“And he has committed us to the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” 2 Corinthians 5:19-20

We were invited to a dinner party where the ambassador from a South East Asian country was the special guest. As you can well imagine, it is an honor for a person to be chosen to represent their country in another land. She was an effective ambassador.

During the evening she told us about her country – the beauty, the history, the people. She told us what they imported and what they exported. It was a very thorough overview. And when the dinner came to a close, she warmly invited us to come visit her country.

On the way home, my husband and I discussed the close comparison of what Christians are called to be – Christ’s ambassadors – and what she had been commissioned to be – the ambassador for her country. Meeting with her was a reminder of our calling. All Christians represent the Kingdom of God. This world is not our home.

We are here for one thing:

To tell others everything we know about our King and the heavenly home we are going to. We are to invite them to come to the Kingdom of God.

Do you ever feel inadequate representing King Jesus? We all do. We can’t do it in our own strength. But God has provided the Holy Spirit who will provide the words and the boldness. Just before His ascension Jesus said,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8.

Do you want to experience the power to be His witness? I encourage you to ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/biblestudies/spiritfilledlife.htm

We are Christ’s ambassadors! What an honor He has bestowed upon us. Together let’s make people aware that we represent the Kingdom of God. And don’t chicken out when it’s time to invite them to come visit God’s Kingdom.

Father, thank You for granting us the privilege of being Your subjects to represent You here on earth. We have to admit, Lord, (please forgive us) that sometimes we get so busy with life that we forget why we are here. Sometimes we are downright cowardly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so we will be bold and loving in order to represent you effectively. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/30/kk_christs-ambassadors/

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Thoughts on today’s verse
God made the world in 6 days. Now he sustains it with his powerful word. But in each of us, he is still at work and will continue to work to his glory (see Philippians 2:12-13) until Christ comes to take us home!

Prayer:
Thank you Father, for being at work in my life. I confess that at times you seem distant, but looking back over the crucial moments where things were held in the balance, I can see your fingerprints and your grace leading me to where I am today. Please make your presence more powerfully known in my life as I seek your will and live to your glory. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/30/pw_good-work/

Sooner or later, everyone will be beat up, battered, bruised, and burned out by the dailies of life. Good news! God is Lord of all of your life. List every need and emotion that you are feeling, no matter how small they seem. After you have acknowledged all your emotions and needs, go through the names of God until you find the expression of His character that meets each need. For every need, there is a corresponding attribute of God. Affirm that God is still God, no matter how you feel. Have a praise party, not a pity-party, for your loving Father is a big God. He is able to do much more than you need or can think or ask.

He is the I AM for our needs

He is Abba Father when we need fathering.
He is acceptance when we feel unwanted.
He is adequacy for our inadequacy.
He is all-sufficient in our hardest situations.
He is the Amen, the true witness when we are tempted to lie.
He is the Answer for our uncertainty and questions.
He is the Author of faith for our unbelief or doubt.

He is the Bread of life for our spiritual hunger.
He is the Bright Morning Star for the darkness in the valley of the shadow.
He is broken and spilled out for us when we’ve been used.
He is the Burden-bearer when we are heavy laden.
He is before all things when we’re surprised.

He is cleansing for our defilement and shame.
He is closer than a brother when we are lonely.
He is our Comforter who wipes away tears in our grief’s and sorrows.

He is our Defender when we are under attack.
He is our Deliverer from our bondage or captivity.
He is our Door-opener when it looks like there’s no way out.

He is our Sure Foundation, our solid rock when we’re shaking and insecure.
He is our Faithful Friend when friends fail us.
He is Fullness when we’re empty.

He is the God of details when we’re frustrated.
He is the God of love when we feel unloved and need a hug.
He is the God who is there when we feel alone or abandoned.
He is our Guide and the Way when we’re confused and need direction.
He is grace when we’re too hard on ourselves or others.

He is our Healer for woundedness, rejection, and sickness.
He is Hope when we despair, are discouraged, and want to quit.
He is Humility for our pride.

He is Joy when we are depressed.
He is our Keeper and Protector when we are vulnerable.
He is the Lifter of our heads when we feel oppressed and weighed down.
He is long-suffering, slow to anger when we have blown it again.

He is Mercy for criticism and unkindness.
He is Mighty God, our strength for our weakness or temptation.
He is Never-failing, the same when we are fickle and faithless.
He is Overcoming victory for defeat and depression.

He is the Plumb Line to stand against the world’s situational ethics.
He is the Prince of peace when we are stressed, worried, and confused.
He is the Provider for every financial need.
He is the Quieter of the storm for afflictions without and struggles within.

He is Reconciliation for breaches in relationships.
He is Rest when we’re tired and can’t go on.
He is the Restorer of our souls when we’re bruised and beaten down.
He is the Reviver, living water when we are depleted, barren, thirsty.

He is Satisfaction when we’ve tried everything and come up empty.
He is the Song, our praise when we’re joyless and heavy of heart.
He is the Spirit of the Lord  when we need to be set free.
He is our Strength when we’re weak.

He is Trinity unity for mending separation.
He is Truth when we’ve been lied to.
He is True Riches when we’re tempted to covet the world’s wealth.
He is Vengeance when we are angry and wronged.
He is Wisdom for our hard choices.

This is merely a beginning. Make your own list as a personal affirmation that God is your Need-meeter. He is the Most High God who reigns over all. To whom else would we go? He alone is the Word of eternal life.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/23/sg_for-our-every-need/

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“Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.”  Psalm 31:21

Physiologist Walter Cannon first coined the phrase “fight or flight” to describe the reaction of animals and people to stress, to real or perceived threats. When placed in situations we consider dangerous, or even when we hear about traumatic events (called “witness trauma”), we almost instantaneously react, preparing for quick response.

The physical body undergoes immediate changes: adrenaline rushes into the bloodstream, giving a surge of energy. Natural “fight” reactions include attacking the enemy: animals may growl while humans want to punch or kick.

The mind is also affected: priorities are scrambled because every activity now moves to the Number One spot. The urge to take flight—move away from the danger—has both mental and emotional ramifications. Freezing can be illustrated by animals “playing dead”; humans staying locked in their homes, refusing all social contact. We have all known people who simply freeze in response to trauma. The body stiffens, the emotions shut down.

But is it possible for Christians to have another response to turmoil in addition to these normal “human-wired” reactions? David in Psalm 31 wrote that he was in distress and anguish, experiencing sorrow and loneliness, but he went on to say, “I trust in you, Lord… My times are in your hands…the Lord showed me the wonders of His love when I was in a city under siege.”

As we practice on a daily basis placing our faith in a God of love and grace, we become better prepared for the impacts of trauma that inevitably strike. Someone wrote that the practical spiritual disciplines like solitude, stillness, listening for God are the tools with which we dig furrows in the heart to train us for recognizing God’s presence. And it is that Presence which abides with us in our “besieged cities.”

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/20/me_fight-flight-freeze-faith/

I awoke early this morning with the “Love Chapter” of the Bible on my mind: 1 Corinthians 13. I got up and read it in several different translations of the Bible. I had not read this passage in The Message, Eugene Peterson’s paraphrased version, until today. I found it was written in such an understandable way that it left no doubt about what love isn’t and what love is. I decided to use this message of love for my devotional today. May the Lord speak to your heart as He did to mine.

The Way of Love

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.”

Father, we want to be so filled with love, that people will see Jesus in us. We realize that we can’t change ourselves on the inside, but Your Holy Spirit can. Today, we yield the control of hearts and minds and actions to You and thank You for producing love in us. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/19/kk_way-of-love/
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