Wednesday's Word of the Week - Make it Personal

Christ took away your sins. He endured not just the nails of the Romans, the mockery of the crowd, and the spear of the soldier, but the anger of God!

God didn’t overlook your sins, lest he endorse them. He didn’t punish you lest he destroy you. He instead found a way to punish the sin and preserve the sinner. Jesus took your punishment, and God gave you the credit for Jesus’ perfection. As long as the cross is God’s gift to the world, it will touch you but not change you.

Precious as it is to proclaim, “Christ died for the world,” even sweeter it is to whisper, “Christ died for me!”

For my sins he died. He took my place on the cross. He felt my shame and spoke my name. Thank God for the day Jesus took your place, for the day Grace happened to you!

From GRACE by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - Worth Saving

No one believed in people more than Jesus did. He saw something in Peter worth developing, in the adulterous woman worth forgiving, and in John worth harnessing.

He saw something in the thief on the cross, and what he saw was worth saving. And in the life of a wild-eyed, bloodthirsty extremist, He saw the apostle of grace. He believed in Saul.

Don’t give up on your Saul. When others write him off, give him another chance. Stay strong. Call him brother. Call her sister. It’s too soon to throw in the towel. Talk to your Saul about Jesus, and pray.

God is at work behind the scenes. And remember this: God never sends you where he hasn’t already been. By the time you reach your Saul, who knows what you’ll find.

God used Saul, who became Paul, to touch the world.

Has God given you a Saul?

From Cast of Characters by Max Lucado

Wedesdays Word of the Week - Acknowledge His Presence

Do you desire power for your life? It'll come as Romans 12:18 instructs: 'As you do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.'

It'll also come as you pray!

For ten days Jesus' disciples prayed. Ten days of prayer plus a few minutes of preaching led to three thousand saved souls.

We're prone to pray for a few minutes and then preach for ten days! Not the apostles. They lingered in Jesus' presence. They never left the place of prayer.

Sound burdensome? Are you wondering, my business needs attention, my children need dinner, my bills need paying. How can I stay in one place of prayer?

Do this. Change your definition of prayer. Think of it less as an activity for God and more as an awareness of God.

Acknowledge His presence everywhere you go!

From 'Come Thirsty' by Max Lucado

Wednesdays Word of the Week - One Scary Place

Here's a test. How far do you have to go to hear the reminder, 'Be afraid'

How near is your next; You're in trouble memo. A flip of the newspaper page? A turn of the radio dial? A glance at the Internet? According to the media the world is one scary place!

There's a stampede of fear out there. Let's not get caught in it. Let's be among those who stay calm. Acknowledge threats but refuse to be defined by them. Let's be numbered among those who hear a difference voice: God's!

Courage doesn't panic, it prays. Courage doesn't bemoan, it believes. Courage listens to the voice of God calling through Scripture, 'When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don't panic.'

Let not your heart be troubled.

Trust these and other words from God.

Trust God and fear less!

From 'Fearless' by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - A Good, Healthy Struggle

God is using your struggles to toughen you up!

It’s like viewing a movie after you’ve read the book. When something bad happens, everyone else gasps at the crisis on the screen. Not you. Why? You’ve read the book. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot.

God views your life with the same confidence. He’s not only read your story, he wrote it. His perspective is different, and his purpose is clear. One of God’s cures for weak faith? A good, healthy struggle.

Consider it a gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. Under pressure, your faith-life is forced into open and shows its true colors. Scripture says, let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. (James 1:2-3)

Join with the Old Testament prophet Isaiah who resolved, “I will trust in him and not be afraid!” (Isaiah 12:2)

From Come Thirsty by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - God is Enough

Let’s face it–anxiety or worry have no advantages! They ruin our health, rob us of joy, and change nothing! Our day stands no chance against the terrorists of the Land of Anxiety.

But Christ offers a worry-bazooka. Remember how He taught us to pray? “Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11” This simple sentence unveils God’s provision plan: live one day at a time.

Worry gives small problems big shadows. Corrie ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” And Romans 8:28 affirms: “Every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”

Most anxiety stems, not from what we need, but from what we want. Philippians 4:4 says, “delight yourselves in the Lord, yes, find your joy in Him at all times!”

If God is enough, you’ll always have enough!

From Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - He Is Able

If your Father is God and you have a problem on your hands, what do you do? Scripture tells us what to do.

Is your problem too large? Ephesians 3:20 says, “God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Is your need too great? 2 Corinthians 9:8 reminds us, “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance.”

Is your temptation too severe? Hebrews 2:18 says, “God is able to help us when we are being tested.”

Is your future too frightening? Jude 24 tells us, “God is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”

Make these verses part of your daily diet. God is able to accomplish, provide, help, save, keep, subdue. He is able to do what you can’t. Go to Him!

From Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - Seeing You

Why does God love you so much?

For the same reason the artist loves his paintings. You are His idea!

Ephesians 2:10 confirms that we are “God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

In the movie Hook, Peter Pan had become old and looked nothing like the Peter the lost boys knew. In the midst of the boys shouting that this was NOT Peter, one of the smallest boys pulled him down to his level. He places his hands on Peter’s face, moved the skin around and reshaped his face. The boy looked into Peter’s eyes and said, “There you are, Peter!”

Shh. Listen. Do you hear?

God is saying the same words to you. There you are! There you are!

He’s seeing you and loving the you he sees.

From Fearless by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - Important But Not Essential

Do you want to snatch a day from the grip of boredom? Do overly generous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Here’s another idea…Get over yourself!

Sound too harsh?

Well, Moses did. Numbers 12:3 says, he was a “very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

Mary did. When Jesus called her womb His home, she did not boast; she simple confessed: “I am the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.”

Most of all–Jesus did. Jesus chose the servants’ quarters. Can’t we?

We’re important but not essential, valuable but not indispensable. We have a song to sing, but we’re not the featured act. God is!

He did well before our births; he’ll do fine after our deaths. He started it all, sustains it all, and will bring it all to a glorious climax!

From Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

Wednesday's Word of the Week - I Messed Up

We’ve all messed up. Said the wrong words, loved the wrong person, reacted the wrong way…walked when we should have waited, indulged when we should have resisted.

You’ll mess up more if you let yesterday’s mistakes sabotage today’s attitude!

The Bible says, God’s mercies are new every morning. Receive them. Learn a lesson from them.

Thunderbolts of regret can ignite and consume you. What makes the difference? Counteract them with downpours of God’s grace, daily washings of forgiveness.

Once a year won’t do. Once a month is insufficient. Sporadic mistings leave you combustible. Weekly showers leave you dry. You need a solid soaking every day!

Lamentations 3:22-23 says “The Lord’s love never ends; His mercies never stop. They are new every morning.”

What a gift He has given to you. What more do you need?

From Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

F.R.O.G. - Part 2

More FROGness this week at GB.  Check out the most gorgeous frogs made out of small balloons stuffed with flour, eyes glued on, and water balloons with pipe cleaners inside for legs.  The cooking group made bacon and egg pies and decorated the tops frog style.  The music group 'murdered' the National Anthem I was told, and I got a sneak peak of the drama groups skit - what awesome little actors we have.  Plus we practised all our songs.  Its coming together quite nicely - can't wait for June 10th.

Motivation Mondays

Been thinking about how to blog more often and with more variety.  And at the same time possibly providing something of use to GB.  So welcome to Motivation Monday.  Some of you may have seen this from the Australian GB newsletter, writer unknown.

MY DECLARATION 

“My calling is sure.

My challenge is big.

My vision is clear.

My desire is strong.

My influence is eternal.

My impact is critical.

My values are solid.

My faith is tough.

My mission is urgent.

My purpose is unmistakable.

My direction is forward.

My heart is genuine.

My strength is supernatural.

My reward is promised.

And my God is real.

I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgruntled, discouraged, or distracted.

Neither will I look back, stand back, fall back, go back or sit back.

I do not need applause, flattery, adulation, prestige, stature or veneration.

I have no time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes or low vision.

I will not give up, give in, bail out, lie down, turn over, quit or surrender.

I AM A SERVANT.

That is what I will be.”