Question to think about: Will you seize the day because God is at work?
It is hard to believe that it is the last day of October. Seriously, where does the time go? In the midst of busyness, it is difficult to find any extra time . . . well . . . technically there is an exception . . . in our area of the world . . . we are gaining an hour . . . when we manually put the time back an hour on Sunday morning. The thing is . . . we need to appreciate all of the time we are given. In other words we need to "seize the day" as the Latin phrase, carpe diem, so aptly states.
When you get down to it, we often are more consumed with what we are doing than with what God is doing. In turn, we miss experiencing the value of the day.
But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” (John 5:17, NLT)
God is always working.
Refocus on what God is doing rather than on what you are doing.
Seize the day . . . Carpe diem.
Learning with you to seize the day,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Shoulds
Question to think about: What are the "shoulds" in your life?
An individual tried to convince me that I should have new and improved rain gutters. Apparently, I should have them. Yet, another individual, thought I should have a new coffee maker. Apparently, I should have one. One of my professors thought I should write a specific paper. Apparently, I should write it. The more I think about it. . . there are a lot of "shoulds" in this world.
No one escapes the "shoulds" of life. The Jewish leaders had a list of "shoulds" for the Sabbath that Christ did not follow: So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules.
John 5:16, NLT)
They missed the point. The Jewish leaders had designed a set of rules that limited them in their relationship with God. "Shoulds" are constraining. We are not created to live under the burden of "shoulds" but to be free through the presence and peace of Christ. Even so, we often get caught up in the "shoulds." Christ invites us to live free of the "shoulds" through living beyond the restraints of circumstances in the power of the Spirit:
So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. (Galatians 5:1, NLT)
The thing is, Christ did not come to force us to live by rules but to live in relationship with God.
Seek freedom through Christ.
Refuse to be constrained or ruled by the "shoulds."
Live as you have been created to live: free in the Spirit.
Learning with you to be free,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
An individual tried to convince me that I should have new and improved rain gutters. Apparently, I should have them. Yet, another individual, thought I should have a new coffee maker. Apparently, I should have one. One of my professors thought I should write a specific paper. Apparently, I should write it. The more I think about it. . . there are a lot of "shoulds" in this world.
What are your shoulds?
What should you have in your possession?
What should you do?
What should you say?
What should you feel?
No one escapes the "shoulds" of life. The Jewish leaders had a list of "shoulds" for the Sabbath that Christ did not follow: So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules.
John 5:16, NLT)
They missed the point. The Jewish leaders had designed a set of rules that limited them in their relationship with God. "Shoulds" are constraining. We are not created to live under the burden of "shoulds" but to be free through the presence and peace of Christ. Even so, we often get caught up in the "shoulds." Christ invites us to live free of the "shoulds" through living beyond the restraints of circumstances in the power of the Spirit:
So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. (Galatians 5:1, NLT)
The thing is, Christ did not come to force us to live by rules but to live in relationship with God.
Seek freedom through Christ.
Refuse to be constrained or ruled by the "shoulds."
Live as you have been created to live: free in the Spirit.
Learning with you to be free,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Skunks Stink
Question to think about: Will you waver and revert to fear or respond in faith when the work of God is questioned?
Our house was skunked last night. We never saw the skunk; however, it left a stinkin' calling card. The stink permeated the air outside and crept inside our home. The smell is completely distinguishable. No one and nothing else can stink like a skunk.
Whether we like it or not, the presence of fear in our life is very similar to the stink of a skunk. Fear stinks. It messes with our personal life and impacts others. Fear is distinguishable.
Christ encountered a man that lived in fear rather than in faith:
Then the man went to find the Jewish leaders and told them it was Jesus who had healed him.(John 5:15, NLT)
What led the man to actively look for the Jewish leaders? Did he tell the Jewish leaders about Jesus out of faith or fear? Was the man trying to escape trouble from breaking the religious leaders' Sabbath rules?
Evaluate the process:
1. In his initial conversation with Christ, the man made excuses for unhealthy living for 38 years when he answered the "duh" question, "Would you like to get well?" (John 5:8b, NLT)
2. Christ did not enter into the excuses of the man but rather told him to:
"Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" (John 5:8, NLT)
3. When faced with making the choice of wellness he had . . . to choose the stance of health . . . to choose to change his unhealthy behavior by picking up the sleeping mat . . . and to choose to walk in health whether he felt like it or not.
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking! (John 5:9, NLT)
4. The man's choice to be healthy was challenged: "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!" (John 5:10b, NLT)
5. The man did not confess his personal participation in the work of God. He said, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.' " (John 5:11b, NLT)
6. Jesus found the man and told him to stop sinning. "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." (John 5:14, NLT) The thing is, sin separates humanity from living a healthy and whole life. Something is always missing when someone lives apart from God, which is faith.
7. The man looked for the Jewish leaders to tell them it was Jesus who had healed him on the Sabbath.
Apparently, the man reverted to his old ways. He looked for an escape route to avoid responsibility for his choices, told the leaders that Jesus had been responsible for his healing on the Sabbath, and missed the point of the miracle. When all is said and done, fear was the root problem for excusing his behavior and dismissing his responsibility in the choice to live healthy.
The man was more comfortable with living in fear than in faith.
Fear leaves a stinkin' calling card.
Fear invades our body, mind, and soul.
Fear is contagious.
Fear strengthens as fear rules our thoughts, conversation, and behavior.
Refuse fear.
Choose faith.
Learning with you to refuse to stink with fear,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Our house was skunked last night. We never saw the skunk; however, it left a stinkin' calling card. The stink permeated the air outside and crept inside our home. The smell is completely distinguishable. No one and nothing else can stink like a skunk.
Whether we like it or not, the presence of fear in our life is very similar to the stink of a skunk. Fear stinks. It messes with our personal life and impacts others. Fear is distinguishable.
Christ encountered a man that lived in fear rather than in faith:
Then the man went to find the Jewish leaders and told them it was Jesus who had healed him.(John 5:15, NLT)
What led the man to actively look for the Jewish leaders? Did he tell the Jewish leaders about Jesus out of faith or fear? Was the man trying to escape trouble from breaking the religious leaders' Sabbath rules?
Evaluate the process:
1. In his initial conversation with Christ, the man made excuses for unhealthy living for 38 years when he answered the "duh" question, "Would you like to get well?" (John 5:8b, NLT)
2. Christ did not enter into the excuses of the man but rather told him to:
"Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" (John 5:8, NLT)
3. When faced with making the choice of wellness he had . . . to choose the stance of health . . . to choose to change his unhealthy behavior by picking up the sleeping mat . . . and to choose to walk in health whether he felt like it or not.
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking! (John 5:9, NLT)
4. The man's choice to be healthy was challenged: "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!" (John 5:10b, NLT)
5. The man did not confess his personal participation in the work of God. He said, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.' " (John 5:11b, NLT)
6. Jesus found the man and told him to stop sinning. "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." (John 5:14, NLT) The thing is, sin separates humanity from living a healthy and whole life. Something is always missing when someone lives apart from God, which is faith.
7. The man looked for the Jewish leaders to tell them it was Jesus who had healed him on the Sabbath.
Apparently, the man reverted to his old ways. He looked for an escape route to avoid responsibility for his choices, told the leaders that Jesus had been responsible for his healing on the Sabbath, and missed the point of the miracle. When all is said and done, fear was the root problem for excusing his behavior and dismissing his responsibility in the choice to live healthy.
The man was more comfortable with living in fear than in faith.
Fear leaves a stinkin' calling card.
Fear invades our body, mind, and soul.
Fear is contagious.
Fear strengthens as fear rules our thoughts, conversation, and behavior.
Refuse fear.
Choose faith.
Learning with you to refuse to stink with fear,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Defined and Driven
Question to think about: What will define and drive your thoughts, conversation, and behavior today?
We have a deer problem. The deer come into our yard and eat our plants . . . until the plants appear to be sticks coming out of the ground. The thing is . . . these deer are not afraid of human beings . . . they are so accustomed to human interaction that they stand and stare at our attempts to move them out of the yard. The battle is not over.
Deer do not belong in neighborhoods. Deer are not supposed to feel comfortable with human beings. But they do! Likewise, human beings find themselves in places of life that they do not belong; however, they find themselves increasingly comfortable in that place of life. When you get down to it, life is a series of choices that define and drive how we live.
John wrote about a man that was defined and driven by an illness for 38 years. Jesus made him well:
But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." (John 5:15, NLT)
Jesus made it clear that sin would interrupt the healed man's well-being. The thing is, sin is not a list of "wrongs" and "things not to do." Sin is a state of being, a heart condition. In spiritual terms, the heart is the innermost part of our being that defines who we are and drives or motivates what we do. Sin cuts off the flow of life from the heart, leaving it weakened and ineffective.
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person. (Proverbs 27: 19, NLT)
There is no question that the man who had been sick for 38 years experienced an incredible healing; however, there was a question if he would remain well. The man had to make some choices . . . to live healthy or unhealthy . . . to allow the encounter with Jesus to lead to transformation . . . or to revert back being defined and driven by an illness that separated him from Life.
Evaluate the condition of your heart.
Surrender what needs to be surrendered. Change what needs to be changed. Pursue living healthy and whole through the presence, peace, and power of Christ, God with us.
Learning with you to live fully and wholly defined and driven by Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
We have a deer problem. The deer come into our yard and eat our plants . . . until the plants appear to be sticks coming out of the ground. The thing is . . . these deer are not afraid of human beings . . . they are so accustomed to human interaction that they stand and stare at our attempts to move them out of the yard. The battle is not over.
Deer do not belong in neighborhoods. Deer are not supposed to feel comfortable with human beings. But they do! Likewise, human beings find themselves in places of life that they do not belong; however, they find themselves increasingly comfortable in that place of life. When you get down to it, life is a series of choices that define and drive how we live.
John wrote about a man that was defined and driven by an illness for 38 years. Jesus made him well:
But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." (John 5:15, NLT)
Jesus made it clear that sin would interrupt the healed man's well-being. The thing is, sin is not a list of "wrongs" and "things not to do." Sin is a state of being, a heart condition. In spiritual terms, the heart is the innermost part of our being that defines who we are and drives or motivates what we do. Sin cuts off the flow of life from the heart, leaving it weakened and ineffective.
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person. (Proverbs 27: 19, NLT)
There is no question that the man who had been sick for 38 years experienced an incredible healing; however, there was a question if he would remain well. The man had to make some choices . . . to live healthy or unhealthy . . . to allow the encounter with Jesus to lead to transformation . . . or to revert back being defined and driven by an illness that separated him from Life.
Evaluate the condition of your heart.
Are you defined and driven by the presence, peace, and power of Christ?
Is your spiritual heart healthy?
Is your heart filled with Life, the presence of Christ?
Are there any areas of your heart cut off from the flowing presence of Life?
Are you defined and driven by the presence and power of sin in any area of your life? In other words, have you experienced weakness and/or ineffectiveness in specific areas of your life?
Surrender what needs to be surrendered. Change what needs to be changed. Pursue living healthy and whole through the presence, peace, and power of Christ, God with us.
Learning with you to live fully and wholly defined and driven by Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, October 24, 2008
Locked In
Question to think about: Is there a circumstance, habit, or issue that is controlling you?
I had dinner with a group of moms. One was late. Her reason for being late was a classic . . . memorable. She went to school to pick up her two little boys. The building is new and the staff is still adjusting to all of the quirks. A teacher took the "after-school" kids out to the inner courtyard unaware that the lock had an automatic timer. Yep . . . you guessed it . . . the door locked . . . for the night. No one could get in or out. The teacher used her cell phone to call for help. Parents arrived to pick up kids. They could see their kids through the windows but could not get to them . . . no one could figure out how to open the door . . . a picture of the other side of cool technology. Finally, someone figured out that if, the fire alarm went off . . . then, the automatic lock system would shut off. They set off the alarm. The kids were freed.
There are things in life that lock us in.
Illness locked in a man from living healthy for 38 years. He survived those years; however, he missed the gift of living until he encountered Jesus. He was freed. Think what it would have been like to experience complete freedom after being dictated by an illness for 38 years of life. It seems that the people around him would have been speechless . . . God allowed them to see the miracle . . . to be present in the miracle . . . to believe. But there were some Jewish leaders that did not focus on God:
So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!"
He replied, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.' "
"Who said such a thing as that?" they demanded.
The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. (John 5:10-13, NLT)
The man knew and said he was healed. Speaking about liberation is a powerful component of remaining free. Along the journey of life we will meet people that will not see or believe that God is at work. We must make a decision: Will we let those who do not believe lock us into their unbelief or if we will trust God with the belief?
An angel told the virgin, Mary: "For nothing is impossible with God."
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left. (Luke 1:37-38, NLT)
Do what God calls you to do.
You are the Lord's servant.
Be willing to accept whatever God wants.
There is a divine plan for you and I to experience a life of freedom through an ongoing, participating, active relationship with God.
Refuse to be locked in by circumstances, habits, issues, feelings, bitterness, gossip, or ________.
Remember that nothing is impossible with God!
Experience the liberation of God.
Live your liberation out loud.
Learning with you to refuse to be locked in,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
I had dinner with a group of moms. One was late. Her reason for being late was a classic . . . memorable. She went to school to pick up her two little boys. The building is new and the staff is still adjusting to all of the quirks. A teacher took the "after-school" kids out to the inner courtyard unaware that the lock had an automatic timer. Yep . . . you guessed it . . . the door locked . . . for the night. No one could get in or out. The teacher used her cell phone to call for help. Parents arrived to pick up kids. They could see their kids through the windows but could not get to them . . . no one could figure out how to open the door . . . a picture of the other side of cool technology. Finally, someone figured out that if, the fire alarm went off . . . then, the automatic lock system would shut off. They set off the alarm. The kids were freed.
There are things in life that lock us in.
Illness locked in a man from living healthy for 38 years. He survived those years; however, he missed the gift of living until he encountered Jesus. He was freed. Think what it would have been like to experience complete freedom after being dictated by an illness for 38 years of life. It seems that the people around him would have been speechless . . . God allowed them to see the miracle . . . to be present in the miracle . . . to believe. But there were some Jewish leaders that did not focus on God:
So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!"
He replied, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.' "
"Who said such a thing as that?" they demanded.
The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. (John 5:10-13, NLT)
The man knew and said he was healed. Speaking about liberation is a powerful component of remaining free. Along the journey of life we will meet people that will not see or believe that God is at work. We must make a decision: Will we let those who do not believe lock us into their unbelief or if we will trust God with the belief?
An angel told the virgin, Mary: "For nothing is impossible with God."
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left. (Luke 1:37-38, NLT)
Do what God calls you to do.
You are the Lord's servant.
Be willing to accept whatever God wants.
There is a divine plan for you and I to experience a life of freedom through an ongoing, participating, active relationship with God.
Refuse to be locked in by circumstances, habits, issues, feelings, bitterness, gossip, or ________.
Remember that nothing is impossible with God!
Experience the liberation of God.
Live your liberation out loud.
Learning with you to refuse to be locked in,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
No Buts About It!
Question to think about: Is it possible to trust without reserve?
For those that follow the news of the day . . . the world's economy is down. Depressing . . . down right depressing . . . BUT . . . the thing is . . . the news leaves out the presence of God and what God is doing in our midst . . . there is more to the story . . . God is present . . . God is working . . . God is in control. Most of us could fill in the blank without much thinking: It would be easier to believe God is at work if __________.
The work of God changes the way we live. One man experienced a miracle when he encountered Christ:
. . . BUT this miracle happened on the Sabbath day. (John 5:9b)
Even though a miracle occurred . . . the word, "but," alerts the reader that there is something that isn't quite right.
The ancient world recognized that the Jewish people observed the Sabbath. The people were to rest on the Sabbath; it was considered a holy day. Just as a portion of their earnings were to be reserved for God, so was a portion of their time to be reserved for God. The time reserved was a sign of their covenantal relationship made with God.
BUT, many of the religious leaders had lost sight of the meaning of Sabbath. They spent an inordinate amount of time interpreting what was or was not appropriate for Sabbath. Their top priority centered on the rules rather than their relationship with God.
So . . . Christ, God with us, healed a man on the Sabbath. The religious leaders focused on what they thought was important rather than what God did.
Before, we gang up on the religious leaders of the day . . . don't we do the same thing? If, God does not do what we think is important . . . we often think something is wrong. Could it be that our top priority is not always about a relationship with God . . . but . . . about getting what we want?
In these difficult times we need to focus on our relationship with God, completely trusting God to be present and at work . . . no BUTs about it!
Learning with you to trust without reserve,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
For those that follow the news of the day . . . the world's economy is down. Depressing . . . down right depressing . . . BUT . . . the thing is . . . the news leaves out the presence of God and what God is doing in our midst . . . there is more to the story . . . God is present . . . God is working . . . God is in control. Most of us could fill in the blank without much thinking: It would be easier to believe God is at work if __________.
The work of God changes the way we live. One man experienced a miracle when he encountered Christ:
. . . BUT this miracle happened on the Sabbath day. (John 5:9b)
Even though a miracle occurred . . . the word, "but," alerts the reader that there is something that isn't quite right.
The ancient world recognized that the Jewish people observed the Sabbath. The people were to rest on the Sabbath; it was considered a holy day. Just as a portion of their earnings were to be reserved for God, so was a portion of their time to be reserved for God. The time reserved was a sign of their covenantal relationship made with God.
BUT, many of the religious leaders had lost sight of the meaning of Sabbath. They spent an inordinate amount of time interpreting what was or was not appropriate for Sabbath. Their top priority centered on the rules rather than their relationship with God.
So . . . Christ, God with us, healed a man on the Sabbath. The religious leaders focused on what they thought was important rather than what God did.
Before, we gang up on the religious leaders of the day . . . don't we do the same thing? If, God does not do what we think is important . . . we often think something is wrong. Could it be that our top priority is not always about a relationship with God . . . but . . . about getting what we want?
In these difficult times we need to focus on our relationship with God, completely trusting God to be present and at work . . . no BUTs about it!
Learning with you to trust without reserve,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Catalyst That Makes You Fly
Question to think about: What does it take to change your unhealthy ways?
C.S. Lewis said, "It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be {a jolly sight} harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
Change can be hard. Change can be growth. Change can be freedom. The man who had been ill for 38 years changed:
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking . . . (John 5:8a, NLT).
The longer we live with unhealthy behavior, the more difficult it is to break free of our unhealthy ways. The catalyst to change has to overrule the power of habitual living. A catalyst is something that changes the rate of a process . . . a chemical reaction to a chemical substance. What was the catalyst?
The man encountered the presence of Christ, God with us.
The man heard and received the words of Christ.
The man responded to the presence and words of Christ.
The man participated with the work of Christ . . . by taking action.
What does this mean for you and I?
To change we need to be unsatisfied with being an "ordinary egg" and surrender to the catalyst of the presence and power of Christ . . . then . . . hatch and fly:
Acknowledge any unhealthy behavior.
Submit to the abiding presence and power of Christ.
Learn, receive, and respond to the Word of God.
Start now . . . the man did not say he would think about it . . . he got up, rolled up his mat and immediately gave up his unhealthy ways.
Enjoy your flight!
Learning with you to respond to the catalyst of the presence of Christ and fly,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
C.S. Lewis said, "It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be {a jolly sight} harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
Change can be hard. Change can be growth. Change can be freedom. The man who had been ill for 38 years changed:
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking . . . (John 5:8a, NLT).
The longer we live with unhealthy behavior, the more difficult it is to break free of our unhealthy ways. The catalyst to change has to overrule the power of habitual living. A catalyst is something that changes the rate of a process . . . a chemical reaction to a chemical substance. What was the catalyst?
The man encountered the presence of Christ, God with us.
The man heard and received the words of Christ.
The man responded to the presence and words of Christ.
The man participated with the work of Christ . . . by taking action.
What does this mean for you and I?
To change we need to be unsatisfied with being an "ordinary egg" and surrender to the catalyst of the presence and power of Christ . . . then . . . hatch and fly:
Acknowledge any unhealthy behavior.
Submit to the abiding presence and power of Christ.
Learn, receive, and respond to the Word of God.
Start now . . . the man did not say he would think about it . . . he got up, rolled up his mat and immediately gave up his unhealthy ways.
Enjoy your flight!
Learning with you to respond to the catalyst of the presence of Christ and fly,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Stand up. Pick up your mat. Walk.
Question to think about: Are you waiting for life to happen to you or are you actively engaged with the work of God?
Christ invites humanity to be a part of the work of God. There are people that know God but they choose to live on the sidelines. Why? Participating with the work of God requires action, living beyond what can be seen and often in an uncomfortable place. That said, those who actively engage with the work of God live with passion and purpose.
The sick man had to make a decision to do what Jesus said to do. He had spent a lifetime of letting life happen.
Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" (John 5:8, NLT)
Jesus asked the man to take action:
1.Stand up. Along the way, we must determine what our stance in life will be. Will we live stuck in fear or stand in faith? Christ, God with us, told the man to stand up. The man had not stood for thirty-eight years. He would have been incredibly weak. The thing is, when we choose faith, God will empower and strengthen us to stand. "LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong." (Psalm 30:6a, NKJV)
2. Pick up your sleeping mat. We need to acknowledge our responsibility in how we live. The man relied on his sleeping mat. It was his band-aid answer for life. While it was not a place of health for him, it was where he felt comfortable. When unhealthy behavior is repeated, it becomes comfortable. God has created us for a purpose; however, God leaves us with the choice of how we will live. Christ, God with us, purposed for the man to be well. The man had the responsibility in becoming well by changing his behavior. In other words, we are invited to engage our life with the divine work of God. "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me"(Psalm 138:8a, NRS)
3. Walk. Living the way we are created to live requires action. The man had not walked for thirty-eight years. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be told to walk by Christ, God with us? Certainly, he must have thought about what it would be like to walk . . . he had positioned himself at the edge of the pool where others had been healed . . . wanting to be free of the illness. Freedom from the things that oppress us require action. Jesus told the man to do it. The man could have told Jesus that walking would be impossible, refusing to take action. When we chose to go the way that God leads, we will discover a pathway that pushes through the impossibilities. "Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name." (Psalm 86:11, NRS)
Stand up.
Pick up your mat.
Walk.
Learning with you to do what God says to do,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Christ invites humanity to be a part of the work of God. There are people that know God but they choose to live on the sidelines. Why? Participating with the work of God requires action, living beyond what can be seen and often in an uncomfortable place. That said, those who actively engage with the work of God live with passion and purpose.
The sick man had to make a decision to do what Jesus said to do. He had spent a lifetime of letting life happen.
Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat, and walk!" (John 5:8, NLT)
Jesus asked the man to take action:
1.Stand up. Along the way, we must determine what our stance in life will be. Will we live stuck in fear or stand in faith? Christ, God with us, told the man to stand up. The man had not stood for thirty-eight years. He would have been incredibly weak. The thing is, when we choose faith, God will empower and strengthen us to stand. "LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong." (Psalm 30:6a, NKJV)
2. Pick up your sleeping mat. We need to acknowledge our responsibility in how we live. The man relied on his sleeping mat. It was his band-aid answer for life. While it was not a place of health for him, it was where he felt comfortable. When unhealthy behavior is repeated, it becomes comfortable. God has created us for a purpose; however, God leaves us with the choice of how we will live. Christ, God with us, purposed for the man to be well. The man had the responsibility in becoming well by changing his behavior. In other words, we are invited to engage our life with the divine work of God. "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me"(Psalm 138:8a, NRS)
3. Walk. Living the way we are created to live requires action. The man had not walked for thirty-eight years. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be told to walk by Christ, God with us? Certainly, he must have thought about what it would be like to walk . . . he had positioned himself at the edge of the pool where others had been healed . . . wanting to be free of the illness. Freedom from the things that oppress us require action. Jesus told the man to do it. The man could have told Jesus that walking would be impossible, refusing to take action. When we chose to go the way that God leads, we will discover a pathway that pushes through the impossibilities. "Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name." (Psalm 86:11, NRS)
Stand up.
Pick up your mat.
Walk.
Learning with you to do what God says to do,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Monday, October 20, 2008
What Is Your Excuse?
Question to think about: What excuses do you make when it comes to changing something in your life?
I listened to a discussion between a teenage son and his father. The father asked the son if a specific chore had been completed. The boy listed the reasons of why the chore had not been done. The father listed the son's consequences.
We all do it . . . we make excuses . . . why we keep doing something . . . why we haven't done something . . . why we are unable to do something. Making excuses to yourself and others will not remedy anything. There are consequences for our excuses which often impact others as well as ourselves.
Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well . . . the man made excuses:
"I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets in ahead of me." (John 5:7, NLT)
The sick man justified his unhealthy way of living by making excuses. Excuses often create a barrier to living the best life. The thing is, humanity is created to live life to the fullest.
Stop.
Be still and know God.
Breathe.
Remember that God wants you to live the best life.
Look at your life honestly.
What excuses have you been making?
Determine what you need to do to stop making excuses.
Remember you don't have to change everything in one day . . . small changes add up to great change.
Learning with you to stop making excuses,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
I listened to a discussion between a teenage son and his father. The father asked the son if a specific chore had been completed. The boy listed the reasons of why the chore had not been done. The father listed the son's consequences.
We all do it . . . we make excuses . . . why we keep doing something . . . why we haven't done something . . . why we are unable to do something. Making excuses to yourself and others will not remedy anything. There are consequences for our excuses which often impact others as well as ourselves.
Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well . . . the man made excuses:
"I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets in ahead of me." (John 5:7, NLT)
The sick man justified his unhealthy way of living by making excuses. Excuses often create a barrier to living the best life. The thing is, humanity is created to live life to the fullest.
Stop.
Be still and know God.
Breathe.
Remember that God wants you to live the best life.
Look at your life honestly.
What excuses have you been making?
Determine what you need to do to stop making excuses.
Remember you don't have to change everything in one day . . . small changes add up to great change.
Learning with you to stop making excuses,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Big Question
Question to think about: Are you willing to answer the big question: "Do you want to be made well?"
Yesterday, I took a break with some friends that listed all the irritating interruptions of life that had taken their attention in the past week. I was able to relate and added to their list of time consuming annoyances . . . nothing life shattering . . . but the stuff of life that takes time and/or money . . . distracting us from what is really important. Then again . . . there are interruptions that matter . . . that change the way we think and behave.
Jesus interrupted a man's life with a big question:
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (John 5:5-6, NRS)
Christ interrupted the way the man thought and lived . . . asking the big question. The man had been ill for thirty-eight years. It seems like Jesus asked a "duh" question until we look at it more closely. The man had been sick thirty-eight years. Did the illness direct his thoughts . . . creating an unhealthy way of thinking and behaving . . . becoming a force in the way he chose to live? Had the man become "comfortable" with his daily routine and rituals created by his illness? What needed to change in order to be healthy?
Think about the big question, "Do you want to be made well?"
What are the areas of your life that need to be interrupted by the presence of Christ?
What needs to change in the way you think and behave for you to be healthy?
How is change possible when you are "comfortable" with the way things are?
Invite Christ to interrupt your "comfortable" unhealthy way of living.
Experience the light of Christ moving into the darkness of the unhealthy areas of your life.
Focus on the power of the light of Christ:
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19, NRS)
Learning with you to invite Christ to interrupt comfortable unhealthy ways of living,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Yesterday, I took a break with some friends that listed all the irritating interruptions of life that had taken their attention in the past week. I was able to relate and added to their list of time consuming annoyances . . . nothing life shattering . . . but the stuff of life that takes time and/or money . . . distracting us from what is really important. Then again . . . there are interruptions that matter . . . that change the way we think and behave.
Jesus interrupted a man's life with a big question:
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" (John 5:5-6, NRS)
Christ interrupted the way the man thought and lived . . . asking the big question. The man had been ill for thirty-eight years. It seems like Jesus asked a "duh" question until we look at it more closely. The man had been sick thirty-eight years. Did the illness direct his thoughts . . . creating an unhealthy way of thinking and behaving . . . becoming a force in the way he chose to live? Had the man become "comfortable" with his daily routine and rituals created by his illness? What needed to change in order to be healthy?
Think about the big question, "Do you want to be made well?"
What are the areas of your life that need to be interrupted by the presence of Christ?
What needs to change in the way you think and behave for you to be healthy?
How is change possible when you are "comfortable" with the way things are?
Invite Christ to interrupt your "comfortable" unhealthy way of living.
Experience the light of Christ moving into the darkness of the unhealthy areas of your life.
Focus on the power of the light of Christ:
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19, NRS)
Learning with you to invite Christ to interrupt comfortable unhealthy ways of living,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Something More To Experience
Question to think about: Are you willing to experience something more?
We took a break and relaxed at the Oregon Coast with some friends. Sharing breathtaking views, laughter, and fun with friends put life in perspective.
The details that seemed important a few days before paled in comparison to the details of creation: blue sky, towering trees, tide pools filled with starfish and anemone, and the rising rock in the ocean called "haystack rock" accompanied by the three adjacent rocks, "the needles."
Have you noticed that life looks different when you step back from the daily schedule to not only catch your breath but to breathe?
Sometimes we get in a rut of living without realizing there is something more to experience. John described Jesus encountering people that wanted something more than what they had:
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids -- blind, lame, and paralyzed.(John 5:1-3, NRS)
The people went to the pool at Bethesda to find something more in their life.
Bethesda can be interpreted as "house" but it also may mean "house of mercy" or "house of outpouring." Both interpretations speak of life that is beyond our human limitations.
Break free.
Step back.
Breathe.
View life from the perspective that God has more for your life.
Experience the mercy and outpouring of God.
One of my favorite promises comes from the book of Lamentations . . . a time when the people had experienced excruciating loss . . . it is worth knowing:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23, NRS)
Learning with you to experience something more today . . . the new mercies of God,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
We took a break and relaxed at the Oregon Coast with some friends. Sharing breathtaking views, laughter, and fun with friends put life in perspective.
The details that seemed important a few days before paled in comparison to the details of creation: blue sky, towering trees, tide pools filled with starfish and anemone, and the rising rock in the ocean called "haystack rock" accompanied by the three adjacent rocks, "the needles."
Have you noticed that life looks different when you step back from the daily schedule to not only catch your breath but to breathe?
Sometimes we get in a rut of living without realizing there is something more to experience. John described Jesus encountering people that wanted something more than what they had:
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids -- blind, lame, and paralyzed.(John 5:1-3, NRS)
The people went to the pool at Bethesda to find something more in their life.
Bethesda can be interpreted as "house" but it also may mean "house of mercy" or "house of outpouring." Both interpretations speak of life that is beyond our human limitations.
Break free.
Step back.
Breathe.
View life from the perspective that God has more for your life.
Experience the mercy and outpouring of God.
One of my favorite promises comes from the book of Lamentations . . . a time when the people had experienced excruciating loss . . . it is worth knowing:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23, NRS)
Learning with you to experience something more today . . . the new mercies of God,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, October 10, 2008
Plan On It
Question to think about: Have you asked God what the plan is today?
The story of the government official's (John 4) meeting with Jesus gives me great comfort and hope. It would seem that the man had been through a lot . . . a sick son . . . who became sicker . . . and finally close to death. Certainly, the man must have tried to get all the help he could to make his son well. But . . . when all seemed lost he found Jesus.
The man "begged him to come to Capernaum with him to heal his son, who was about to die" (John 4:47, NLT).
The man had a plan.
Jesus had a different plan.
The man wanted Jesus to go Capernaum and heal his son.
Jesus did not go.
Jesus told the man, "Go back home. Your son will live!" (John 4:50a, NLT)
The plan was different than what the man wanted.
The plan was perfect.
The man believed Jesus.
The man did what Jesus said to do and started back home.
The man encountered some of his servants:
He asked them when the boy had begun to feel better, and they replied, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!"
Then the father realized it was the same time that Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And the officer and his entire household believed in Jesus.
This was Jesus' second miraculous sign in Galilee after coming from Judea. (John 4:52-54, NLT)
Plan on doing what God says to do.
Go to God.
Believe God.
Do what God says to do.
God is at work.
God has perfect timing.
God has a perfect plan.
Experience the great and mighty things God is doing today.
Learning with you to plan on doing what God says to do,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
The story of the government official's (John 4) meeting with Jesus gives me great comfort and hope. It would seem that the man had been through a lot . . . a sick son . . . who became sicker . . . and finally close to death. Certainly, the man must have tried to get all the help he could to make his son well. But . . . when all seemed lost he found Jesus.
The man "begged him to come to Capernaum with him to heal his son, who was about to die" (John 4:47, NLT).
The man had a plan.
Jesus had a different plan.
The man wanted Jesus to go Capernaum and heal his son.
Jesus did not go.
Jesus told the man, "Go back home. Your son will live!" (John 4:50a, NLT)
The plan was different than what the man wanted.
The plan was perfect.
The man believed Jesus.
The man did what Jesus said to do and started back home.
The man encountered some of his servants:
He asked them when the boy had begun to feel better, and they replied, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!"
Then the father realized it was the same time that Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And the officer and his entire household believed in Jesus.
This was Jesus' second miraculous sign in Galilee after coming from Judea. (John 4:52-54, NLT)
Plan on doing what God says to do.
Go to God.
Believe God.
Do what God says to do.
God is at work.
God has perfect timing.
God has a perfect plan.
Experience the great and mighty things God is doing today.
Learning with you to plan on doing what God says to do,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
If Only or What If
Question to think about: What if you . . . ?
Yesterday I reconnected with a friend from long ago. Things have not gone the way it had been planned. Choices were made that have left a family defeated and desperate. After one discussion, it was apparent that their focus revolves around one central theme:
At one time or another we want and wish for things to be different. Rather than being trapped in the "if only" we need to begin to strategize the "what ifs." It is the difference between hopelessness and hopefulness.
The government official recognized Jesus as the Source where life springs from. The encounter with Christ gave him a new perspective of faith and hope . . . that something more than death was possible:
While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. (John 4:51, NLT)
What if the man had not encountered Christ? Would he have spent a life time thinking, "If only I had found Christ, then . . . ” The difference between "if only" and "what if" is the way we think and subsequently act.
Reformat the way you think . . . see the possibilities of life through seeking God first with faith: Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27, Amplified)
Refuse to be stuck in the "if onlies" of life.
Redefine your problems by reformatting your perspective, acknowledging and believing God is not only present but working.
Focus on the possibilities (the what-ifs) rather than dead-end problems.
Remember . . . with God all things are possible.
Learning with you to focus on the "what if" rather than the dead-end problem,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Yesterday I reconnected with a friend from long ago. Things have not gone the way it had been planned. Choices were made that have left a family defeated and desperate. After one discussion, it was apparent that their focus revolves around one central theme:
If only things could be different . . .
At one time or another we want and wish for things to be different. Rather than being trapped in the "if only" we need to begin to strategize the "what ifs." It is the difference between hopelessness and hopefulness.
The government official recognized Jesus as the Source where life springs from. The encounter with Christ gave him a new perspective of faith and hope . . . that something more than death was possible:
While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. (John 4:51, NLT)
What if the man had not encountered Christ? Would he have spent a life time thinking, "If only I had found Christ, then . . . ” The difference between "if only" and "what if" is the way we think and subsequently act.
Reformat the way you think . . . see the possibilities of life through seeking God first with faith: Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27, Amplified)
Refuse to be stuck in the "if onlies" of life.
Redefine your problems by reformatting your perspective, acknowledging and believing God is not only present but working.
Focus on the possibilities (the what-ifs) rather than dead-end problems.
Remember . . . with God all things are possible.
Learning with you to focus on the "what if" rather than the dead-end problem,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Drama
Question to think about: When do you believe?
I talked with an individual who believed that a dramatic and really big deal situation had occurred. It was not true. How do I know? I was involved in the situation she talked about. Apparently the story had been discussed between various individuals who had assumed some things had occurred and added them into the story. I will admit the revised story had great drama.
We people love drama. Think about the discussion between Jesus and the government official:
Jesus asked, "Must I do miraculous signs and wonders before you people will believe in me?"
The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."
Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed Jesus' word and started home. (John 4: 48-50, NLT)
Jesus made the point that people believed because of miraculous signs and wonders before telling the government official that his son would live. There were no dramatic signs that a miracle would occur. No poof of smoke. No thunder or lightening. No drama. Even so, the man believed what Jesus said.
Now think about this:
The man left to find Jesus when his son was near death.
The man wanted his son to live.
The man did not have any proof that his son would live except for what Jesus said.
Why did the man believe? He had no evidence, only Christ's word. The man believed Christ was at work healing his son without a visible sign.
How can we live with belief when we are unable to see anything happening?
So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message)
Are you facing a challenge today?
Do you believe what Christ said?
Believe God is at work.
Refuse to shuffle along . . . eyes to the ground . . . absorbed with the problems in front of you.
Look up . . . be alert . . . Christ is at work.
Learning with you to believe what Christ said,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
I talked with an individual who believed that a dramatic and really big deal situation had occurred. It was not true. How do I know? I was involved in the situation she talked about. Apparently the story had been discussed between various individuals who had assumed some things had occurred and added them into the story. I will admit the revised story had great drama.
We people love drama. Think about the discussion between Jesus and the government official:
Jesus asked, "Must I do miraculous signs and wonders before you people will believe in me?"
The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."
Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed Jesus' word and started home. (John 4: 48-50, NLT)
Jesus made the point that people believed because of miraculous signs and wonders before telling the government official that his son would live. There were no dramatic signs that a miracle would occur. No poof of smoke. No thunder or lightening. No drama. Even so, the man believed what Jesus said.
Now think about this:
The man left to find Jesus when his son was near death.
The man wanted his son to live.
The man did not have any proof that his son would live except for what Jesus said.
Why did the man believe? He had no evidence, only Christ's word. The man believed Christ was at work healing his son without a visible sign.
How can we live with belief when we are unable to see anything happening?
So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message)
Are you facing a challenge today?
Do you believe what Christ said?
Believe God is at work.
Refuse to shuffle along . . . eyes to the ground . . . absorbed with the problems in front of you.
Look up . . . be alert . . . Christ is at work.
Learning with you to believe what Christ said,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Desperation
Question to think about: Are you desperate?
Have you ever been desperate for relief? Have you thought if, a problem could be solved . . . then, you would be okay . . . but eventually, down the road of life . . . you were once again desperate for relief?
Desperation occurs when every thought, emotion, and action revolves around a specific problem. Relief needs to be found or we will either implode or explode. Either way, desperation is usually messy, painful, and oppressive.
In the course of our journey, there will be a time that we find ourselves desperate. A government official was desperate . . . he needed help. He had heard about Jesus . . . went to Jesus . . . and begged Jesus to heal his son:
In the course of his journey through Galilee, he arrived at the town of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in the city of Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was traveling in Galilee, he went over to Cana. He found Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum with him to heal his son, who was about to die. (John 4: 46-47, NLT)
The government official had position and power in the community; however, he had a need that could not be relieved through what he had or did. Re-read the above two verses. Jesus was present . . . and in desperation the man found Jesus.
Jesus, God with us, is present . . . wanting and inviting us to come and find relief.
The key to relief, shalom (peace), is highlighted throughout the pages of the story of God as an invitation.
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)
Those that are desperate for Jesus on a daily basis perceive and manage life through a peace that transforms.
Be desperate for Jesus.
Go to Jesus.
Give Jesus every problem, big and small.
Jesus will give you peace . . . a peace that restores you to be able to continue on the journey.
Learning with you to give Jesus the burden and receive peace,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Have you ever been desperate for relief? Have you thought if, a problem could be solved . . . then, you would be okay . . . but eventually, down the road of life . . . you were once again desperate for relief?
Desperation occurs when every thought, emotion, and action revolves around a specific problem. Relief needs to be found or we will either implode or explode. Either way, desperation is usually messy, painful, and oppressive.
In the course of our journey, there will be a time that we find ourselves desperate. A government official was desperate . . . he needed help. He had heard about Jesus . . . went to Jesus . . . and begged Jesus to heal his son:
In the course of his journey through Galilee, he arrived at the town of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in the city of Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was traveling in Galilee, he went over to Cana. He found Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum with him to heal his son, who was about to die. (John 4: 46-47, NLT)
The government official had position and power in the community; however, he had a need that could not be relieved through what he had or did. Re-read the above two verses. Jesus was present . . . and in desperation the man found Jesus.
Jesus, God with us, is present . . . wanting and inviting us to come and find relief.
The key to relief, shalom (peace), is highlighted throughout the pages of the story of God as an invitation.
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)
Those that are desperate for Jesus on a daily basis perceive and manage life through a peace that transforms.
Be desperate for Jesus.
Go to Jesus.
Give Jesus every problem, big and small.
Jesus will give you peace . . . a peace that restores you to be able to continue on the journey.
Learning with you to give Jesus the burden and receive peace,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Vital Welcome
Question to think about: Have you welcomed Christ into your day?
I talked with several people yesterday that are experiencing crises. Their normal life routine has been disrupted. Crises come and go in the course of our lifetime. Many times crisis occurs from an ongoing problem that gains force in our life. Other times, crisis comes from situations that make no sense and create significant pain. It is imperative to take a daily break from the pressure of the crises to maintain mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
How is it possible to think of anything else but the crises . . . that takes our breath away . . . that sucks the life out of us . . . that disturbs everything we know to be true?
Just do it! The thing is . . . a decision to take a break from the pressure of crises is the only way to focus on anything else. Otherwise, the crises will grip our perspective, our emotions, and ultimately our well-being.
So, how do we turn our attention away from the pressure and power of crises? Years ago, our Grandpa and Grandma Roleder made a decision to welcome Christ into their day. During the course of their lifetime they experienced exile, the imprisonment and death of several family members, the loss of their homeland, and the death of their child. All that said, they lived with faith that Christ would carry them through the crises.
John 4 explained that the people changed their attitude and welcomed Christ:
At the end of the two days' stay, Jesus went on into Galilee. He had previously said, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country." The Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen all his miraculous signs. (John 4: 43-45, NLT)
Christ, the One that breathes life into humanity, resuscitates our being . . . giving and restoring life.
Refuse to let crises define you.
Take a break.
Welcome Christ into your day.
Learning with you to welcome Christ into the day,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
I talked with several people yesterday that are experiencing crises. Their normal life routine has been disrupted. Crises come and go in the course of our lifetime. Many times crisis occurs from an ongoing problem that gains force in our life. Other times, crisis comes from situations that make no sense and create significant pain. It is imperative to take a daily break from the pressure of the crises to maintain mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
How is it possible to think of anything else but the crises . . . that takes our breath away . . . that sucks the life out of us . . . that disturbs everything we know to be true?
Just do it! The thing is . . . a decision to take a break from the pressure of crises is the only way to focus on anything else. Otherwise, the crises will grip our perspective, our emotions, and ultimately our well-being.
So, how do we turn our attention away from the pressure and power of crises? Years ago, our Grandpa and Grandma Roleder made a decision to welcome Christ into their day. During the course of their lifetime they experienced exile, the imprisonment and death of several family members, the loss of their homeland, and the death of their child. All that said, they lived with faith that Christ would carry them through the crises.
John 4 explained that the people changed their attitude and welcomed Christ:
At the end of the two days' stay, Jesus went on into Galilee. He had previously said, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country." The Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen all his miraculous signs. (John 4: 43-45, NLT)
Christ, the One that breathes life into humanity, resuscitates our being . . . giving and restoring life.
Refuse to let crises define you.
Take a break.
Welcome Christ into your day.
Learning with you to welcome Christ into the day,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, October 3, 2008
You said . . . but you did . . .
Question to think about: What beliefs guide your thought process and behavior?
One of the most frequent complaints that I hear from people is that someone says one thing but does another thing . . . someone says they will return borrowed possessions or money but they never do . . . someone says they will not tell something but they do . . . someone says they will be committed but they wander away . . . someone says they will do something but they never get around to doing it. At one time or another, our actions do not align with our words. At the root of this problem is the belief system.
We have the choice to determine what we believe in life . . . I am talking about the beliefs that define who we are and what we do. While we may say we believe something, our thoughts and actions may not support that it is a core belief. A true belief is something that we would literally stake our life on . . . that nothing and no one could take away from us . . . or convince us to do something that opposes it.
The woman at the well said what she believed . . . everything about her was transformed because of her belief in Christ . . . which led others to go meet Jesus. They believed:
Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42, NLT)
The way we think, speak, and act changes when the belief in Christ is anchored to the core of our being, which leads to . . . hope when things seem hopeless . . . faith when others are filled fear . . . joy in the midst of sorrow . . . peace in times of turmoil and chaos . . . and a life of passion and purpose.
Determine to live an authentic lifestyle of belief in Christ.
Seek to anchor your belief to the core of your soul.
Live out what you say you believe.
Learning with you to live my stated beliefs,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
One of the most frequent complaints that I hear from people is that someone says one thing but does another thing . . . someone says they will return borrowed possessions or money but they never do . . . someone says they will not tell something but they do . . . someone says they will be committed but they wander away . . . someone says they will do something but they never get around to doing it. At one time or another, our actions do not align with our words. At the root of this problem is the belief system.
We have the choice to determine what we believe in life . . . I am talking about the beliefs that define who we are and what we do. While we may say we believe something, our thoughts and actions may not support that it is a core belief. A true belief is something that we would literally stake our life on . . . that nothing and no one could take away from us . . . or convince us to do something that opposes it.
The woman at the well said what she believed . . . everything about her was transformed because of her belief in Christ . . . which led others to go meet Jesus. They believed:
Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42, NLT)
The way we think, speak, and act changes when the belief in Christ is anchored to the core of our being, which leads to . . . hope when things seem hopeless . . . faith when others are filled fear . . . joy in the midst of sorrow . . . peace in times of turmoil and chaos . . . and a life of passion and purpose.
Determine to live an authentic lifestyle of belief in Christ.
Seek to anchor your belief to the core of your soul.
Live out what you say you believe.
Learning with you to live my stated beliefs,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Power of Fear
Question to think about: Are you experiencing fear?
Lately, I have been in several discussions with people who have great fear regarding America's future and what the future means to the average individual . . . you and I. Fear has a lot of power . . . and it is highly contagious. Fear is at the root of anxiety, stress, anger, depression and anything that takes away peace. In my opinion, media and politicians know that fear can be used to their advantage. It is a weapon of persuasion.
We need to take a step back:
Breathe.
Be aware of the tension that the fear is creating in your mind, body, and soul.
Breathe.
Surrender fear to God: "I surrender the fear in my thoughts . . . in my attitude . . . in my words . . . in my body . . . in my soul. God I don't want to be ruled by fear . . . I want to live in Your peace."
Receive the peace of God. Peace is a gift from God, producing healing and wholeness:
I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. (Psalm 4:8, NLT)
The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. (Psalm 4:8, NLT)
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." (Luke 1:78-79, NLT)
He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (John 20:21, NLT)
A woman changed after encountering Christ. People desperately wanted to have what she had received in her life:
Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe. (John 4:39-41, NRS)
The woman had received life . . . she had been in the presence of Christ . . . and experienced complete peace.
True peace has nothing to do with our circumstances but with Christ.
Receive and be in the peace of Christ today.
Learning with you to live in the peace of Christ.
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Lately, I have been in several discussions with people who have great fear regarding America's future and what the future means to the average individual . . . you and I. Fear has a lot of power . . . and it is highly contagious. Fear is at the root of anxiety, stress, anger, depression and anything that takes away peace. In my opinion, media and politicians know that fear can be used to their advantage. It is a weapon of persuasion.
Fear produces conflict within our mind, body, soul and with one another. Peace is the absence of conflict.
We need to take a step back:
Breathe.
Be aware of the tension that the fear is creating in your mind, body, and soul.
Breathe.
Surrender fear to God: "I surrender the fear in my thoughts . . . in my attitude . . . in my words . . . in my body . . . in my soul. God I don't want to be ruled by fear . . . I want to live in Your peace."
Receive the peace of God. Peace is a gift from God, producing healing and wholeness:
I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. (Psalm 4:8, NLT)
The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. (Psalm 4:8, NLT)
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." (Luke 1:78-79, NLT)
He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (John 20:21, NLT)
A woman changed after encountering Christ. People desperately wanted to have what she had received in her life:
Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe. (John 4:39-41, NRS)
The woman had received life . . . she had been in the presence of Christ . . . and experienced complete peace.
True peace has nothing to do with our circumstances but with Christ.
Receive and be in the peace of Christ today.
Learning with you to live in the peace of Christ.
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
What Are You Doing?
Question to think about: Are you doing what matters today?
One of my friends spent her last days in an almost condemned nursing home. She had lost what had mattered to her in the past but not her purpose. She purposefully taught me to live beyond limitations . . . to live fully engaged in an active relationship with God.
We live in an era that delineates the importance of a person by their position and power. At the end of the day . . . at the end of life . . . our position will not matter. What will matter is how we have lived . . . if we lived with purpose.
God invites us to live with purpose, actively engaged with what matters.
It is clear that Christ-followers are sent to do a specific task:
"I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest." (John 4:38, NLT)
Christ said, "I sent you to . . . "
Think about what Christ is sending you to do today.
Do what matters.
Learning with you to do what matters,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
One of my friends spent her last days in an almost condemned nursing home. She had lost what had mattered to her in the past but not her purpose. She purposefully taught me to live beyond limitations . . . to live fully engaged in an active relationship with God.
We live in an era that delineates the importance of a person by their position and power. At the end of the day . . . at the end of life . . . our position will not matter. What will matter is how we have lived . . . if we lived with purpose.
God invites us to live with purpose, actively engaged with what matters.
It is clear that Christ-followers are sent to do a specific task:
"I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest." (John 4:38, NLT)
Christ said, "I sent you to . . . "
Think about what Christ is sending you to do today.
Do what matters.
Learning with you to do what matters,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
