing: "I would speak
with You about Your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why
do all the faithless live at ease?" (Jeremiah 12:1). Jeremiah
complained about how long he had to wait for the wicked to be punished.
He was following God and calling others to do the same, but the ungodly
seemed to continue living the "good" life. This sounds much like the
way we complain today.
God's response wasn't exactly what Jeremiah was hoping to receive.
Jeremiah 12:5
"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can
you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you
manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"
God told Jeremiah that the situation in Israel was going to get worse in
the coming days; He asked Jeremiah if he was truly ready for the
challenge. Jeremiah had been called to be God's messenger and now was
not the time to complain - this was the time to be a soldier and trust
with ALL his heart; it was a time to renew his strength, and push toward
the assigned goal.
Our Heavenly Father dearly loves us and desires an eternity of intimate
fellowship. He is a God of great comfort, but He is also our Commanding
Officer who challenges us prepare for the Spiritual battles ahead. As
bad and unjust as the world often appears, there is no guarantee that
things won't become worse. We must trust now more than ever that God
chose the right person when He gave us our assignments; He has made His
call and promises to provide all the necessary tools at the proper time.
Let's spend more time worshipping at His feet and loving Him with all
our heart. Let's rely on His strength and trust His understanding -
let's draw closer to His side and always be prepared to follow.
We are often reminded of our need to spend time in prayer and in the
study of God's Word. These essential disciplines allow us to abide in
the presence of God and "hear" when He calls us to action; they are also
necessary for strengthening our faith in order to obediently follow
where He leads.
God's Word encourages us that when He calls, He also provides the tools
to accomplish our assigned task; "His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). We are also
comforted that as we respond, we will never be alone; "Never will I
leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). But God's call
also carries responsibility; His call says He has made His choice - He
has chosen us to take part in His wonderful plan and, in faith, we must
respond by following.
After delivering many of God's messages to the people of Israel -
calling them to repent and return to the worship of the One True God -
the prophet Jeremiah became impatient with God's timing: "I would speak
with You about Your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why
do all the faithless live at ease?" (Jeremiah 12:1). Jeremiah
complained about how long he had to wait for the wicked to be punished.
He was following God and calling others to do the same, but the ungodly
seemed to continue living the "good" life. This sounds much like the
way we complain today.
God's response wasn't exactly what Jeremiah was hoping to receive.
Jeremiah 12:5
"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can
you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you
manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"
God told Jeremiah that the situation in Israel was going to get worse in
the coming days; He asked Jeremiah if he was truly ready for the
challenge. Jeremiah had been called to be God's messenger and now was
not the time to complain - this was the time to be a soldier and trust
with ALL his heart; it was a time to renew his strength, and push toward
the assigned goal.
Our Heavenly Father dearly loves us and desires an eternity of intimate
fellowship. He is a God of great comfort, but He is also our Commanding
Officer who challenges us prepare for the Spiritual battles ahead. As
bad and unjust as the world often appears, there is no guarantee that
things won't become worse. We must trust now more than ever that God
chose the right person when He gave us our assignments; He has made His
call and promises to provide all the necessary tools at the proper time.
Let's spend more time worshipping at His feet and loving Him with all
our heart. Let's rely on His strength and trust His understanding -
let's draw closer to His side and always be prepared to follow.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
okie, so i don't have internet at school right now. it sucks a butt.
go to my xanga every day to see new pics. i'll be putting a new one up on the profiel thing every day or every other day.
devo for the day is below. sorry you guys have been lacking in devos and talks but i haven't been able to do em.
the weekend was wonderful. i'm back at deq now. safe and sound. had an awesome week.
oooooh guys what we did last night.
we ate at soulshine AND Dave took me to chuck e cheese!!!!!!1
we played skee ball it rocked
that is my all time favorite game. i wanna buy one .
goodness. it was so much fun though. goodtimes.
we're such lil kids it's great.
well i have to go back to work.
Have an awesome day.
God Bless
Emmi
go to my xanga every day to see new pics. i'll be putting a new one up on the profiel thing every day or every other day.
devo for the day is below. sorry you guys have been lacking in devos and talks but i haven't been able to do em.
the weekend was wonderful. i'm back at deq now. safe and sound. had an awesome week.
oooooh guys what we did last night.
we ate at soulshine AND Dave took me to chuck e cheese!!!!!!1
we played skee ball it rocked
that is my all time favorite game. i wanna buy one .
goodness. it was so much fun though. goodtimes.
we're such lil kids it's great.
well i have to go back to work.
Have an awesome day.
God Bless
Emmi
With a New Heart
Very few are unaware of the significance of September 11th. Two years
ago the world saw images which caused shock, fear, anger, and possibly
confusion. In the days which followed the September 11 attack, and even
now two years later, we face the question of how to respond - both
outwardly and inwardly. These events continue to challenge our belief
in the unchanging truth of God's Word.
2 Corinthians 4:18
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what
is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Is it possible to look past the images and receive God's message from
what is unseen? To us as individuals scattered all around the world,
God continues to send a message which must not be clouded by what we
see, nor by the resulting fear and anger. As believers in Jesus Christ,
we ought to see with new eyes and hear with new ears.
God's message cannot be seen or heard, and certainly not understood,
unless we first believe; "For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing" (1 Corinthians 1:18). Those who have not, by
faith, trusted in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin,
cannot begin to understand.
The first message God continues to send is that life is extremely
fragile and short; "a mist that appears for a little while and then
vanishes" (James 4:14). God is not trying to depress us with this
message; rather, He simply desires our priorities to remain with Him and
eternity - not with the temporary, and unsatisfying, gods of this world.
The other message is to challenge us to speak and live His Word in the
face of all kinds of adversity; "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors,
as though God were making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Our actions, and reactions, send a message - what message are we
sending? Don't get lost trying to analyze the message our nations are
putting forth, focus instead on the message each of us as individuals
are sending to those around us.
Two thousand years ago, God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to
die for our sins; "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8). He did this so those who believed would be given the gift
of eternal life. Once we understand the love of God and the magnitude
of our forgiveness through Jesus, we can begin to follow His command to
forgive others; "Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).
Without His undeserved forgiveness, we would all spend eternity in the
same hell as any other "evil" person who rejects Christ. Let's begin to
listen for what is unheard, look for what is unseen, and respond in ALL
situations with a new heart.
Very few are unaware of the significance of September 11th. Two years
ago the world saw images which caused shock, fear, anger, and possibly
confusion. In the days which followed the September 11 attack, and even
now two years later, we face the question of how to respond - both
outwardly and inwardly. These events continue to challenge our belief
in the unchanging truth of God's Word.
2 Corinthians 4:18
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what
is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Is it possible to look past the images and receive God's message from
what is unseen? To us as individuals scattered all around the world,
God continues to send a message which must not be clouded by what we
see, nor by the resulting fear and anger. As believers in Jesus Christ,
we ought to see with new eyes and hear with new ears.
God's message cannot be seen or heard, and certainly not understood,
unless we first believe; "For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing" (1 Corinthians 1:18). Those who have not, by
faith, trusted in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin,
cannot begin to understand.
The first message God continues to send is that life is extremely
fragile and short; "a mist that appears for a little while and then
vanishes" (James 4:14). God is not trying to depress us with this
message; rather, He simply desires our priorities to remain with Him and
eternity - not with the temporary, and unsatisfying, gods of this world.
The other message is to challenge us to speak and live His Word in the
face of all kinds of adversity; "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors,
as though God were making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Our actions, and reactions, send a message - what message are we
sending? Don't get lost trying to analyze the message our nations are
putting forth, focus instead on the message each of us as individuals
are sending to those around us.
Two thousand years ago, God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to
die for our sins; "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8). He did this so those who believed would be given the gift
of eternal life. Once we understand the love of God and the magnitude
of our forgiveness through Jesus, we can begin to follow His command to
forgive others; "Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).
Without His undeserved forgiveness, we would all spend eternity in the
same hell as any other "evil" person who rejects Christ. Let's begin to
listen for what is unheard, look for what is unseen, and respond in ALL
situations with a new heart.
Thursday, September 18, 2003
i've got a scanner now, and a printer, and a copier...all in one. and my digital camera on my phone can download stuff from my computer and put my pics on my comp.
ooooh goodness. the office is lookin nice now.
vacation tomorrow and trying to work on tour stuff. goodness goodness.
things are looking up at school and such. things are slowly calming down.
i need to call hollie asap. i'm planning on calling her tomorrow while i'm on the road.
dinner tonight with the fam. should be nice. can't wait.
God Bless
Emmi
ooooh goodness. the office is lookin nice now.
vacation tomorrow and trying to work on tour stuff. goodness goodness.
things are looking up at school and such. things are slowly calming down.
i need to call hollie asap. i'm planning on calling her tomorrow while i'm on the road.
dinner tonight with the fam. should be nice. can't wait.
God Bless
Emmi
Paid in Full
In the last devo "He is Risen" we were encouraged to live as though we
know Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Please don't skim past this
encouragement because you think all Christians know this simple fact.
The challenge is not in knowing the correct answer, but in living
consistent with true knowledge in terms of thankfulness and the power of
hope and perseverance. The following courtroom drama helps us
understand the implications of a risen Lord.
The prosecution is aggressively presenting the case against us. There's
a parade of witnesses and a multitude of accusations flung our way. Our
head hangs low - we sadly realize that no objection can be raised -
every charge against us is true. Our heart sinks as the prosecution
confidently concludes his case; he has demanded the maximum penalty - death!
Our defense attorney has sat silently through the entire proceeding, but
now He rises. His white robe glides across the floor as He moves
between us and the Judge. Stretching out His arms, He reveals deep
scars on both His wrists. He looks into the eyes of the Judge and says:
"Father, while they were in the midst of their crimes, I died so they may live."
Without a moment of hesitation, the gavel sounds and the Judge declares:
"Not Guilty!"
The verdict in God's courtroom is not dependent on the balance of good
verses bad. There is no amount of good deeds and moral living which
will ever cancel the charge against us: "For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And there is only one
sentence we truly deserve..."For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
But God has provided an Advocate, whom He has already approved by His
resurrection, and who now stands ready to walk by our side: "We have one
who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous
One" (1 John 2:1). This Advocate has only one requirement in order to
present our case.
Romans 10:9
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Believing in our heart means much more than simply knowing the story.
It means a belief which pumps through every part of our body and gives
us life! We need not live in fear - the verdict has already been
determined; "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus" (Romans 8:1). We can "approach the throne of grace with
confidence" (Hebrews 4:16), because we have already been declared not
guilty; we are free to worship Him now and for all eternity because our
debt has been paid in full!
In the last devo "He is Risen" we were encouraged to live as though we
know Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Please don't skim past this
encouragement because you think all Christians know this simple fact.
The challenge is not in knowing the correct answer, but in living
consistent with true knowledge in terms of thankfulness and the power of
hope and perseverance. The following courtroom drama helps us
understand the implications of a risen Lord.
The prosecution is aggressively presenting the case against us. There's
a parade of witnesses and a multitude of accusations flung our way. Our
head hangs low - we sadly realize that no objection can be raised -
every charge against us is true. Our heart sinks as the prosecution
confidently concludes his case; he has demanded the maximum penalty - death!
Our defense attorney has sat silently through the entire proceeding, but
now He rises. His white robe glides across the floor as He moves
between us and the Judge. Stretching out His arms, He reveals deep
scars on both His wrists. He looks into the eyes of the Judge and says:
"Father, while they were in the midst of their crimes, I died so they may live."
Without a moment of hesitation, the gavel sounds and the Judge declares:
"Not Guilty!"
The verdict in God's courtroom is not dependent on the balance of good
verses bad. There is no amount of good deeds and moral living which
will ever cancel the charge against us: "For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And there is only one
sentence we truly deserve..."For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
But God has provided an Advocate, whom He has already approved by His
resurrection, and who now stands ready to walk by our side: "We have one
who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous
One" (1 John 2:1). This Advocate has only one requirement in order to
present our case.
Romans 10:9
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Believing in our heart means much more than simply knowing the story.
It means a belief which pumps through every part of our body and gives
us life! We need not live in fear - the verdict has already been
determined; "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus" (Romans 8:1). We can "approach the throne of grace with
confidence" (Hebrews 4:16), because we have already been declared not
guilty; we are free to worship Him now and for all eternity because our
debt has been paid in full!
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
i talked with my cousin last night again(the one who lost her baby- she was 6 months pregnant) she's lost it. it's pretty upsetting, i just about started balling on the phone with her. she's pretty devestated. please pray for her.
still working on the tour for winter- need to put a cd together and such.
i hate pensecola right now- that's my block in the road.
looking forward to gulfport this weekend , should be fun - of course it will be.
can't wait to see you tomorrow. hope you are having a good day.
i'm gonna try and fix my phone again today. i may resort to just buying another one.
good luck on your tests. i love you.
God BLess
Emmi
still working on the tour for winter- need to put a cd together and such.
i hate pensecola right now- that's my block in the road.
looking forward to gulfport this weekend , should be fun - of course it will be.
can't wait to see you tomorrow. hope you are having a good day.
i'm gonna try and fix my phone again today. i may resort to just buying another one.
good luck on your tests. i love you.
God BLess
Emmi
He is Risen
On the night before He was crucified Jesus, while in great anguish,
showed the human side of His nature and asked if there was another way
for God's plan to be accomplished; "My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from Me" (Matthew 26:39a). Though He knew He would be
physically, emotionally, and Spiritually tormented, nailed to a cross,
and hung until dead, He gave His life into the hands of the Father;
"Yet, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39b). And as sure as
Jesus knew God's plan was for Him to die, He also knew He would rise
again; "And on the third day He will be raised to life" (Matthew 17:23).
On the third day after Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene and her
friends saw the empty tomb and immediately ran to tell the disciples;
"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them
like nonsense" (Luke 24:11). Even after Peter saw the empty tomb for
himself, he was perplexed; "He went away, wondering to himself what had
happened" (Luke 24:12).
The disciples had walked with Jesus and listened to Him teach about this
day but they still did not understand. It wasn't until Jesus personally
appeared to the disciples that the events began to make sense; "Then He
opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).
In an instant, everything fit into place. They finally understood how
all the Old Testament scripture pointed to the coming of Jesus and how
He would be sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins. They saw the
predictions of His death - and of His resurrection. They finally saw
Him as much more than a good teacher - much more than even a mighty king
- He was the Savior, the one and only Son of God!
Romans 1:4
"And who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be
the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."
The resurrection was God's declaration to the world: "This is My Son!"
The resurrection lets us know that "with God ALL things are possible,"
(Matthew 19:26), and it gives us the assurance that every one of His
promises will come to pass; if Christ is truly risen, how can any trials
of this world possibly lead to defeat?
True belief in the resurrection should fill us with awe and overwhelm us
with a sense of peace and thankfulness. He died and rose again so we
could live an abundant life and worship Him for all eternity. Let's
place our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of our
sins and live in the promise and power of His resurrection. Let's pray
for our mind to be fully opened to His truth and for our life to be
lived as though we KNOW He is risen!
On the night before He was crucified Jesus, while in great anguish,
showed the human side of His nature and asked if there was another way
for God's plan to be accomplished; "My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from Me" (Matthew 26:39a). Though He knew He would be
physically, emotionally, and Spiritually tormented, nailed to a cross,
and hung until dead, He gave His life into the hands of the Father;
"Yet, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39b). And as sure as
Jesus knew God's plan was for Him to die, He also knew He would rise
again; "And on the third day He will be raised to life" (Matthew 17:23).
On the third day after Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene and her
friends saw the empty tomb and immediately ran to tell the disciples;
"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them
like nonsense" (Luke 24:11). Even after Peter saw the empty tomb for
himself, he was perplexed; "He went away, wondering to himself what had
happened" (Luke 24:12).
The disciples had walked with Jesus and listened to Him teach about this
day but they still did not understand. It wasn't until Jesus personally
appeared to the disciples that the events began to make sense; "Then He
opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).
In an instant, everything fit into place. They finally understood how
all the Old Testament scripture pointed to the coming of Jesus and how
He would be sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins. They saw the
predictions of His death - and of His resurrection. They finally saw
Him as much more than a good teacher - much more than even a mighty king
- He was the Savior, the one and only Son of God!
Romans 1:4
"And who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be
the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."
The resurrection was God's declaration to the world: "This is My Son!"
The resurrection lets us know that "with God ALL things are possible,"
(Matthew 19:26), and it gives us the assurance that every one of His
promises will come to pass; if Christ is truly risen, how can any trials
of this world possibly lead to defeat?
True belief in the resurrection should fill us with awe and overwhelm us
with a sense of peace and thankfulness. He died and rose again so we
could live an abundant life and worship Him for all eternity. Let's
place our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of our
sins and live in the promise and power of His resurrection. Let's pray
for our mind to be fully opened to His truth and for our life to be
lived as though we KNOW He is risen!
Friday, September 12, 2003
i beat dave in goofy golf and that's all you need to know
go to xanga to read about last night- i'm too lazy to retype it . mernt
speaking of xanga. i blame xanga for my new addiction...amazon.com- someone please close my account. i've bought 4 cds in one week 4- note most are used cds but still! that's alot - i'm catching up for lost time -
they are as follows
christopher o'riley plays radiohead- true love waits (awesome cd- i had it in savannah at the radio show)
u2- pop
u2- rattle and hum
string quartet tribute to coldplay
i need help.
the mail people at belhaven are gonna think i'm crazy- i'll be getting cds for a whole week. man.
i can't wait.
dinner tonight at dave's - excitement- plus the fletcher boys.
next week- gulfport!!!!
go to xanga to read about last night- i'm too lazy to retype it . mernt
speaking of xanga. i blame xanga for my new addiction...amazon.com- someone please close my account. i've bought 4 cds in one week 4- note most are used cds but still! that's alot - i'm catching up for lost time -
they are as follows
christopher o'riley plays radiohead- true love waits (awesome cd- i had it in savannah at the radio show)
u2- pop
u2- rattle and hum
string quartet tribute to coldplay
i need help.
the mail people at belhaven are gonna think i'm crazy- i'll be getting cds for a whole week. man.
i can't wait.
dinner tonight at dave's - excitement- plus the fletcher boys.
next week- gulfport!!!!
Free In The Fire
King Nebuchadnezzar had made a large statue of gold and commanded that
everyone must worship the statue whenever they heard the sound of music
- they must worship the statue, or face terrible consequences! "Whoever
does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing
furnace" (Daniel 3:6).
Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were determined to
live with an uncompromising faith. They believed God's Word and obeyed
His commands: "You shall have no other gods before Me...you shall not
bow down to them or worship them" (Exodus 20:3,5). These three young
Jewish men took a stand and refused to worship the golden statue. Their
devotion to God was greater than their fear of the fire; "If we are
thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us
from it...But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or
worship the image of gold you have set up" (Daniel 3:17-18).
Nebuchadnezzar was furious and followed through on his threat: "He
ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded
some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace" (Daniel 3:19-20).
But when Nebuchadnezzar looked inside the furnace, he was amazed by what he saw.
Daniel 3:25
"Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,
and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
As they were facing the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw no
chance of escape, but they placed their complete trust in God - a trust
which would not falter even if they were burned. But rather than being
burned by the fire, these three men were freed from their binding ropes
and walked with "a son of the gods" who many believe is a reference to
Jesus or an angel. In their time of greatest need, God comforted these
young men and set them free.
The fires in our life WILL come. The heat will seem intense, but we
must not fear or abandon what we know to be true. Our faith is ALWAYS
refined and made stronger by fire; "the testing of your faith develops
perseverance" (James 1:3). Fire will always teach us to trust more
deeply and worship more sincerely. When we really believe this truth,
it will become possible to actually rejoice in the face of fire - true
freedom is not dictated by our surroundings but comes only as we give
Him complete and absolute control over every area of our life. Let's
walk with a bold faith, knowing He is there to comfort and protect us,
knowing He will strengthen us and set us free in the fire.
King Nebuchadnezzar had made a large statue of gold and commanded that
everyone must worship the statue whenever they heard the sound of music
- they must worship the statue, or face terrible consequences! "Whoever
does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing
furnace" (Daniel 3:6).
Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were determined to
live with an uncompromising faith. They believed God's Word and obeyed
His commands: "You shall have no other gods before Me...you shall not
bow down to them or worship them" (Exodus 20:3,5). These three young
Jewish men took a stand and refused to worship the golden statue. Their
devotion to God was greater than their fear of the fire; "If we are
thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us
from it...But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or
worship the image of gold you have set up" (Daniel 3:17-18).
Nebuchadnezzar was furious and followed through on his threat: "He
ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded
some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace" (Daniel 3:19-20).
But when Nebuchadnezzar looked inside the furnace, he was amazed by what he saw.
Daniel 3:25
"Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,
and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
As they were facing the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw no
chance of escape, but they placed their complete trust in God - a trust
which would not falter even if they were burned. But rather than being
burned by the fire, these three men were freed from their binding ropes
and walked with "a son of the gods" who many believe is a reference to
Jesus or an angel. In their time of greatest need, God comforted these
young men and set them free.
The fires in our life WILL come. The heat will seem intense, but we
must not fear or abandon what we know to be true. Our faith is ALWAYS
refined and made stronger by fire; "the testing of your faith develops
perseverance" (James 1:3). Fire will always teach us to trust more
deeply and worship more sincerely. When we really believe this truth,
it will become possible to actually rejoice in the face of fire - true
freedom is not dictated by our surroundings but comes only as we give
Him complete and absolute control over every area of our life. Let's
walk with a bold faith, knowing He is there to comfort and protect us,
knowing He will strengthen us and set us free in the fire.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Devo below this entry.
i've been posting more on xanga. check that site out, the links to the left- it says em's xanga site. i'm still writing on both, i'm just letting you wonderful people know what's up.
so the ultimate put put challenge is tonight
Emmi Dees vs. David Sprayberry.
who do you think is going to win. lets take a poll.
I already have baskin on my side...that's right babe- baskin thinks i'm gonna win, and you know what he's right. you may have won bowling but putt putt is mine!
here's my new school addy if anyone wants to send me lil suprises.
Emmi Dees
1500 Peachtree St.
Campus Box 184
Jackson Ms 39202
rockers.
well i've gotta get to work...i don't wanna be here today.
Can't wait to see you tonight....looking forward to it. i hope you're having an awesome day. i love you.
God Bless
Emmi
oh yeah i'd like to take a sec. to thank everyone who came out last friday. thanks for comming and supporting the scene i really appreciate it and so do the bands.
thanks so much
God Bless
Emmi
i've been posting more on xanga. check that site out, the links to the left- it says em's xanga site. i'm still writing on both, i'm just letting you wonderful people know what's up.
so the ultimate put put challenge is tonight
Emmi Dees vs. David Sprayberry.
who do you think is going to win. lets take a poll.
I already have baskin on my side...that's right babe- baskin thinks i'm gonna win, and you know what he's right. you may have won bowling but putt putt is mine!
here's my new school addy if anyone wants to send me lil suprises.
Emmi Dees
1500 Peachtree St.
Campus Box 184
Jackson Ms 39202
rockers.
well i've gotta get to work...i don't wanna be here today.
Can't wait to see you tonight....looking forward to it. i hope you're having an awesome day. i love you.
God Bless
Emmi
oh yeah i'd like to take a sec. to thank everyone who came out last friday. thanks for comming and supporting the scene i really appreciate it and so do the bands.
thanks so much
God Bless
Emmi
How To Guard His Deposit
In the last devo "Guard The Good Deposit" we saw the importance of
protecting what God places on our heart. He often gives us moments of
Divine intimacy as a taste of the life He desires for us - a life of
continual passion for God; a life where all our thoughts, words, and
deeds become an act of worship.
As these moments fade, we either take definite steps and choose to
follow God's call, or we allow our heart to slowly drift away. The
world will naturally pull us from God's desire and cause us to even
forget He has called. So how do we really "guard" what God has given
and truly accept His invitation to draw near?
Deuteronomy 11:17-20
"Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols
on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your
children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the
doorframes of your houses and on your gate."
When God called the children of Israel, He knew they would face the same
difficulties we face today: "Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn
away and worship other gods and bow down to them" (Deuteronomy 11:16).
He said the values of the world must never distract from our primary
duty to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
God told His chosen people the best way to remain near to Him was to
remain near to His Word through disciplined reading, teaching,
discussing, and applying. When our lives are completely immersed in His
Word, the "enticements" of the world lose their power and no longer pull
us from God's path.
But His desire was never for us to stop with outward disciplines. While
they are somewhat useful in themselves, the desired end is always for
His Word to be written on our heart and for our thoughts to remain with
Him all through our day! Only as He is allowed to truly live through us
will our lives become a complete sacrifice of worship.
If this is the life we desire then we must begin with a disciplined
approach to God's Word and initially make a serious effort to keep all
our thoughts focused on our Heavenly Father. He will soon reward us
with a more intimate relationship as His Word becomes written on our
heart. As we continue to grow, our time with Him will increase but our
required effort will gradually decrease, and loving Him will become as
natural as breathing. The world will still try to pull us away, but it
will no longer succeed; for we will have learned how to guard His deposit.
In the last devo "Guard The Good Deposit" we saw the importance of
protecting what God places on our heart. He often gives us moments of
Divine intimacy as a taste of the life He desires for us - a life of
continual passion for God; a life where all our thoughts, words, and
deeds become an act of worship.
As these moments fade, we either take definite steps and choose to
follow God's call, or we allow our heart to slowly drift away. The
world will naturally pull us from God's desire and cause us to even
forget He has called. So how do we really "guard" what God has given
and truly accept His invitation to draw near?
Deuteronomy 11:17-20
"Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols
on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your
children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the
doorframes of your houses and on your gate."
When God called the children of Israel, He knew they would face the same
difficulties we face today: "Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn
away and worship other gods and bow down to them" (Deuteronomy 11:16).
He said the values of the world must never distract from our primary
duty to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
God told His chosen people the best way to remain near to Him was to
remain near to His Word through disciplined reading, teaching,
discussing, and applying. When our lives are completely immersed in His
Word, the "enticements" of the world lose their power and no longer pull
us from God's path.
But His desire was never for us to stop with outward disciplines. While
they are somewhat useful in themselves, the desired end is always for
His Word to be written on our heart and for our thoughts to remain with
Him all through our day! Only as He is allowed to truly live through us
will our lives become a complete sacrifice of worship.
If this is the life we desire then we must begin with a disciplined
approach to God's Word and initially make a serious effort to keep all
our thoughts focused on our Heavenly Father. He will soon reward us
with a more intimate relationship as His Word becomes written on our
heart. As we continue to grow, our time with Him will increase but our
required effort will gradually decrease, and loving Him will become as
natural as breathing. The world will still try to pull us away, but it
will no longer succeed; for we will have learned how to guard His deposit.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
sad time in my family. my cousin just lost her baby- she was 6 months pregnant and she now has to deliver it on friday...please pray for her, she's going thru a lot right now.
i'm a lil overwhelmed with school and both jobs.....i'm glad i get to escape to biloxi next weekend.
i can't right much today, i have to get back to work.
i'm a lil overwhelmed with school and both jobs.....i'm glad i get to escape to biloxi next weekend.
i can't right much today, i have to get back to work.
Tuesday, September 09, 2003
sorry for my many disapearance, as some of you know i've been extremely busy, and i just today have finally met with all my classes so now hopefully things will calm down. i still have a lot of phone calls to make to some of you. sorry for my delay in calling you or calling you back. i'd rather be able to actually talk with you and have more than a 5 minute conversation but i haven't been able to do so lately because i've been so busy. i'm truly sorry. i'm a jerk.
here's the devo for today.
God Bless
Emmi
Guard The Good Deposit
In the last devos "Covenant of Worship" and "A Broken Covenant" we were
encouraged to make a covenant - which we resolve not to break - to
worship God with all our heart for the rest of our days. I pray we
accept this challenge and make a decision to commit our lives to Him
without any reservation.
When God brings us to this point of greater commitment and surrender, we
have a wonderful reason to rejoice; but we also have an obligation to
protect and nurture what He has planted in our heart. He has called us
to draw closer and spend more time in His presence - to join Him in a
more intimate and loving relationship - but the enemy is hard at work
trying to destroy the change which has begun.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
"What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with
faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was
entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."
Every so often on our Christian walk, there comes a time of special
closeness with God. This closeness may come as the result of a new
understanding of His Word where we see His character like never before.
It may come during a solitary time of prayer or while worshiping with
many other believers, through a powerful speaker or inspirational
writing. Each time this occurs, God is depositing a little truth into
our life which says: I am the way, draw nearer and follow Me more.
When God calls us in this manner, we know it. We know His truth; we
know He is lighting the only true way, and we honestly desire to follow.
But then we're back at work with deadlines to meet, people to see, or
kids to feed. Soon, the busyness of our everyday "normal" life has
consumed our thoughts and God's deposit has begun to fade - this should not be!
We must establish disciplines which enable us to hear God's message and
then help us keep His message at the forefront of our thoughts all
through the day. These disciplines will vary for different people.
Some may need to wake up earlier to have a time which is quiet; others
may need to change their work habits or the condition of their work
environment. But we all, regardless of our hectic pace, need to simply
talk with God more and worship more at His feet. This must become our
highest priority.
We cannot allow His gifts to be destroyed or forgotten. We should never
allow the frustrations of the past, the pulls of the present, or the
desires of the future to steal the gifts entrusted to us today. Let's
make the necessary changes and boldly draw near without hesitation.
Let's praise Him for His gifts, and "with the help of the Holy Spirit
who lives in us" guard the good deposit.
here's the devo for today.
God Bless
Emmi
Guard The Good Deposit
In the last devos "Covenant of Worship" and "A Broken Covenant" we were
encouraged to make a covenant - which we resolve not to break - to
worship God with all our heart for the rest of our days. I pray we
accept this challenge and make a decision to commit our lives to Him
without any reservation.
When God brings us to this point of greater commitment and surrender, we
have a wonderful reason to rejoice; but we also have an obligation to
protect and nurture what He has planted in our heart. He has called us
to draw closer and spend more time in His presence - to join Him in a
more intimate and loving relationship - but the enemy is hard at work
trying to destroy the change which has begun.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
"What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with
faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was
entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."
Every so often on our Christian walk, there comes a time of special
closeness with God. This closeness may come as the result of a new
understanding of His Word where we see His character like never before.
It may come during a solitary time of prayer or while worshiping with
many other believers, through a powerful speaker or inspirational
writing. Each time this occurs, God is depositing a little truth into
our life which says: I am the way, draw nearer and follow Me more.
When God calls us in this manner, we know it. We know His truth; we
know He is lighting the only true way, and we honestly desire to follow.
But then we're back at work with deadlines to meet, people to see, or
kids to feed. Soon, the busyness of our everyday "normal" life has
consumed our thoughts and God's deposit has begun to fade - this should not be!
We must establish disciplines which enable us to hear God's message and
then help us keep His message at the forefront of our thoughts all
through the day. These disciplines will vary for different people.
Some may need to wake up earlier to have a time which is quiet; others
may need to change their work habits or the condition of their work
environment. But we all, regardless of our hectic pace, need to simply
talk with God more and worship more at His feet. This must become our
highest priority.
We cannot allow His gifts to be destroyed or forgotten. We should never
allow the frustrations of the past, the pulls of the present, or the
desires of the future to steal the gifts entrusted to us today. Let's
make the necessary changes and boldly draw near without hesitation.
Let's praise Him for His gifts, and "with the help of the Holy Spirit
who lives in us" guard the good deposit.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
okie, so it's kinda been a while, i haven't updated in a few days.
as you all know i had a rough desicion to make, i'm not going to say it on here because well there are people i still haven't been able to contact ot tell and i 'd rather me tell everyone first, it's more personal and just better that way.
for all of you who have heard it thru the grapevine...i'm sorry u didn't hear it from me- you deserve better but thanks for your kind words and support. some of you who have not heard can prolly already guess from this note what i've decided....i still don't wanna say it becuase it's so impersonal and you all deserve better than that - you don't deserve to read my decision off of a blog spot , you deserve to hear it from my lips.
for the people in jackson who i haven't contacted yet sorry- i will just give me time for things to settle down.
for those out of town, please give me time and please be understanding- things have been crazy and still are, i've been running non stop since friday. i will call you though. just give me time for things to settle down.
thanks so much for your care and support.
i will take a moment though to talk about something great, to talk about sat. - it was dave's birthday- and i spent all day preparing.
i was running late because i was running a little behind but i showed up to his door - in my mom's car - at 6 45. i gave him his present . which was so great- he loved it- it was a bunch of things all in one. i suppose i can tell you all but it's rather emo- i gave him a vintage track jacket he had been wanting it's a dark brown with tan strips on the arms. he recieved a very handsome tie- for a handsome boy, 4 cd's that are very personal and mushy, containing alot of love songs and songs that are special to me and him, he recieved a new watch to replace his old stinky one- really people it reaked, then he got a lil thing of angel- my scent- not gonna complete explain that one- it's sentimental i guess, then i gave him a lil thing of angel for men - he was curious what it smelled like so i got it for him, then i gave him a senior portrait- the nice one he had been wanting- after he opened his present and read the horribly emo car i took him to bravo's for dinner. it was great. we had bruchetta, tomatoe basil soup, he had red fish, i had a shrimp basil pizza, then he was suprised with a terimasu b-day cake, and then we had cheese cake- it was fabulous. by the way i must say he looked rather snazy all dressed up and well so did i . hehe. then we went to his house to "change clothes" or so he thought - and he was suprised with all of his close friends at his house.(we had ice cream cake- his mother got it for him- it was so great- had a lil guitar on it) it was wonderful we had a great time. good times good laughes.after everyone left we watched the best of will ferrel with matt (dave's brother) it was an awesome night i must say. he enjoyed it and was thrilled to death which was all that i wanted. it was really great. anyways that's enough for now.
i've got a lot to do , and i say a lot.
sorry for my disappearance. i will see some of you tomorrow. i'm looking forward to it.
Have an awesome day.
God Bless
Emmi
as you all know i had a rough desicion to make, i'm not going to say it on here because well there are people i still haven't been able to contact ot tell and i 'd rather me tell everyone first, it's more personal and just better that way.
for all of you who have heard it thru the grapevine...i'm sorry u didn't hear it from me- you deserve better but thanks for your kind words and support. some of you who have not heard can prolly already guess from this note what i've decided....i still don't wanna say it becuase it's so impersonal and you all deserve better than that - you don't deserve to read my decision off of a blog spot , you deserve to hear it from my lips.
for the people in jackson who i haven't contacted yet sorry- i will just give me time for things to settle down.
for those out of town, please give me time and please be understanding- things have been crazy and still are, i've been running non stop since friday. i will call you though. just give me time for things to settle down.
thanks so much for your care and support.
i will take a moment though to talk about something great, to talk about sat. - it was dave's birthday- and i spent all day preparing.
i was running late because i was running a little behind but i showed up to his door - in my mom's car - at 6 45. i gave him his present . which was so great- he loved it- it was a bunch of things all in one. i suppose i can tell you all but it's rather emo- i gave him a vintage track jacket he had been wanting it's a dark brown with tan strips on the arms. he recieved a very handsome tie- for a handsome boy, 4 cd's that are very personal and mushy, containing alot of love songs and songs that are special to me and him, he recieved a new watch to replace his old stinky one- really people it reaked, then he got a lil thing of angel- my scent- not gonna complete explain that one- it's sentimental i guess, then i gave him a lil thing of angel for men - he was curious what it smelled like so i got it for him, then i gave him a senior portrait- the nice one he had been wanting- after he opened his present and read the horribly emo car i took him to bravo's for dinner. it was great. we had bruchetta, tomatoe basil soup, he had red fish, i had a shrimp basil pizza, then he was suprised with a terimasu b-day cake, and then we had cheese cake- it was fabulous. by the way i must say he looked rather snazy all dressed up and well so did i . hehe. then we went to his house to "change clothes" or so he thought - and he was suprised with all of his close friends at his house.(we had ice cream cake- his mother got it for him- it was so great- had a lil guitar on it) it was wonderful we had a great time. good times good laughes.after everyone left we watched the best of will ferrel with matt (dave's brother) it was an awesome night i must say. he enjoyed it and was thrilled to death which was all that i wanted. it was really great. anyways that's enough for now.
i've got a lot to do , and i say a lot.
sorry for my disappearance. i will see some of you tomorrow. i'm looking forward to it.
Have an awesome day.
God Bless
Emmi
Continue to Seek
As Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, He said, "no one
can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3). He then
explained being "born again" as a Spiritual birth which occurs when we
believe; "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life" (John 3:16). EVERYONE who will spend eternity in the Presence of
God must be born of the Spirit - it is impossible to be a Child of God
without being "born again."
This Spiritual birth is part of the New Covenant through faith in Jesus
and was revealed over 500 years before Christ through the prophet
Ezekiel; "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a
heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow
my decrees" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Paul refers to the Spiritual birth as
becoming "a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2
Corinthians 5:17). But it is most often referred to simply as being
saved; "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).
The process of Spiritual birth is relatively easy to explain - God
reaches down and transforms our heart by the power of His Spirit.
However, the exact events which lead to the Spiritual birth (and when
the birth actually occurs) remain somewhat a mystery. On one hand,
God's Word is very simple and clear; "Whoever believes will be saved."
But understanding what it means to really believe can be difficult. We
can talk about submission, obedience, sacrifice, love, or the basic
faith of a child but these will always fall short of an adequate
definition of belief.
Only God can save; only He is fit to judge; and He alone can look into
the innermost part of our heart and determine true belief. All we can
do is seek Him with all our heart - and trust He will be found.
Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks
finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Our Salvation was initiated by God when Jesus Christ came to earth and
died as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. He chose us for an intimate
and eternal relationship when His Holy Spirit began to call us near.
And, if we will but answer the call and begin to seek His face, He will
be found. In an instant, which He alone determines according to His
perfect timing, He will transform our heart and adopt us as His Child.
We may not be able to explain or even fully understand true belief, but
if there is any call of God on our heart we CAN ask, seek, and knock.
God never hides nor runs away; "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts
17:27). He is waiting for us to reach out and call on His Name. Today,
let's trust He will found as we give Him all our heart and continue to seek.
As Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, He said, "no one
can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3). He then
explained being "born again" as a Spiritual birth which occurs when we
believe; "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal
life" (John 3:16). EVERYONE who will spend eternity in the Presence of
God must be born of the Spirit - it is impossible to be a Child of God
without being "born again."
This Spiritual birth is part of the New Covenant through faith in Jesus
and was revealed over 500 years before Christ through the prophet
Ezekiel; "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a
heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow
my decrees" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Paul refers to the Spiritual birth as
becoming "a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2
Corinthians 5:17). But it is most often referred to simply as being
saved; "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).
The process of Spiritual birth is relatively easy to explain - God
reaches down and transforms our heart by the power of His Spirit.
However, the exact events which lead to the Spiritual birth (and when
the birth actually occurs) remain somewhat a mystery. On one hand,
God's Word is very simple and clear; "Whoever believes will be saved."
But understanding what it means to really believe can be difficult. We
can talk about submission, obedience, sacrifice, love, or the basic
faith of a child but these will always fall short of an adequate
definition of belief.
Only God can save; only He is fit to judge; and He alone can look into
the innermost part of our heart and determine true belief. All we can
do is seek Him with all our heart - and trust He will be found.
Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks
finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Our Salvation was initiated by God when Jesus Christ came to earth and
died as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. He chose us for an intimate
and eternal relationship when His Holy Spirit began to call us near.
And, if we will but answer the call and begin to seek His face, He will
be found. In an instant, which He alone determines according to His
perfect timing, He will transform our heart and adopt us as His Child.
We may not be able to explain or even fully understand true belief, but
if there is any call of God on our heart we CAN ask, seek, and knock.
God never hides nor runs away; "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts
17:27). He is waiting for us to reach out and call on His Name. Today,
let's trust He will found as we give Him all our heart and continue to seek.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
