Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Surrendered Vessel

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
John 2:7

As a little child I remember my dad playing a game with me. His hands the stage for a guessing game to see if I knew where the prize might be. Maybe it was more like a magic act but nevertheless my job was to guess; to try and discover which hand held the prize. Is it in the right hand or the left?

Look at your hands. What do you see? As a young lady I was ravished with disease that left my hands crooked, bent and at times without full function. Surgeries have tried to correct and for the most part have been successful. Praise God! Crooked hands ––but I will say powerful in the hands of God! He is a miracle worker.

Let’s go deeper.

Often we can justify our existence as just that­­­––existing. We are running here and then going there and might even feel overlooked in the grander stage of life. We might be the ones in the background, a servant in the shadows. A servant; a useful servant in the hands of the Father.

Let’s peek into a home located in Israel.

There is a story that speaks of a small town known as Cana in the land of Galilee. Here we find a joyous occasion, a wedding none-the-less and Jesus has been invited. He is not the groom or even the master of this celebration; he is just an invitee. An invitee that would cause his disciples to “put their faith in him” once this gala comes to an end.

As the story unfolds we read that at this great celebration, the choice beverage has been depleted. We meet Jesus and some servants standing near six pots; pots used for ceremonial cleansing.

I want to draw your attention to the servants; to the help that was in the background masked by the joyous sounds of this great event; servants that will assist Jesus in his first miracle.

"Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” (John 2:7-8)

Now, the next thing we read is that the master, the host, some translations note him as the governor receives this cup. Whatever his task was, he was also the one that would approve, confirm, the miracle that has just occurred.

It was the servant’s tired hands that brought the cup. Jesus used the lowly humble, perhaps overlooked servant to do his bidding. In doing so, this servant carried a prize, a miracle in their tired working hands.

At what point did the water turn to wine? The Scriptures note the master, “He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew”.

The servants knew what Jesus had done, but when did the water turn to wine?

Sometimes in our everyday routine activity we might attribute these daily tasks to just the ordinary, nothing special, just functions of life.

I challenge that every single activity we are involved in is an opportunity to be used of God.

This world qualifies the glamorous, the high ranking position, the titles of greatness, the rich and intelligent.

But in the Scriptures we often read of God using the lowly in spirit, the meek and the humble. He frustrates the wisdom of the intelligent because they do not look to Him.

God works best when the ground of our hearts is soft and pliable.

The servant at the wedding was just going about his everyday business. He did not wake up that morning and uttered to himself, “today I will be used mightily”! Or, maybe he did!

Perhaps this servant had learned to be thankful in every little thing. Perhaps in the morning when breath entered his lungs, he began to thank Jehovah for his life. Perhaps his heart was waiting for the Messiah.

We are servants of the Most High God. It pleases Him to use us.

Just surrender.

The servant at the wedding carried a miracle in his hands. Did the water turn to wine in the jars or when it was poured in the cup? Was it as the servant walked, or was it when the master put his lips to the cup?

I don’t know. But he did surrender himself and was used. His owns eyes testified that this liquid was once water and now it was wine.

The servant witnessed the miracle; the miracle that revealed Jesus’s glory and his disciples put their faith in him. (V.11)

Look at your hands. Perhaps you have them behind your back. God can’t use me. 

Hands forward. Like my dad would say, “which hand has the prize in it”? Is it the left or the right? The truth is, one of the hands had the prize.

I’ve surrendered my hands, my heart, my mind, my entire life to the MASTER to be used for His glory.

I’m even like the jar that held the water where this fluid would be transformed because of God’s command; a miracle residing in me and will be made known at the proper time; a time when God will be glorified.

Somewhere in the midst of obedience the miracle happened!

The miracles and glorious events of God are in process.  From the moment Jesus was called to participate on this joyous scene, the miracle began! 

It’s all for His Glory. Jesus we invite you; we surrender  –– I surrender.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 

God bless you!~Liz

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Blessings

The fruit of your womb will be blessed"  (Deuteronomy 28:4a)

Wondering what the benefits of obeying the Lord are? Today as I read this passage there was one item that stood out. As a mom I am always crying out to God for my son. I acknowledge God is Supreme and Sovereign; even the very testimony of my lips speak of what the Lord has done.  He is Good!  He provides, He supplies, He delivers, He saves, He, He, He!! We know that God hears our prayers but sometimes its the "timing" that may cause us to doubt. 

Today I was reassured one more time; "The fruit of your womb will be blessed" v.4a. Praise the Living God! It's the lineage that God is perfecting. The Scriptures tell of the blessings and in addition what we will reap if we disobey. I will obey Him and see his hand on my son and on generations that I don't see. Glory to God! 

Parents lets anchor on to this promise of God, trusting likewise that our children will obey the Lord and that his hand of blessing will remain throughout the generations to come.

God was speaking to a nation he loved and was molding. Sometimes they obeyed and other times they lost it all because of their rebellion.

Everyone has a choice but today it starts with me.  I will obey.


Blessings for Obedience Deuteronomy 28:1-14

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.
 
God bless you!~Liz

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Authorized Personnel | Foot Soldiers

Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?

Ever watched a construction sight in operation?  Have you observed when the big truck is trying to back up, lights flashing everywhere; you can hear jack hammer in the background and you are trying to get by. There are flags waving a warning to Stop or to Go less we end up in mess.  

In the midst of all this, the "foot worker" is directing the truck so that the driver is able to maneuver into small restricted areas while other cars are flying by and pedestrians are trying to cross the street.

Everyone needs help.  Working together helps the driver safely park the truck without injury to those passing by or himself.  The "foot worker" has been instrumental in preventing an accident.

We are our brother's keeper; foot soldiers in the Kingdom of God.

Are we watching out for one another?

A sleepless night or a body afflicted with illness can sometimes cause our disposition to be altered.  We are tired and worn down. We might be "grouchy" or maybe withdrawn.  We are each other's keeper.  

When we engage a brother or sister who has had a tough day; let's be a "foot worker" that can bring redirection and help  our brother or sister to maneuver safely through the day.  It's as refreshing as a cup of water. (Matthew 10:42)

The Gospel is the simple message that says you are going the wrong way; let me share with your a new way to engage this life.  One has come to change our direction and then he leaves a Helper to walk us through this life.

He does not want us to die in our sin.  He is establishing his Kingdom and enlisting those who humble themselves before Him.

He has filled us and then he commands us to walk and bring a fresh "breath" of life to the lost and the found.

We are "foot workers" in the Kingdom of God; authorized workers!  We are to watch, pray and assist.  We don't want members of  the family of God to end up in a ditch because they neglected to ask for help or we overlooked lending a hand.

The Kingdom of God is being built.  Observe and look for opportunities to assist.  

It is negligence on our part to ignore and so let those we love fall.

I see the flashing lights and I heed the warning.  Thank you Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 3:18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.


God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

CHANGE, WELCOME IT!

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