Tag: #devotions

But I Don’t Like the Bible!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

That’s right, all the living breathing power of the Word, THE Word is at our fingertips. Pretty sure this is our face when that realization hits us. 

Inside the Word is everything. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timoty 3:16-17

Yeah. Dude! It can change your life! If you apply it. Which leads us to excitement!

Yes! Yes we want this. We need change. We want to devour it piece by piece. And then we open it up.

And we read things like, “And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people…” Exodus 2:8 We feel like giving up, but preachers, pastors, teachers and other Christians tell us to read the Bible. It’s what Christians are supposed to do. So we do it. About like this:

What was once excitement now turns to bitter obligation. Ever been there? Me too. The thing is we don’t seem to know where to start or how to do it “right.” We live in a beautiful age where studying the Bible is fabulous because we have a lot of free tools to help us. And that’s where the difference comes in. Between loving the Word and just saluting and getting it over with. 

You say, “But I’m not a studious person.”

Psalm 119:30 says, “The entrance of Your words give light; It gives understanding to the simple. 

You have to remember a few key factors: Culture at the time the Bible was written as well as context. “Well I don’t know about that culture.” But you can! Free online biblical encyclopedias, commentaries, and maps. You download apps to your smart devices. It gives the passages richer meaning. 

Here are a few: 

Biblegateway

Blueletterbible

These two sites alone are chock-full of valuable resources to help you understand difficult passages. You can read the Bible in various translations. Suddenly, studying the Word becomes a treasure hunt. It becomes an experience you daily look forward to. 

Oh yeah, you’re feelin’ it! I got this! Me and You, Lord. Your Word really is powerful, it’s holy and wonderful. Like fire in my bones, I gotta move! Gotta let it out. Let it shine. I so get that old Sunday school song now. “Hide it under a bushel, NO! I’m gonna let it shine!” This is peace. This is joy. This is intimacy at its finest. I get why Moses sprinkled the blood on the people and I’m thankful for the foreshadowing of Christ’s blood that was shed and covers me to make me holy and in right standing with You! You truly are majestic! You really do have my back. And my front. You are with me, for me, beside me, all around me. I can go nowhere to escape you. Not even to the bottom of the sea. This world that seems so chaotic and out of control is governed by Your mighty hand. 

I get this scripture now:

“How sweet are Your Words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

And if you’re still timid to go at it alone, then go and grab a Bible study! I recommend any single one by Beth Moore. I just finished up Children of the Day and am starting James, Mercy Triumphs. In fact jump into James and let’s chat online about it. Encourage one another. 

Because the only way to be changed is through the washing of the water of the Word. You can open up the bodywash and even pour it on your skin, but if you don’t rub it in and let it soak, it’s purpose won’t be fulfilled. Just like someone taught us how to lather that soap on and then how to scrub our bodies, we have to be taught.

Don’t shy away from falling in love with the Word because you don’t think you’re smart enough. Don’t let the some of the more difficult parts turn you off. 

Dig! Dig deep! Lyrics from one of my favorite songs goes like this: “Lovers always find what others give up searching for. So I’ll search for you as treasure.” Uh huh. Oh yeah. It’s treasure to my soul. Yep. Yep. 

You got this! Better yet, God’s got this! 



I wanna be a lover. How about you?

Also, super Happy Birthday to my sweet man! I love you!

***I have a newsletter–Patched In. I’d love for you to sign-up for important book information, release dates (when they come) and other fun things. I promise not to give your email address to anyone or spam you. Sign up at the top right corner of the blog!

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You Spin Me…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

…round, like a record, right round…

That’s how I’ve felt the last week. Dizzy. Spun. Thank you, Vertigo.  Yep, on vacation I rode this crazy wild ride. It’s called…the log ride. Yeah, you read that right. The. Log. Ride.

Rode that joker like a pro. Up…up…up…at the end then about 30 seconds down the chute. My stomach dropped and my head spun, like a record right round, baby.

Then on Sunday, the dizziness came back and wouldn’t let up. Turns out I have Vertigo. 

I knew I shouldn’t have gotten on that ride. Warning bells rang all the way to the entrance and through the line of cattle people. But I ignored the bells. Ignored the warning in my gut.

And I’ve spent a week spinning. Can’t quite find my balance. Can’t do all the things I know I do need to do. 

Also, I’ve learned a good spiritual lesson. When the warning bells go off in my spirit, when red flags raise in my life, heed the Spirit’s warning and obey. 

Doesn’t matter how seeminly innocent it is, how fun the ride, how adventerous, or how much somone might beg me (even if it’s not a bad thing).

If there’s a hint of warning. Say no. Pull back. Disengage.

God knows what’s best for us. He sent His Spirit to live inside us. To guide us into all truth and to teach us (among other wonderful things like comfort and bring things into remembrance that we’ve been taught). 

Don’t let ignorning God’s warning turn your spin your life out of control like a record on the turntable. Forego the dizziness. 

Ask God to put you back in balance. He’s willing, ready, and able. 

Get the focus back. Uprightness. Whole. 

It’s time to do the things He has asked you to. 

Who’s ready? 

 

“Dear friend, pay close attention to this, my wisdom; listen very closely to the way I see it. Then you’ll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble.”
Proverbs 5:1-1 MSG
 
Have you ever had vertigo? Can you climb on rides and not suffer? 

Open Up and Say…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

…not Aaaah!

I’ve been doing a Bible study, which I hope you all are in some kind of personal Bible study. As I was working on my study, the subject of things we grip tightly and won’t let go of came up. Some things could be sin, or maybe just weights and hinderances that keep us from moving forward in our relationship with God.

Yes, I know this to be true but this time something smacked me in the face. A one-two punch.

Bitterness. And offenses. (Those are the negative things we cling to.) Keep them fisted right in our hands until our knuckles turn white and the circulation stops, sending pins and needles racing up our arms and yet still we hang on.

And I thought about a prior situation/s that happened in my life. I thought of the bitterness that had settled from that offense/s. I gave that bitterness to God a long time ago. I’m not bitter anymore. 

But what I realized was I still kept the offense in my grasp. Was it a legitimate offense? Yes. Was I reading more into what happened than was there? No. It happened. To me and to my husband. Over time, my heart grew cold and callused. Then rock-solid toward those who played a direct hand in the hurt. Did they intentionally mean to hurt us? I don’t think so. Not every person involved. But still…

As I thought about those offenses that wracked up over a course of two years over–one right after another, I realized while I wasn’t necessarily bitter anymore, I still kept the offenses in my fist.

And the Lord spoke to my heart. “When You give it to them, they gather it up, when You open Your hand they are filled with good things.” Psalm 104:28

I flipped to the Psalm and read the verses prior to that. 

O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,
4 Who makes His angels spirits,
His ministers a flame of fire.
5 You who laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever,
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled;
At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
8 They went up over the mountains;
They went down into the valleys,
To the place which You founded for them.
9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
That they may not return to cover the earth.

The context prior to this is about how grand and majestic our God is! Look at how powerful He is! Yes, the creatures rely on God to feed them, but we do too! At least we should.

I read verse 28 again and saw my hand. Tightly fisted around rocks. Tough, dirty. Rocks that

wouldn’t mold into the palm of my hand but instead cut into the flesh leaving bloody wounds and possibly scars if they dug in too deep. Rocks that did not benefit me, and yet I carried them–those rocks–those offenses–as if they were treasure, as if dropping them to the ground would leave me empty, desolate.

And then I saw, in my mind’s eyes, a gentle, yet powerful hand slowly pry open that fist.

Finger by finger. 

One rock after another began to plummet to the ground. Until not one was left. 

When my hand was empty, the dirt from the rocks washed clean. The wounds healed. Something happened.

The hand that released those offenses, those rocks, began to pour a rainbow of color into my hands. 

 

M&Ms! Not just M&Ms but my favorite kind! Peanut M&Ms! I giggled as they filled my palm and thought, “God, this isn’t exactly nutritious!” But the point was, M&Ms are sweet to the taste, something to delight in and they come in all varieties and colors. 

Exactly like God’s blessings. Like all the wonderful things He wants to fill our hands with.

But you can’t fill already full fists.

The question is: Are you willing to drop what doesn’t benefit you so God can fill you with what does? 

I answered yes. How about you?

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Blame it On…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Come on, you know you were thinking “rain” and you’d be wrong. I am not talking about Milli Vanilli, although I am talking about choices today and they made the choice to lip sync through their career. It was bound to get out. Some of you may be asking, “Who is Milli Vanilli and what kind of name is that?”  I don’t know, but here’s who they are: Blame it On the Rain.  I know, right?

I’ve been thinking about choices lately. Especially since week one of my F.O.R.W.A.R.D. class I touch on choices when I speak on Adam and Eve.

9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered,
“I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11 And he said,
“Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded
you not to eat from?”
12 The man
said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and
I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have
done?”

The woman said, “The serpent
deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 1
God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were. But He was doing what any good parent would. Giving an opportunity for the kiddos to come clean. To be honest with Him.
When I know my child has done something, I don’t go in all accusing. I ask, “Did you eat that cookie I told you not to?” Why? Because I want to know if they’ll come clean and accept responsibility for their actions or will they lie to my face. The rule at my house is: You tell me the truth, expect consequences. Appropriate for the “crime” of course. Without consequences, what are we teaching our children? Nothing! We’re going to have an epidemic of spoiled adults who think they can do anything they want without reprecussions. Now, if you lie to me, the consequences are going to be more severe. Why? Because I want the truth. Be truthful, I’ll show you mercy. 
But Adam did not come clean. He played the blame game. He blamed Eve, yes, but ultimately he blamed God. “That woman YOU put here with me.” (emphasis mine) In other words, he was saying, “Had you not given me this woman, I’d have never messed up. I blame you. It’s your fault.”
There are many things in our lives that happen outside of  our control. We can blame God and get bitter or we can trust Him to heal us and turn it around for good. That’s our choice. And the choices we make based on the things that happen to us, they’re ours to own.
God didn’t force that fruit down Adam’s throat. Adam chose that. Eve gave it to him, but she didn’t force it down his throat either. Adam did that. And even the cunning serpent didn’t spoon feed him. Adam chose it. And Eve made her own choice as well.
We have to own up to our mistakes/bad choices and put the blame where the blame is due. On us. Be honest with God and let His mercy shower you. Can’t say He’ll remove the consequences. He disciplines those He loves. 
But mercy will lighten it and grace will get us through it.
I’ve been dealing with a situation with a loved one who has been blamed for another’s actions. The unleashed fury on this loved one is overwhelming and lately, I’ve been living out pray without ceasing. But that angry person made a bad choice. And then took that bad choice and aired it online for everyone to see. And as a result of those choices, consequences came. 
Pride gets in the way of owning up to moments of missing the mark. Fear gets in the way. Really it’s only one of the two. Pride goes before falling and fear holds us back from moving forward. And me? I always want to be in a state of propelling forward. I never want to fall on my face because I was too proud to admit I messed up. I’ve been there though–prideful and fearful. 
I’d rather have mercy and grace.

Rocks Really Can Cry Out!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
But he
said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.” Luke
19:40
 
How in
the world do rocks cry out?
 
This particular scripture was fulfilled in Matthew 27:51
after Jesus finished the work on the cross.
 
“Then,
behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the
earth quaked, and the rocks were split,…”
 
What if
there’s more to it?
 
Let’s get into a little quantum physics, shall we? And let
me start off by saying, I am in no stinking way an expert in physics.
According to an article written by John Keely circa 1893, (whichyou can read here) he stated the following:
 
“First: Matter is capable of infinite
subdivision.
 
Second: In the aggregation of matter,
force or energy is stored up or conserved.
 
Third: In the dissociation of
matter, force is liberated.”
So, matter is a whole formed by many. In its whole form,
force is stored up. He says, “matter is force in bondage.”
 
Hang with me, troops. I’m gonna bring it all together soon.
 
Apparently there are subdivisions of matter. He says, “The
atomolic substance is what is termed the ether which fills all space and is the
transmitting medium for all celestial and terrestrial forces.”
 
Ether is the upper regions above the sky. Supernatural.
Which we know there is. God in the heavens, sitting on his throne. We know
there are angelic hosts, they rejoice when sinners repent. They sing—choirs of
angels. We know the seraphim circle God’s throne and they cry out (like the
rocks could) Holy! Holy! Holy!
 
But with our human ears, we can’t hear it. Nor can we, with
human eyes see it.  2 Samuel 5 tells us, “Therefore David inquired of the Lord,
and He said,“You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon
them in front of the mulberry trees.  And it shall be, when you hear the sound
of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly.
For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the
Philistines.”
 
Heavenly troops marched above the trees! God allowed them to
hear.
2 Kings 6 tells us, “Then
Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the
LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was
full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
 

 

 
So how
does this relate to rocks crying out?
 
In Japan, they designed a supramolecular nanofiber that
aligned with 
harmony in music. Yeah. Wild huh? They played Mozart and Beethoven
and that little nanofiber danced in harmony to the music. I have no idea about
the physics behind it other than it was proven. You can read about it HERE.
Which is interesting because Keely also says, “All motion is
synchronous; no sound or movement can be made but all that moves or sounds does so in harmony with something.”
 
If this is true, that all that moves or sounds does so in
harmony with something, then imagine if everyone stopped praising God. Not one
praise from a human being.
 
What would happen?
 
That
force in bondage would break open and be liberated. It
would explode, like quaking—like mountains moving– in harmony with the praise
already going on in heaven! Like that nano fiber jiving to Mozart. The rocks would
indeed have to cry out if ALL that moves or sounds does so in harmony with
SOMETHING!
 
Don’t make a doctrine out of this, but think about it, that’s all I’m doing…thinking. How
ironic that physicists try to discredit God all the time yet Jesus may have
been standing there giving a lesson in physics on that day!
 
These rocks will cry out. If you won’t move in harmony with
the sounds in heaven, they will. Physics demand it!
 
Crazy huh? Speaking of crazy. The Hebrew word for “rocks cry
out” in Luke 
19:40 is krazo. Which totally had me laughing as I said, “Oh, God,
do you get it?! That’s krazo—crazy!” Pretty sure he got it.
 
Truly, he is the Great I AM.
 
“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing
was made that was made.” John 1:3 

If he says the rocks can cry out…they can.

 
 
Brings a whole new meaning or a richer meaning to this song
doesn’t it?
 
 

No Brainer by Patricia Bradley

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Buy the book HERE!
Welcome back, everyone! Thanks, Pat, for being here again and for this devotion!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.” Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)
Like Taylor in Shadows
of the Past, I have not always lived by this verse. I wanted to do things my way. And my way got me into a lot of
trouble. But God never let go of my hand, just as He never let go of Taylor’s.
And a few years ago, I embraced this verse and began living it.
That doesn’t mean that right away everything started
happening the way I thought it should. No, I had another lesson to
learn—everything happens in God’s economy of time, not mine. But if we wait on
Him, what He will do is exceedingly and abundantly more than we can think or
imagine.
An example: I wanted an offer for 1 book published, but when
I waited on God’s plan I received an offer for a three-book deal.
Waiting on God’s plan=A nobrainer.
Sneak peek!
Psychology
professor and criminal profiler Taylor Martin prides herself on being able to
solve any crime, except the one she wants most desperately to solve–the
disappearance of her father twenty years ago. When she finally has a lead on
his whereabouts, Taylor returns home to Logan Point, Mississippi, to
investigate. But as she is stalking the truth about the past, someone is
stalking her.
Nick
Sinclair pens mystery novels for a living, but the biggest mystery to him is
how he can ever get over the death of his wife–a tragedy he believes he could
have prevented. With his estranged brother the only family he has left, Nick
sets out to find him. But when he crosses paths with Taylor, all he seems to
find is trouble.
Join the
chase as this determined duo search the murky shadows of the past for the keys
to unlocking the present and moving into a future filled with new hope and
love. Readers will be swept into the sultry South in this debut novel from a
promising and already award-winning writer.
Visit Pat HERE!
What have you been waiting for? 

Who Knows the Cry of Your Heart?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Yesterday morning was a typical day. My daughter had already left for school and I was waiting on my son to finish up his routine so I could drop him off. His school I.D. tag was on my table so I grabbed it and went into the bathroom where he was brushing his teeth.

“Do you need this?” I asked.

“Mmm. Mmm…mmm….mmm…mmmm…mmmm.”

“Put it in your backpack. Okay.” I walked out of the bathroom and followed his instructions. And it hit me, wow, that was such a mom thing here. He never once pronounced a syllable let alone a coherent word, but I know him so well. I heard his mumbles clearly. It wasn’t a mystery.

Much like mothers translating their toddler’s babbles to those who don’t spend much time around them. 

You just know. If you’re a parent, you’re nodding right now. Or if you’re a babysitter, nanny, or day care worker who spends copious amounts of time with particular children.

And it struck me how thankful I am that God knows all my mumbles. Sometimes, I don’t have the words to say. I don’t even know what to say. Sometimes, they’re only incoherent sobs. Heart cries.

God knows every hiccupped, mumbled word. 

I asked my son when he came out of the bathroom, “Did it surprise you I knew exactly what you were saying?”

His reply: “No, should it?”

Child-like faith. He knows I know him. And it doesn’t surprise him that I understand every word out of his mouth whether it’s formed perfectly or not.

Don’t ever be afraid that God doesn’t know your heart and the cries that swell from within, even if you’re not sure. He is. And never doubt that he hears every single word. And that he loves you and plans to take care of you. 

                           Oh yes, you shaped
me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High
God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside
and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how
I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into
something.
Like an open book,
you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out
before you,
The days of my life
all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.
Psalm 139:13-16 MSG
Do you ever struggle with thoughts that tell you God doesn’t hear or understand you? How can these verses bring truth to light for you? Or do you have other verses that sink into your soul and bring security? Share one!


But Who?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Imagine with me, John the Revelator. Exiled to a
rocky island called Patmos. Imagine him sitting one day, staring off into the
distance and longing for home, for eternity, for Christ. And in an instant he’s
taken up to heaven in a vision…
“I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One
Seated on the Throne. It was written on both sides, fastened with seven seals.
I also saw a powerful Angel, calling out in a voice like thunder, “Is there
anyone who can open the scroll, who can break its seals?”
There was no one—no one in Heaven, no one on
earth, no one from the underworld—able to break open the scroll and read it.
I wept
and wept and wept that no one was found able to open the scroll, able to read
it.” Revelation 5:1-5 MSG
Can’t you feel is his angst as he weeps. Who can
fulfill God’s plan in history? Who is worthy to do it? No one. No one can
accomplish what is written in these scrolls. The utter doom slides 
into your
stomach like an icy ball.
Hopeless.
Helpless.
But then…
“One of the Elders said, “Don’t weep. Look—the
Lion from Tribe Judah, the Root of David’s Tree, has conquered. He can open the
scroll, can rip through the seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

A lion!
A conqueror!
John must envision a mighty warrior with a
frightening roar, sharp teeth, a powerful king. 
Aggressive. Coming with force.
Slowly, tears running from his cheeks, he raises
his head to see this Lion.
“So I
looked, and there, surrounded by Throne, The Living Creatures, and Elders, was
a Lamb, slaughtered but standing tall.” Revelation 5:6
Not a lion.
A lamb as though it had been slain.
Without a roar. Without sharp teeth.
He came as sacrificial love. In mercy. In grace.
A lamb! A lamb!
But he is powerful. He is mighty! He is standing tall!
“He came to the One Seated on the Throne and
took the scroll from his right hand. The moment he took the scroll, the Four Living
Creatures, and Twenty-four Elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.” Revelation
5:7-8
And all sang around the throne!
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ; To receive
power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation
5:12
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to
Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13
Worthy.

Is.

The.

Lamb.

What is just one name you’ve experienced Christ as? 

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Working for Jesus vs. Ministering to Him

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Visit Jeanette! 
Welcome to Wednesday, my favorite people! I am so excited to introduce you to the sweet and hilarious, Jeanette Levellie! Jeanette is…
A spunky pastor’s wife of over thirty
years, Jeanette’s debut humorous inspirational book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top, released in April of 2012,
and has already become an Amazon bestseller in the humor category.
Jeanette’s bi-weekly
humor/inspirational column, God is Bigger,
has been a popular feature in the Paris Beacon News since 2001. She’s published
stories in Guideposts  and  Love is a Verb with Gary Chapman anthologies;
articles in Vista, God’s World Today, The Christian
Communicator, Birds & Blooms, Country, and Country Extra magazines; devotionals in The Upper Room, Daily Hope, Light from the Word, & Glimpses of God, greeting card verses
for Celebration Greetings, and poems
for La Leche League International calendars.  

Jeanette, thank you so much for being here. I absolutely loved this! Take it away!
When I became a Christian at age eight, I went to school the
next day and told my friends in a singsong voice, “I’m going to hea-ven and
you’re no-ot!”
I don’t recommend this method of sharing your faith. Although
my heart was right—I wanted to serve the Lord—my methods were a bit primitive. Pre-believers
need more than a taunting song from a freckle-faced kid hanging upside down on
the monkey bars to see their need for a Savior.
Since that early faux paus, I’ve honed my “sharing the
gospel” skills. I’ve also discovered that attitude is everything if I want to not
only please the Lord, but also enjoy my relationship with Him. I made that
discovery when a close friend nearly landed in jail.
Several years ago, our friend, Roger* was arrested and falsely
accused of a crime. After weeks of earnest prayer and Roger’s savings moving
from his savings account to the lawyer’s wallet, the judge lessened the
sentence from jail time to community service. I was so grateful, I wept as I
praised the Lord. Then I thought, 
“I want to do something to show my gratitude.”
I decided to take my lunch break once a week to visit a
nearby nursing home. I brought yarn to one of the patients who crocheted, ice
cream bars to the nurses’ aides, and smiles to those who’d lost theirs.
Although I often grieved when I left, knowing I was returning to my healthy life,
visiting these unfortunate people was a joy. I never associated the word “work”
in relation to these visits. I was ministering to the Lord by loving a few of
His lambs. It was a tangible way I could say “thank you” to Jesus for rescuing
Roger.
It’s too easy for us to slip into categorizing some of the
things we do—teaching Bible classes, leading worship, sharing our testimony—as
“working for the Lord” rather than “ministering to Jesus.” We tend to label our
activities as “spiritual” or “secular.” But that’s not how the Master thinks.
He says, “If you’ve done something for another human being, you’ve done it for
Me” (Matthew 25).
If we’re interested in making our lives count for Jesus, we’ll
be conscious that every floor we mop, every tip we give a waitress, and every song
we sing, ministers to the Lord. Well, with one exception. That tacky little one
I sang as I hung from the monkey bars is long gone!


Does it help you to
think in terms of ministering to Jesus as opposed to working for Him? Is there
a difference? Why or why not?

How to Prepare Yourself for Service

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Consecration. A word that means set apart for a specific
purpose.
When we think of consecration, we think of the Levitical
priesthood, setting themselves apart/consecrating themselves before ministering
before the LORD. The same is true today.
Set apart for a
specific purpose also means to prepare.
Last week, we talked about Daniel preparing himself for the
vision he received. He fasted three weeks, only eating bland foods. He
abstained from meat, bread, and wine.
It was a physical action he took.
But it came from his heart. Today I want to look at another
instance where Daniel set himself apart.
Imagine coming into Babylon a slave. Being spoken to in a
language you did not understand. 
Taken from everything you knew. No facebook,
google maps, or Travelocity to give you any idea of where you were going.
Nothing.
Daniel was taken, along with his three fiery-furnace
friends, and were to be integrated into society. Taught the language and
customs etc…and to eat meat and wine from the king’s table.
Daniel 1:8 tells us, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that
he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with
the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs
that he might not defile himself.”
In ancient times, meat was sacrificed to false gods, and
wine was like a drink offering to them, so to sit at the table and eat and
drink, meant you were acknowledging, accepting, and even worshipping their
gods.
Daniel wasn’t being forced to hard labor. He was about to go
into a prestigious training program. Refusing to follow the rules could be disastrous
at the least and at most deliver a death sentence.
Don’t think Daniel didn’t think of the consequences. But in
the end, he purposed in his heart. 
He made the decision. To set himself apart.
To not compromise.
To be different.  To
be who he was called to be.
It took courage and bravery. 

Consecrating ourselves to God and to His purposes takes
conscious decisions. It will take determining in our hearts.
Whatever the outcome. Whatever the penalty.
The reward is always greater.
If you sit in the middle of the fence, nine times out of
ten, you’ll fall.
Make a choice. Determine in your heart what you will and
will not do.
And trust God with the outcome and rewards.
“So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs
had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,  “Please
test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and
water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the
appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and
as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”  So he
consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.” Daniel
1:11-14
The results:
“And at the end of
ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the
young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.” Daniel 1:15
“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which
the king examined them, he found them
ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his
realm.” Daniel 1:20
How many times better were they?
Ten?
Coincidence? I think not.


What is
something you can set apart/consecrate to the LORD? 


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