Monthly Archives: April 2018

Psalm 28:5

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Pride vs. Brokenness {pt 2}

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

To Gaze or to Glance? It Matters.

“Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth” Colossians 3:2.

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Seeing Jesus

The most important thing about us is what comes into our mind when we think about God. Anything that is not true about God is a lie, and entertaining idolatrous thoughts is not something we should do.

All of us must answer this pressing question every day: “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:13-19). When Jesus submitted this question to the apostles, the conversation necessarily moved past cultural speculation and community rumors. They had to own what they’d begun to make of the Man before them. Peter answered rightly. Judas probably wouldn’t have said the same thing, even though both had lived and worked with Jesus for considerable time at that point.

Peter’s revelation required the Spirit of the LORD to illuminate what he’d already learned from Scriptures, the living Word of God. We must, therefore, come to everything written between Genesis to Revelation with the kind of humility, prayer, and fasting that Daniel did and submit ourselves to the Word of the LORD (Daniel 10: 1-3,11-12). It is only by this practice that we will be met by our Maker, who delights to put His Son on display.

Like the men on the road to Emmaus, our hearts can burn as He opens up all the Scriptures to us (Luke 24:13-35). And like John the Beloved in exile on Patmos (Revelation 1:1,17), we can learn things about Jesus so new and revelatory that we might not recognize Him for a minute—even after decades of discipleship and obedience.

(excerpt taken from Jesus is Everything)

“Father, thank You for Your Son. Thank You for Your Spirit that indwells me. Help me grasp the understanding that You are everything; that without you I am nothing, I have nothing. Illuminate who You are (Your Truth), and open my mind, heart and soul to see You alone without distractions –not my image of who I think you are. Correct what is wrong, enhance what is right, and grow what is not there for You are my God. Thank you Jesus!” Amen.

May we see as Peter did, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-19).

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Portraits of a Dysfunctional Church | Pastor Richard Woodruff

I Corinthians is one of two existing letters addressed to the people of Corinth. Paul had ministered in Corinth during his second missionary journey. It was here that he met Aquila and Priscilla who were tent makers by trade as was Paul (Acts 18:3). Having been beaten and jailed in Philippi and escaping the incited […]

You can find this blog in it’s entirety by clicking the link below:

Portrait of a Dysfunctional Church — Cedarville Baptist Church

[Conclusion]

1. Like the church at Corinth, we are in a position for spiritual greatness.

2. Like the church at Corinth, we can be choosing to live in a place of spiritual infancy/riddled with sin.

3. Like the church at Corinth, we can find answers when we seek God.

4. Like the church at Corinth, we must not quit.

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

the Path to Transformation

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” Romans 12:2-3.

The path to transformation runs from the mind to the heart, and not the other way around.

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Discontentment 101

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Isn’t it Enough?

You have heard the saying, “actions speak louder than words” right? Our actions (right or wrong) are a demonstration of our inward heart.

We are such independent creatures aren’t we? Here we can live our lives barely giving thought to how we got here, who put us here, why we are here, and who is in really in control.

All to often we find ourselves doing our own thing as we please, where we please, how we please and fail to stop, think, praise, serve or worship the giver of the very life we so enjoy. Oh we may stop for an hour on Sunday to “praise and worship” but is that what God desires of us? Our dutiful hour?

Dependence on something or someone usually brings to mind a sense of weakness, incapable, a negative twinge of some sort. We think needy, unstable, a crutch, even foolish. All to often we allow the world’s influence of ‘dependence‘ to creep into our thought process, life–actions, that work their root systems into our relationship with God and others.

God is quiet the contrary; man is quite the contrary. We have placed God in our man-made box of our own ideals. Ideals in which we have individually and corporately created; therefore, making man god and God just an conclusion of our matter.

If you do not know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I implore you to go to my Eternity page and read it. If you have any further questions, I’d be ecstatic to talk with you.

To those who call yourselves followers of Christ; Have you considered what God thinks about your response to His glory, to Himself? What does God see or hear from and about you? After He gave His life for you on Calvary, died, rose again and while He is building a mansion for you in glory –what are you doing for Him? Your actions display your personal gratitude.

We are accountable. We will be held accountable. We are responsible. We will be held responsible. Don’t leave the other undone.

  • Examining our actions is being proactive.
  • Consider what your actions tell God, how they influence others and yourself? We only have but one life to live. Let’s make it count for who it matters most too…Christ.
  • How can we not?

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

the Battle Ground | Pride vs Brokenness

  • Are you being “respectable” or “real”?
  • “Real” (being broken over one’s sin; seeing who we really are before a righteous and holy God and seeing who He is) is the harder road to take but the road worth taking for it brings freedom, true life –abundant life only found in Jesus Christ. Only He can fulfill you!
  • “Respectable” (choosing to live selfishly in self-sufficiency and self-arrogance-pride, and yes, a believer can fall prey to this as well) seems to fulfill one quickly with desires and wants met thus fulfulling needs thought important, but come to find out many are filled with bitterness, emptiness, regrets, pain, sorrow, and a life without God.

God is not interested in our “respectableness.”

God desires our “realness!”

1 Peter 5:5 “…and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 51:17 ” The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Isaiah 66:2 “For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite, and who trembles at My word.”

So, are you “real” or are you “respectable” before God today?

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

We Have Nothing to Fear

“…greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” 1 John 4:4.

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Proverbs 13:6

“Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner” Proverbs 13:6.

Photo credits: Roger Cole

Have a blessed God-centered day,

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Marinating

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

It’s Impossible for God to do

“We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

What a glorious comfort to know, to experience, and to have.

Thank you Lord for loving us so much!

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

the Mercy of God

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Seeing God on Earth

Have you ever seen the power of God in the life of a believer?

  • Maybe it was in a friend, your sister or brother. Perhaps it was in the life of your Pastor or his wife or maybe your parent or relative.

Seeing the power of God in a life that has freely chosen to be useable in the Master’s hands is like seeing God in bodily form –earthly speaking.

  • It is spiritually invigorating in the life of the believer, but also in the lives of those affected by that believer.
  • It is spiritually encouraging to witness.
  • It ignites a deeper fire within your own soul to continue to walk in righteousness. It also causes a spiritual iron sharpening iron affect in others to do the same.
  • It is spiritually influential.
  • It is God with us — in us.

Have you seen the power of God in your life?

Have you experienced God?

Do others see God in you?

If so, praise be to God! Keep on the journey of faith with Jesus Christ! If not, why not brother or sister?

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Jesus Our Example

Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32).

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am the God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold the with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

“…I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Lessons From the Trials of Christ | Pastor Richard Woodruff

Below you will find the link to a blog post written by Pastor Richard Woodruff on the Trials of Christ. I added his conclusion from that post below.

Truly, the trials of Christ are a vivid picture of man’s nature (my nature) next to God’s holiness. Without Him, in my sinful state, I am most miserable.

I encourage you to read this post. It’s good!

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

LINK: https://cbcofcedarville.org/2018/04/12/lessons-from-the-trials-of-christ/

Psator Woodruff’s conclusion from Lessons From the Trials of Christ:

The trial(s) of Jesus Christ stands in stark contrast to everything morally right or just.

1. It was fueled by financial greed.
2. It was fueled by lust for power.
3. It was fueled by self-preservation.

Still, Christ in his death is the very payment for our sin. We might wonder why or even how God could use the injustices of men in saving mankind. But, isn’t that just the point: The trial of Christ is a vivid picture of man’s nature next to God’s holiness.

We see man– corrupt in every conceivable way. It is our sinful state that fuels financial greed, lust for power, and self-preservation. Only God could demonstrate such powerful love that what men meant for evil, God meant for good. Only God could love us so much to wade through the muck and mire of our sinful state in order to save us. It was because of man’s sin that Jesus came to die on that cross. It was man’s sinful trial that condemned Him.

On the day of the Triumphal entry, truly a priest and king entered Jerusalem. Jesus death on the cross was God’s response to save us from our sin. Jesus Christ is the only One who could satisfy the penalty for our sin. The only One who could deliver us from the prison of our sin. Amen.

Pastor Richard Woodruff

You can follow Pastor Richard Woodruff on WordPress by checking out cbcofcedarville, Cedarville Baptist Church or http://www.cbcofcedarville.org

The View Matters

Whose view do you care about more?

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

the Limited Walking with the Unlimited…sounds like Heaven on Earth

“Understanding who He is and where we fall in line, creates Heaven on Earth.”

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

True Freedom

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}